Homemade Brush & Bowl set - Tips for Introducing Wet Shaving to NOOBS - [PIC]

[AceByTerror]

So I have this set ready to go for my brother-in-law. We do an annual 2 week vacation together with our families and I thought this would be an excellent time to introduce him to the joys of wet shaving.

I made the brush and bowl out of good ol' Canadian maple wood. The razor is his birth year/quarter Slim Adjustable. The brush is a 22mm best. I'm going to include a pack of Feathers and a Col. Conk Almond soap to complete the package.

What do you guys think? Also, any of you go through this with complete noobs? I tried once with my brother and failed - although I attribute it as much to him being a stubborn *** and "already knowing how to shave with a blade" than anything else. He's a cart user and I watched as he tried to use a DE89 like a Mach5. He paid for it the next day. I tried to tell him no pressure means NO PRESSURE, but there was no getting through. I think my brother-in-law is a more open minded kind of guy, but I'd really like him to "get it". Any tips or suggestions?

 

[Gingerbread]

That looks great. I'll take it if he doesn't want it. =)

 

[Gingerbread]

Oh, and the best way I've found to convert people is to have them shave with you. Show them step by step with explanations as to how/why you do certain things. If they truly aren't picking it up (like SWMBO), you can give 'em a quick shave to show what the proper blade angle and zero pressure should feel like.

 

[AceByTerror]

LOL - yeah I am actually going to tell him if he doesn't end up using the stuff after a couple months to give it back. I could live with the brush and bowl collecting dust, but the thought of a perfectly good slim adjustable spending a couple decades at the bottom of a drawer is too much to bear

/Ace

 

[Gingerbread]

You might also want to give him a couple other packs of blades. I know that I couldn't handle Feathers when I first started.

 

[AceByTerror]

How about Derbys?

 

[Gingerbread]

I don't know what blades you have on hand, but I'd say a tuck of Astra, Feather, Shark, Gillette, and Derby would make a nice starter pack. If I had that starting out, I would've spent a lot less time (and money) finding the blade that works for me.

 

[cpeter47]

Hey man.... I know I'm already married but can I marry into your family? That set looks fantastic! That is quite the gift. I agree with Gingerbread, nice selection of blades.

 

[AceByTerror]

Thanks guys! No single females left cpeter.... except my own daughters and you just stay the hell away from them

We're leaving this Saturday to go up north of the French River in Ontario Canada for two weeks. Beautiful country up there - gorgeous clear lakes and great fishing.

I'm going to spend some of it trouncing through the woods looking for recently downed trees for some good wood to make more shaving stuff. Definitely some silver birch branch shaving brushes are a must! Bark still on and sealed up nice would be stunning I think!

 

[duokun]

Only suggestion i would have made was to include some other blades as well. but that was already made.

that bowl and brush looks fantastic. way to go. I think it is a very nice gesture. i hope he enjoys it.

 

[Gingerbread]

Maybe an aftershave balm or splash? Could be something you tried, disliked, but is still in the cabinet as long as it gets the job done.

 

[AABCDS]

That's a great looking bowl and brush!

 

[cpeter47]

Who said I needed to marry a woman? And I know dad's are very protective but I'm on this forum and I wet shave, that's gotta count for something, right?

In all seriousness, that is a great looking set. I'm no where near as skilled in woodworking so instead I'm putting together a handmade kit I'm putting together a store bought one.

 

[jesseix]

I'm going to spend some of it trouncing through the woods looking for recently downed trees for some good wood to make more shaving stuff. Definitely some silver birch branch shaving brushes are a must! Bark still on and sealed up nice would be stunning I think!

View attachment 265174

Definitely hope you continue making more product, the brushes you've posted up have been amazing looking. If there's anything you're interested in to trade for some sweet new wood please let me know (just realized that sounded a little weird...)

 

[merkur59]

Your brother-in-law is indeed fortunate to get this beautiful set.

 

[dreaded_rust]

that is one hell of a genrous gift and a beautiful bowl/brush set.
well played good sir, well played

 

[catherix]

Wow sir, that's an amazing set! I'd be blown away if he doesn't like it! Maybe another try on the brother would work well with a set like that. I've converted to friends now and it took buying them some vintage razors to really get them convinced.

Im sure he'll love it. But I would agree on the blade sampler idea. I also threw in a bottle of Nivea sensitive ASB in the kits I made for my buddies because neither of them really used aftershave before. Seems like an essential in my shave so I wanted to make sure they had it. And a bottle is like 5 bucks at target.

 

[AceByTerror]

ROFL yeah that was.... awkward

Sent you a PM. Thanks!

/Rob

Definitely hope you continue making more product, the brushes you've posted up have been amazing looking. If there's anything you're interested in to trade for some sweet new wood please let me know (just realized that sounded a little weird...)