I would rather bathe in Tabac than ever smell that again.
Damn Comfortable Shave
- Thread starter Chan Eil Whiskers
- Start date
I would rather bathe in Tabac than ever smell that again.
Jim @Chan Eil Whiskers, I've been thinking on your break in process of the 70/30 while I break in my Semogue and Omega boars I recently acquired. My SOC took a full 30 lathers to get broken in to where I found it enjoyable in use. I'm rapidly approaching that with these two new brushes. One aspect of my boar break in that I hadn't considered is that I bowl lather all of the time with them. I use the captains choice ceramic lather bowl for this. It has ridges in the center that really help agitate lather and produce excellent lathers when I wish to do that. For the break in, I press the tips in to these ridges fairly firmly. I believe this pressure helps that break in process of the tips of my boars. It seems to be helping the tips on the Omega more than the Semogue. Do you have a textured lather bowl you could try with the 70/30? Aliexpress sells a dog dish or water bowl that would work well for this purpose, I'd have to go find the page. Timeless has a blue colored and branded version of this bowl that is available for sale. I also always dry the tips of my brushes on a towel after I've rinsed the lather out. It's possible this also helps the break in process. Just trying to figure out how to help the knot along for you.
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- Thread starter
- #8,923
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Joel @Johnnynroy, thanks for the information.
My boar SOC took a very long time to break in to my satisfaction. It was probably the most difficult of my boars to break in, but it finally got there. Not sure how long it took or how many wet dry cycles. Many!
I'm pretty convinced that the major part of breaking in a boar without damaging it is dry to wet to dry cycles, a good many of them. Like you, I see the advantage of some mechanical abrasion of the tips, and employ towel drying to accomplish it, pushing the tips into the towel and rubbing a lot in all directions.
Mostly I haven't done anything other than the above with the 70/30. However, I began using it after probably no breaking it in, or very very little. I used it for more than thirty shaves before taking it offline and out of the rotation for more breaking in. The prickly bad scritch is not to my liking; otherwise it's a terrific knot. I very much want it to break in.
It has been through some palm lathering during the offline process.
I have these two copper and tin items. One is a smallish mug. The other, a largish bowl. Both are textured. I also have the Dirty Bird 1.5 scuttle (at the office) which is ribbed, etc. I'll look around the house to see what else might be available like maybe a textured bowl in the kitchen (although I can't think of one, we might still have one).
Your suggestion gives me options I'd not considered. Good options I think. Thanks for suggesting a bit more mechanical abrasion via lathering against texture.
Good luck with breaking in your brushes. Besides the SOC I had several Omega boars which took considerable breaking in. Only one of my boars, the Stirling, never really made the cut; or maybe I gave up on it too soon.
Happy shaves,
Jim
My boar SOC took a very long time to break in to my satisfaction. It was probably the most difficult of my boars to break in, but it finally got there. Not sure how long it took or how many wet dry cycles. Many!
I'm pretty convinced that the major part of breaking in a boar without damaging it is dry to wet to dry cycles, a good many of them. Like you, I see the advantage of some mechanical abrasion of the tips, and employ towel drying to accomplish it, pushing the tips into the towel and rubbing a lot in all directions.
Mostly I haven't done anything other than the above with the 70/30. However, I began using it after probably no breaking it in, or very very little. I used it for more than thirty shaves before taking it offline and out of the rotation for more breaking in. The prickly bad scritch is not to my liking; otherwise it's a terrific knot. I very much want it to break in.
It has been through some palm lathering during the offline process.
I have these two copper and tin items. One is a smallish mug. The other, a largish bowl. Both are textured. I also have the Dirty Bird 1.5 scuttle (at the office) which is ribbed, etc. I'll look around the house to see what else might be available like maybe a textured bowl in the kitchen (although I can't think of one, we might still have one).
Your suggestion gives me options I'd not considered. Good options I think. Thanks for suggesting a bit more mechanical abrasion via lathering against texture.
Good luck with breaking in your brushes. Besides the SOC I had several Omega boars which took considerable breaking in. Only one of my boars, the Stirling, never really made the cut; or maybe I gave up on it too soon.
Happy shaves,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #8,924
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Sunday my shave was good enough.
