Damn Comfortable Shave

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thursday delivered another really nice shave.

Nice razor.

I would no longer say this Zenith Copper Handled Manchurian is my favorite brush, but it's right up there with the very top group (or very close). It's certainly an excellent Manchurian.

For the record, I'm not entirely sure how to rank the best of my brushes (and that's not even including thinking about the boars and my horse).

Yeah, and deciding which splash to wear is another. What's it to you?​

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Friday my shave was again very nice.

RV-D01 2 band Wizamet SI (flipped) Vitos Red Cocco​
	Hard to beat kit this good!​

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[albsat]

@Chan Eil Whiskers

I am thinking of getting omega evo. Your boar taste has been the same as mine. So, a question please.

Does that evo is any similar to a boar brush? I am curious about the scrub.

Thank you in advance

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

@Chan Eil Whiskers

I am thinking of getting omega evo. Your boar taste has been the same as mine. So, a question please.

Does that evo is any similar to a boar brush? I am curious about the scrub.

Thank you in advance

I'm not sure how others would compare the Omega Evo synthetic to a boar (any boar), but I don't find my Evo to be very much like my boars. The Evo is, as I experience it, much like a reasonably high end three band badger silvertip. It is very soft, but it has decent scrub and backbone. I enjoy using it. It loads and lathers like a good silvertip (sorta), but is also somewhat unique in the lather it produces (not unique in a bad way).

I think the Evo a very good brush (and I'm not saying a very good brush for a synthetic). Generally I'm not a fan of the few synthetics I've tried - I've found them "springy," and "plastic feeling," and not scrubby - but I really actually like the Omega Evo synthetic.

It surprises me to say that. It's a good brush, but that's my opinion, and I doubt everyone else in the world of brushes agrees with me about everything.

To me, scrub is essential. The Evo doesn't have the scrub of the Manchurians I've tried, nor the scrub of the mistura (mixed) knots, but it has more scrub than some brushes and enough scrub for me to not feel deprived. It also splays nicely, and, in all respects, functions well.

It's my travel brush, and I'm pleased with it. I can sure see why Rave @Raven Koenes raves and raves and raves about the brush.

It has zero scritch.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Raven Koenes]

I'm not sure how others would compare the Omega Evo synthetic to a boar (any boar), but I don't find my Evo to be very much like my boars. The Evo is, as I experience it, much like a reasonably high end three band badger silvertip. It is very soft, but it has decent scrub and backbone. I enjoy using it. It loads and lathers like a good silvertip (sorta), but is also somewhat unique in the lather it produces (not unique in a bad way).

I think the Evo a very good brush (and I'm not saying a very good brush for a synthetic). Generally I'm not a fan of the few synthetics I've tried - I've found them "springy," and "plastic feeling," and not scrubby - but I really actually like the Omega Evo synthetic.

It surprises me to say that. It's a good brush, but that's my opinion, and I doubt everyone else in the world of brushes agrees with me about everything.

To me, scrub is essential. The Evo doesn't have the scrub of the Manchurians I've tried, nor the scrub of the mistura (mixed) knots, but it has more scrub than some brushes and enough scrub for me to not feel deprived. It also splays nicely, and, in all respects, functions well.

It's my travel brush, and I'm pleased with it. I can sure see why Rave @Raven Koenes raves and raves and raves about the brush.

It has zero scritch.

Happy shaves,

Jim

My Omega Evo is the only brush I desire to use now (and I own a lot of brushes...more than is sane). It pains me that I'm using an Omega sBrush for April Frugal Follies.

 

[albsat]

This Evo seems out of stock now.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

This Evo seems out of stock now.

Some places it is out of stock, but not everywhere. Try here.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Saturday. Another good shave.

The Gillette Executive is a very good razor. It's very easy to use, delivers a great shave (on setting #5 with a flipped Wizamet SI blade), and draws no blood.

