Per Nick's request, I'm copying the post from my blog, but I'm not going to work through it to put in all the links. If you want the links, check out the original post.
The Daily Adventure was extremely nice this morning: new things to use. To begin with, a potential new lathering bowl: a heavy hemispherical bowl from a French line. Problem: too large, inside too smooth (somehow). I switched back to the soup cup for now. But I have a potential solutiona soapstone bowlthat should arrive today or tomorrow. (As you can see, Im disenchanted with the Moss Scuttle. I love the idea, but in actual use, its not my cup of tea. The lathering cup it offers is just not right for me.)
I used my Saville Row brush, but its a little too floppy for my taste. Im becoming more and more attached to my Simpsons Emperor in super badger. Not too large, not too small, but just rightand not too floppy, not too stiff: just right. And holds water and lathers wonderfully well. A great shaving brush.
The shaving cream was Tabac, a complementary tube from QED (on the Other Toiletries pagesee their menu at the left). Before putting that on, though, I had washed the beard and used a small amount of the Proraso pre/post-cream.
I used the Merkur Slant Bar (shown in photo) with a new Feather blade. The slant bar requires a sure hand and a light touch, so its not the first razor a novice should use. OTOH, it gives a terrific shavethis is the smoothest shave Ive had in a while. The secret, as always (besides the razor and the blade) is to use light pressurejust the weight of the razor, reallythe right angle, and use the 4-pass method: more passes = smoother shave. Using more pressure is highly productive of cuts, nicks, and razor burn. To get the light pressure, one guy holds the razor at the very tip of the handle with a two- or three-finger grip (photo at link).
Ems Place has the Merkur Slant Bar in both chrome (which I have, as above) and gold (what I wish I had gotten).
Then, for the first time, I finished up with the alum block, which some loveand I now number among them. Its extraordinarily refreshing, but the sort of thing (like coffee) that appeals to adult tastes: in the case of the alum block, a little tingling. You use it like this: after shaving, rinse your face with hot water, then with cold. Then, leaving your face wet, rub the alum block lightly over you whole face. I let it sit a while, then rinsed and dried and applied my aftershave: Pinauds Bay Rum, whose 12.5 oz (plastic) bottle is going to make a perfect receptacle for disposing of blades. (Top too small for blades to escapeIll cut a slit in the shoulder of the bottle, and once Im ready to discard it, Ill glue the slit shut.)
Man! this is a smooth shave. And not a single nick or cut. A very fine adventure, with new experiences.
I used my Saville Row brush, but its a little too floppy for my taste. Im becoming more and more attached to my Simpsons Emperor in super badger. Not too large, not too small, but just rightand not too floppy, not too stiff: just right. And holds water and lathers wonderfully well. A great shaving brush.
The shaving cream was Tabac, a complementary tube from QED (on the Other Toiletries pagesee their menu at the left). Before putting that on, though, I had washed the beard and used a small amount of the Proraso pre/post-cream.
I used the Merkur Slant Bar (shown in photo) with a new Feather blade. The slant bar requires a sure hand and a light touch, so its not the first razor a novice should use. OTOH, it gives a terrific shavethis is the smoothest shave Ive had in a while. The secret, as always (besides the razor and the blade) is to use light pressurejust the weight of the razor, reallythe right angle, and use the 4-pass method: more passes = smoother shave. Using more pressure is highly productive of cuts, nicks, and razor burn. To get the light pressure, one guy holds the razor at the very tip of the handle with a two- or three-finger grip (photo at link).
Ems Place has the Merkur Slant Bar in both chrome (which I have, as above) and gold (what I wish I had gotten).
Then, for the first time, I finished up with the alum block, which some loveand I now number among them. Its extraordinarily refreshing, but the sort of thing (like coffee) that appeals to adult tastes: in the case of the alum block, a little tingling. You use it like this: after shaving, rinse your face with hot water, then with cold. Then, leaving your face wet, rub the alum block lightly over you whole face. I let it sit a while, then rinsed and dried and applied my aftershave: Pinauds Bay Rum, whose 12.5 oz (plastic) bottle is going to make a perfect receptacle for disposing of blades. (Top too small for blades to escapeIll cut a slit in the shoulder of the bottle, and once Im ready to discard it, Ill glue the slit shut.)
Man! this is a smooth shave. And not a single nick or cut. A very fine adventure, with new experiences.