Not quite enough work was done on my soul patch, but enough to get by and please everyone other than me.
This is my (only) unbleached boar (as far as I know). It's the El Cheapo Zenith. An excellent brush it is. The handle is nothing special but there's also nothing wrong with it. The knot is great. It has a bit of remaining prickliness; just enough to notice pushing it lightly into my most sensitive skin which is below my Adam's apple. It also has a bit of remaining boar smell although not enough to actually bother me.
What's going on with these two brushes? What do they have in common?
Both ^ brushes, prior to today's shave, were soaked and towel dried, several times. Prior to today's shave I bowl lathered the prickly 70/30. Following today's shave I bowl lathered today's slightly prickly Zenith boar. I used both of the copper utensils pictured in the post above this one to bowl lather; thanks for that tip, Joel @Johnnynroy.
Both brushes will be left wet and lathered in the green rubber mug, probably until this evening. I'm trying to break in these knots.
Other than not being totally broken in the Zenith boar is a truly great boar knot. It was very inexpensive. The knot is too tall in my opinion, but it functions just fine so maybe it's not too tall. The handle looks like and feels like and is cheap plastic. Still...It's already becoming a new favorite boar (not that it will surpass the Omega Jade).
Same blade, flipped.
HA + Cremo.
I'm not at the beach but today's scent reminds me of beach trips, sun, sand, waves, beach umbrellas, girls in bikinis, and the sounds of the surf.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Not quite enough work was done on my soul patch, but enough to get by and please everyone other than me.
This is my (only) unbleached boar (as far as I know). It's the El Cheapo Zenith. An excellent brush it is. The handle is nothing special but there's also nothing wrong with it. The knot is great. It has a bit of remaining prickliness; just enough to notice pushing it lightly into my most sensitive skin which is below my Adam's apple. It also has a bit of remaining boar smell although not enough to actually bother me.
What's going on with these two brushes? What do they have in common?
Both ^ brushes, prior to today's shave, were soaked and towel dried, several times. Prior to today's shave I bowl lathered the prickly 70/30. Following today's shave I bowl lathered today's slightly prickly Zenith boar. I used both of the copper utensils pictured in the post above this one to bowl lather; thanks for that tip, Joel @Johnnynroy.
Both brushes will be left wet and lathered in the green rubber mug, probably until this evening. I'm trying to break in these knots.
Other than not being totally broken in the Zenith boar is a truly great boar knot. It was very inexpensive. The knot is too tall in my opinion, but it functions just fine so maybe it's not too tall. The handle looks like and feels like and is cheap plastic. Still...It's already becoming a new favorite boar (not that it will surpass the Omega Jade).
Same blade, flipped.
HA + Cremo.
I'm not at the beach but today's scent reminds me of beach trips, sun, sand, waves, beach umbrellas, girls in bikinis, and the sounds of the surf.
Happy shaves,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #8,925
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Look what I found...
As I've mentioned I'm on a gentlemanly restraint until the fall. When I committed to the restraint there were stipulated reservations one of which was I would be allowed to buy certain unobtanium brushes should they surface. This one, an unbleached Zenith boar, surfaced.
The trigger was pulled of course.
It has a very nice handle; I know this to be true because I have the Manchurian in the same handle. The knot size will I think suit me better than the too tall knot in the unbleached Zenith I used today as this knot is said to be 57mm. In my experience knots are often lower than the vendor says, but if it's 57mm I'll be fine.
Unbleached Zenith boars are hard to find especially in anything other than the cheapest of handles. For that matter unbleached boars period are uncommonly located except in the collections of others.
Happy shaves to you,
Jim
As I've mentioned I'm on a gentlemanly restraint until the fall. When I committed to the restraint there were stipulated reservations one of which was I would be allowed to buy certain unobtanium brushes should they surface. This one, an unbleached Zenith boar, surfaced.
The trigger was pulled of course.
It has a very nice handle; I know this to be true because I have the Manchurian in the same handle. The knot size will I think suit me better than the too tall knot in the unbleached Zenith I used today as this knot is said to be 57mm. In my experience knots are often lower than the vendor says, but if it's 57mm I'll be fine.