The Simpson Chubby 3 in Manchurian pleases me a great deal. It is just a tad pokey when it lightly touches my skin, but that totally goes away in actual use. If that's scritch, it's good scritch, but I probably wouldn't call it scritch at all. It's got presence, that's for sure! It's loaded with scrub. Backbone? Of course. Are there any downsides? Not according to me, but I'm sure some would prefer a smaller knot.

To me, this CH3 is not overly dense, but, it is, of course, dense, being a Chubby. It does not have the gloriously perfect flow-through of the Semogue SOC Mistura of course, and it's not as easily rinsed as the Omega Evo, but it's not, for a huge knot, hard to rinse, nor is it a lather hog in my opinion.

My purchase of the brush was based on a couple of things. First, I wanted to try a Simpson Manchurian to compare it with other top brushes. There aren't very many Simpson knots as large as the knots I prefer. When a CH3 Manchurian showed up on the BST at a good price it was impossible to pass up.

I've got a CH3 in Best waiting in the wings (new and not used yet). I've also used my CH2 in Best a good many times (and I like it). My CH2 in Silvertip Badger (meaning two band) has seen some shaves, too, although not a great many. Of the Simpsons I've used I like this Manchurian knot the best.

The CH3 handle is much more to my liking than the CH2 handle, too.

This one's a keeper.

Very nice shave. Not much work at all. Gillette really nailed this one!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Ron R]

Looks like a E1 with out the flat spring variant type. They made a version of the round spring E1(.2?) that has the swivel to the left IMO. Looks like in good condition, I converted a E2 to a E1 by straightning the keeper tap with no regrets.
This E2 was found at a Antique store in Northern Alberta in very rough shape with the spring damaged, cleaned it up and made the change! Great razor and for sure a keeper & have used it many times.View attachment 1096621 View attachment 1096622
Have some great shaves!

Hello Jim, Another way of accomplishing the same outcome as what I did to the keeper is something some one else did was clip one of the keeper arms on right side looking from bottom. It seems to work well also and less work possibly if a person has a side cutter.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Hello Jim, Another way of accomplishing the same outcome as what I did to the keeper is something some one else did was clip one of the keeper arms on right side looking from bottom. It seems to work well also and less work possibly if a person has a side cutter.

It sort of pains me to think about this. I know these are tools, and I think it perfectly fine to modify one's tools. They're also antiques though.

That said, my overriding opinion here is that everyone should do what they want to do as long as they're not actually hurting anybody else. I use my brushes in ways which I'm sure bother and perhaps offend some gentlemen. They're my tools to do with as I want.

I wonder why Schick changed from the open-to-clean E2? I see no downside to the design. The razor performs beautifully, and it really is nice to be able to ensure the inside is perfectly clean.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My Monday shave was very good.

What a nice razor this Gillette Executive is.

My Rudy Vey Shavemac Pure is a nice brush. It's not very very dense at all. It has a bit of scritch (not much, and none when being mashed into my face lightly and/or when painting). I'm glad I acquired it. I love the handle. The knot is what I'd think of as being on the small size (and some would say is on the large size), but it is certainly not too small by my standards.

In reality the knot's nominal size is 26 mm. That's certainly not small. However, it's a "small" 26 mm knot.

I can't remember which splash I used - either Coconut Bay or the Beach - along with my HA and moisturizer.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Ron R]

It sort of pains me to think about this. I know these are tools, and I think it perfectly fine to modify one's tools. They're also antiques though.

That said, my overriding opinion here is that everyone should do what they want to do as long as they're not actually hurting anybody else. I use my brushes in ways which I'm sure bother and perhaps offend some gentlemen. They're my tools to do with as I want.

I wonder why Schick changed from the open-to-clean E2? I see no downside to the design. The razor performs beautifully, and it really is nice to be able to ensure the inside is perfectly clean.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Well said Jim, The way I altered my injectors it could be easily taken back to the original keeper system, I'm not sure why a person would do that? It is good that they made a lot E&G type injectors to with stand the test of time. These amazing razors are being closely duplicated with 3D printing from what I have already seen in plastic and in the future we will see some in possibly stainless steel. Blackland is coming out with 3D printed stainless steel DE razors in May of 2021 another mile stone passed in the shaving World!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Well said Jim, The way I altered my injectors it could be easily taken back to the original keeper system, I'm not sure why a person would do that? It is good that they made a lot E&G type injectors to with stand the test of time. These amazing razors are being closely duplicated with 3D printing from what I have already seen in plastic and in the future we will see some in possibly stainless steel. Blackland is coming out with 3D printed stainless steel DE razors in May of 2021 another mile stone passed in the shaving World!

Very interesting. Enough so that I signed up for the email.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Ron R]

Very interesting. Enough so that I signed up for the email.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I have a 3D printed TNNSER and it works well(shaves similar to a Everready 1914 he figures), Tom gave it to me to try, Tom White who developed the head and another fellow had some fun with the handle a few years ago. Tom is a razor enthusiast and is a Machinist and developed all kinds of different razors over the years & just bought a used 3D plastic printer and he has & will be creating all kinds of neat stuff in the near future I'm just guessing.

Have some great shaves! Stay and think safe in these times!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My Tuesday shave was very close.

Today's razor, the Blackbird, is a razor I've not used a lot.

In my experience it is aggressive, by which I mean it is somewhat prone to occasionally jumping up out of the bushes to bite me.

Today it drew no blood, and I had no weepers. There was a good bit of blade feel. I'm not bothered by blade feel; I don't love blade feel either.

The razor is nowhere near as smooth feeling on my skin as the FOCS, but it's acceptable; it's only a tad on the rough side, but no biggie.

The other side is this: The Blackbird is a very close shaving razor. It's not unbelievably more efficient than the FOCS and the Executive, but it is more efficient.

In other words, I got a great shave. Certainly the best shave I've had with the Blackbird.

That's not me saying the Blackbird is going to be a Daily Driver. Still, I could and maybe should consider trying it more to see if it is an option as a DD. I think I will!

Yummy!​

The Shavemac 30 mm non-DO1 2 band brush is a good one. I love the handle. The knot is huge. It's a good knot, a really good knot.

Sometimes I think this brush might be a top level favorite; sometimes I think not.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wednesday. Another good shave.

	Same razor. (Blackbird) Wizamet SI (flipped, on its last legs)​
Yummy scent. Great products.​

Similar shave to yesterday's. The razor is performing well. I've discarded today's blade (which could have been stretched) in order to try a new blade tomorrow. I want to find out how smooth the razor feels with a new blade.

No blood.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thursday's shave was instructive (and also good).

A couple of very minor non-painful (actually didn't feel them at all) cuts on my chin detracted from today's otherwise very good shave.

The brush has a better color in real life than I'm able to capture in photographs. Much better. Darker. More nuanced. Not muddy.

I used a brand new Wizamet SI blade today. Yummy scent. Excellent products.​

This has been an interesting experiment with the Blackbird. I like it right well, but I don't see it as a Daily Driver. That's not to say I am getting rid of it; it's a good razor, and it delivers a close shave. The experiment has ended for now.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

New brushes will join my rotation.

The CH3 was a bargain on Amazon.

Both of these beauties have now been washed. They're drying now and awaiting a shave.

The Zebra is a Rudy Vey. Shavemac 2 band (not D01). Eagle of course.

Pictured above they're brand new.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Friday my shave was good.

Simpson CH3 Best Badger (new & just washed yesterday) Wizamet SI (flipped) FOCS​

The brush still smells kinda funky which is no big deal at all (unless it doesn't go away, but I suspect it will go away). I noticed zero loss of hairs. It is not scritchy.

I have three other Simpson Chubby brushes - my other CH3 is a Manchurian; I have two CH2 brushes, one in Best Badger, one in Silvertip Badger which is two band - all three of these other brushes seem more dense.

I'll compare it directly to my CH2 in Best Badger.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Initial? Vanilla extract.

Later? Complex vanilla extract, but pleasant.

On occasion I like this one.