Unbleached Zenith boars are hard to find especially in anything other than the cheapest of handles. For that matter unbleached boars period are uncommonly located except in the collections of others.
Happy shaves to you,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #8,927
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Monday my shave was good.
Good kit.
The brush is scritchy, but not if used to paint, and it's not horribly scritchy. Still, bad scritch is bad scritch. Still, I like it.
IS blade, flipped.
HA + Cremo + Atomic Age Bay Rum.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Good kit.
The brush is scritchy, but not if used to paint, and it's not horribly scritchy. Still, bad scritch is bad scritch. Still, I like it.
IS blade, flipped.
HA + Cremo + Atomic Age Bay Rum.
Happy shaves,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #8,928
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Shave Mail today. Shavemac D01 two band 26mm by Rudy @Rudy Vey. Color is better than the photo.
The handle's actual color is closest to the photo on the left. These photos are thumbnails meaning click to enlarge them.
I like the color a lot; it's perfect. The handle is just right. I won't know about the knot until I've used it some, of course, but it seems great, too, on an initial and dry inspection.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I've got one of their unbleached boars in a chrome covered small copper handle, the 2000 cxse with a 24/56 knot. It was a good latherer straight out of the box, well worth £6.20.
- Thread starter
- #8,930
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Cool.
My other unbleached Zenith, which is too tall, but works great, is this ^ brush with the plastic handle. It's a very good brush already but not entirely broken in yet. Unbleached boar is uncommon and also worth trying for sure. Its handle is cheap plastic, but still perfectly okay.
The unbleached boar brush was very inexpensive; the shipping was more than the brush I think (which made me buy a silvertip Zenith ^ to share the shipping).
Happy shaves,
Jim
That badger looks nice. I wouldn't mind one, although I've bought enough brushes in the last couple of months to last the rest of my life.
- Thread starter
- #8,932
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Tuesday's shave was very good.
New Rudy Vey/Shavemac 26mm D01 two band. Like it a lot on first impression. Nowhere near as stiff or scritchy as I thought it might be.
This is the Rudy Vey beehive damp and bloomed after its first use. Impressive bloom.
Otherwise my kit was my usual stuff. Same blade, flipped. HA. Cremo. Beach splash.
Happy shaves,
Jim
New Rudy Vey/Shavemac 26mm D01 two band. Like it a lot on first impression. Nowhere near as stiff or scritchy as I thought it might be.
This is the Rudy Vey beehive damp and bloomed after its first use. Impressive bloom.
Otherwise my kit was my usual stuff. Same blade, flipped. HA. Cremo. Beach splash.
Happy shaves,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #8,933
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Wednesday my shave was nice. I'm going to talk brushes here and not just my shave.
Once again the Rudy Vey @Rudy Vey 26mm Shavemac D01 2 band butterscotch beehive was given a spin. The color is better than in this photo; deeper and more serious?
Just its second outing of course so I'm just getting acquainted with it. I can easily see how some gentlemen might find it a bit much for them. It is definitely loaded with scritch or prickliness which I feel when I push it softly into my skin. It has a lot of backbone. However, it doesn't have the sort of backbone I expected; I've seen that transplanted dinosaur backbone only in my copper handled Zenith Manchurian. The copper Manchurian also had scrub about which one warns others as it feels like it might scrub off a layer of skin (and maybe bone).
To be fair to the Z.Man it still has serious backbone and great scrub, but neither are like what it had early on. Plus, now the Manchurian is very very soft. I can't tell you how long that break in took, but a good while. All along it was a knot I liked so don't hear me saying the new copper handled Zenith Manchurian was vastly over the top.
The new Shavemac D01 2 band knot reminds me a little bit of my Chubby 2 in Best. Both are big knots. The Chubby in Best has the same sort of scritch kinda sorta. It's not that I dislike the Chubby 2 in Best because I like it, but I don't like the bad scritch it has. I'm not wild about the new D01's scritch either but I like its scritch more than that of the Chubby 2 in Best. It has a different feel. Yes, it has what I'd call stiff hairs, but it's a much more pleasant stiffness than the Chubby in Best. That probably only makes sense to me.
Both the Best knot and the D01 2 band knot are without any objectionable scritch when used splayed or when use to paint, but I like the early feel of the D01 2 band better. That is not to say I don't like the C2 Best for splayed use and for painting because I like it, but I like the D01 2 band more so far I think.
My 26mm Maggard 70/30 is a similar feeling knot so far (after more than 35 shaves and some off line break in). It has considerable bad scritch. I can use it, but it's currently out of rotation and undergoing a prolonged break in process. I don't enjoy its bad scritch and I find it too much for frequent use. This is very unfortunate as the knot has, in spite of being a bit too much, the most delicious scrub. I believe it has the possibility of being a contender for the title of my favorite knotonce if its boar bristles ever break in so the bad scritch goes away.
Some people say badger knots don't change much or at all over time. I disagree based only on my experience. Particularly the copper Zenith Manchurian has changed. I feel sure the 70/30 can change (maybe) if the boar component splits but I realize that has nothing to do with the badger hairs. I've not heard anyone say a Simpson Best knot changes over time. Most everyone says their D01 2 band becomes softer or less stiff over time.
It's going to be interesting to see how these knots change and how I see them down the road. I'm likely to use the Rudy Vey brush a good bit in the next little while unless I decide it's too much and needs less frequent use. So far, I don't see that happening but I've changed my mind plenty of times.
The D01 2 band is a brush I'm glad to have that's for sure. It's not a brush I'd warn others about unless they are in love with silvertips and synthetics and aren't into serious scrub. I like softness just fine, but, for me, three band silvertips sacrifice scrub for softness. I don't like that tradeoff.
Even the Semogue SOC Mistura, which I regard as the best straight-out-of-the-box brush I've used, broke in some. It's a great brush. You should have one!
The rest of today's kit was the same blade, flipped + HA + Cremo + Beach splash. It worked a treat.
Happy shaves to you and may you be showered with brushes as good as mine,
Jim
Once again the Rudy Vey @Rudy Vey 26mm Shavemac D01 2 band butterscotch beehive was given a spin. The color is better than in this photo; deeper and more serious?
Just its second outing of course so I'm just getting acquainted with it. I can easily see how some gentlemen might find it a bit much for them. It is definitely loaded with scritch or prickliness which I feel when I push it softly into my skin. It has a lot of backbone. However, it doesn't have the sort of backbone I expected; I've seen that transplanted dinosaur backbone only in my copper handled Zenith Manchurian. The copper Manchurian also had scrub about which one warns others as it feels like it might scrub off a layer of skin (and maybe bone).
To be fair to the Z.Man it still has serious backbone and great scrub, but neither are like what it had early on. Plus, now the Manchurian is very very soft. I can't tell you how long that break in took, but a good while. All along it was a knot I liked so don't hear me saying the new copper handled Zenith Manchurian was vastly over the top.
The new Shavemac D01 2 band knot reminds me a little bit of my Chubby 2 in Best. Both are big knots. The Chubby in Best has the same sort of scritch kinda sorta. It's not that I dislike the Chubby 2 in Best because I like it, but I don't like the bad scritch it has. I'm not wild about the new D01's scritch either but I like its scritch more than that of the Chubby 2 in Best. It has a different feel. Yes, it has what I'd call stiff hairs, but it's a much more pleasant stiffness than the Chubby in Best. That probably only makes sense to me.
Both the Best knot and the D01 2 band knot are without any objectionable scritch when used splayed or when use to paint, but I like the early feel of the D01 2 band better. That is not to say I don't like the C2 Best for splayed use and for painting because I like it, but I like the D01 2 band more so far I think.
My 26mm Maggard 70/30 is a similar feeling knot so far (after more than 35 shaves and some off line break in). It has considerable bad scritch. I can use it, but it's currently out of rotation and undergoing a prolonged break in process. I don't enjoy its bad scritch and I find it too much for frequent use. This is very unfortunate as the knot has, in spite of being a bit too much, the most delicious scrub. I believe it has the possibility of being a contender for the title of my favorite knot
Some people say badger knots don't change much or at all over time. I disagree based only on my experience. Particularly the copper Zenith Manchurian has changed. I feel sure the 70/30 can change (maybe) if the boar component splits but I realize that has nothing to do with the badger hairs. I've not heard anyone say a Simpson Best knot changes over time. Most everyone says their D01 2 band becomes softer or less stiff over time.
It's going to be interesting to see how these knots change and how I see them down the road. I'm likely to use the Rudy Vey brush a good bit in the next little while unless I decide it's too much and needs less frequent use. So far, I don't see that happening but I've changed my mind plenty of times.
The D01 2 band is a brush I'm glad to have that's for sure. It's not a brush I'd warn others about unless they are in love with silvertips and synthetics and aren't into serious scrub. I like softness just fine, but, for me, three band silvertips sacrifice scrub for softness. I don't like that tradeoff.
Even the Semogue SOC Mistura, which I regard as the best straight-out-of-the-box brush I've used, broke in some. It's a great brush. You should have one!
The rest of today's kit was the same blade, flipped + HA + Cremo + Beach splash. It worked a treat.
Happy shaves to you and may you be showered with brushes as good as mine,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #8,934
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Thursday morning was a bit rushed (dental appointment, early; just cleaning and exam)...
...so I didn't have time for a new photo. This is the same kit and photo as yesterday.
I see why people say this brush is harsh (and such), but I like it anyway.
Same blade, flipped. Still good, but I may swap it out soon; still thinking on it.
Hyaluronic acid + Cremo Face Moisturizer is the bee's knees.
Beach is a really nice splash. It is not terribly long lasting so I wouldn't say it's a cologne, but it smells great and feels wonderful on my skin.
Nice shave.
Also good report from the dentist and his hygienist (she's the best); that's very good news since I had to miss the last scheduled appointment due to their office closure due to the Wuhan virus. I take very good care of my teeth.
Happy shaves to you,
Jim
...so I didn't have time for a new photo. This is the same kit and photo as yesterday.
I see why people say this brush is harsh (and such), but I like it anyway.
Same blade, flipped. Still good, but I may swap it out soon; still thinking on it.
Hyaluronic acid + Cremo Face Moisturizer is the bee's knees.
Beach is a really nice splash. It is not terribly long lasting so I wouldn't say it's a cologne, but it smells great and feels wonderful on my skin.
Nice shave.
Also good report from the dentist and his hygienist (she's the best); that's very good news since I had to miss the last scheduled appointment due to their office closure due to the Wuhan virus. I take very good care of my teeth.
Happy shaves to you,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #8,935
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Friday my shave was good.
This is a very interesting knot, the Shavemac D01 two band.
Flipped blade.
HA + Cremo + splash.
Happy shaves,
Jim
This is a very interesting knot, the Shavemac D01 two band.
Flipped blade.
HA + Cremo + splash.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Jim, have you been influencing Rudy V (in your usual "innocent" way 
)?- Thread starter
- #8,937
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Wow, Cal.
I doubt his choice had anything to do with me, but I do occasionally talk up the brush.
Jim is there a difference in performance or wear from a bleached to unbleached? It is a beautiful brush. Zenith quality is superb.
- Thread starter
- #8,939
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
At the moment I possess only one Zenith ^ unbleached boar. I am actually still breaking it in. Pictured above it's brand new (never wet). I consider its knot to be too tall but I like it anyway.
I have the second unbleached Zenith boar in transit. That's ^ the vendor's photo of it. It has a loft more to my liking that the first of my unbleached Zenith boars.
In other words I don't have a lot of experience with the unbleached boars yet but I have enough to tell you the unbleached is significantly different from the bleached.
These two thumbnails are of the too tall unbleached Zenith boar. Both were taken just a minute ago to show how the break in process is progressing. There are a lot of split ends.
I wish there were more unbleached boars more readily available; I'm very happy to have scored the second of mine. I expect it will undergo a break in process, too. I think the bleached boar I already have is beginning to look significantly broken in which means I'll be using it more pretty soon. Of course, I've already used it several times, enough times to be sure it's a good bit different (and in a good way) from the also very good bleached Zenith boars in my collection.
I know that's not a complete answer to what you asked but it's the best I can do until I have more experience with the unbleached knots.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I think I remember you mentioning that brush once or twice...
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