Long past your RAD, BAD, and cream/soap AD: What are you using now?

[dantheviking]

Being pretty new around here, I do realize that half the fun of this hobby is trying out the endless combinations of blades, razors and lathers. But I am curious about what veteran DE shavers are using after their ADs have settled down and they've found the razor/blade/lather combo that they consistently use every day. I'd like to know the razor, blade and product and why you like it. Since I have only been DE shaving for a month and I have a lot of catching up to do, I hope to settle down into using my Weber, Cella soap and Tweezerman brush. Although, the brush I can see upgrading soon. Maybe a Franks.

Thanks in advance for your input.

dantheviking

 

[dantheviking]

C'mon shavers! There must be some folks who use only one razor, one soap or cream, and one brand of blade. Or at least a smaller rotation choice.
I'd love to hear about the "best" products you've settled on after years of testing.

dantheviking

 

[rockviper]

I've settled into the following:
DE: Slim
Blades: Rapira or Shark blades
Brushes: Boars (B&B Essential and an Omega Mixed Mighty midget), although years down the road, I might pick up a Berkeley or Special
AfterShaves: Clubman, Czech Pitralon (have to get more of this, I'm all out)

I'm currently working through my inventory backlog, but will probably end up with the following in rotation:
Soaps: Italian croaps (P.160, Cella, Vitos, etc...), Mama Bears (just about any scent)
Creams: Proraso green, Rose of Bulgaria

Only into straights since mid-2012, so take with a grain of salt....
Straights: Azuma kamisori, Wapienica 1/4-hollow
Strops: Paddle strops (pasted and unpasted)
Hones: Barber's hone (Jnat on the way)

 

[heybatter]

My basic daily set up is:

Feather AS-D1 razor
Feather blade
one of the following creams (GFT Coconut, TOBS Jermyn St, AOS Ocean Kelp, Simpsons Luxury, Nancy Boy Signature, CF Lime/Lavender)
I use a bunch of Aftershaves but amongst them my favorites are Speick splash, Proraso splash, Nivea Energy, Simpsons balm/skin food, AOS Ocean Kelp balm)
I rotate between a Simpsons Colonel X2L in two-band super, a Thater 4125/2, and a Semogue SOC badger.

 

[dymaxion]

My basic setup is

Merkur 34c
Feather Blade
Cella or Tabac Soap
Silver Tip Brush from PC Wood craft and pens
Various aftershaves from clubman.

It's like I told my wife who likes to collect things "You only need one"

 

[jmsodpc]

I settled on a titan razor and muehle synthetic brush.

Blades don't seem to matter to me much but I use
Feather or Gillette black.

Creams and soaps I can't seem to narrow.

 

[njpaddy]

I'm pretty set in some areas, not so much in others.

My DE and blade set up hasn't changed in a couple of years. Milder in cold weather and slightly more aggressive in warm weather. In fall & winter it's a '52 SuperSpeed and a Red Personna blade. In spring and summer, its a Merkur 34G and Merkur blade. These were my first 2 DE's and are still my favorites. All the other DE's I tried are gone.

Creams: TOBS Rose. Don't use it that often but I like having a Rose cream handy. When it's gone, I'll probably switch to T&H Rose. I liked the T&H sample I had.

Soaps: Favorites are Harris, Ogallala and Trumper Rose. I have lots of others I'm trying to use up and not replace so I'm trying not to buy any this year.

Brushes: The hardest AD to control. I've had 20, got their number down to 6 last year, but just ordered another yesterday. Not a good sign this early in the year.

Aftershaves: I'm down to only using bay rums, but I have quite a few. Ogallala and Captain's Choice are my favorites. Superior 70 is my favorite cheap AS.

 

[CB1]

Being pretty new around here, I do realize that half the fun of this hobby is trying out the endless combinations of blades, razors and lathers. I hope to settle down into using my Weber, Cella soap and Tweezerman brush. Although, the brush I can see upgrading soon. Maybe a Franks.

When I was starting out I couldn't understand why anyone would need another brush other than the Tweezerman. Now I can't understand why I keep wanting brush after brush.

 

[WhiteKnight]

Razors: Feather AS D1
Blades: Feather
Brushes: Semogue OC two-band
Soaps: GFT Violets, GFT Officers & Gentlemen, Tabac, Haslinger Ewe, La Toja, Jabonman, Martin de Candre
Aftershaves: Knize 10, Alt Innsbruck, Weleda balm
EdC: Knize 10, Knize Sec, Penhaligon English Fern, Penhaligon Blenheim Bouquet, Penhaligon Castile, Domenico Caraceni 1913, GFT Eucris, ...

 

[Songwind]

I have settled into my razor and blades. I use a Cadet Excalibur open comb for most shaves. I switch back and forth between Astra SPs and Voshkod blades.

I have no particular interest in narrowing down my soap & cream rotation, because the varied scents are part of my enjoyment of the experience. I have several soaps I could easily live with as my only choice if I needed to for some reason, though. Provence Sante, RazoRock King Louis Lavender, or Mystic Water soaps.

Brushes I find fascinating as little art objects, as well as for their varied feelings on my face.

 

[musicman1951]

Razor: Mergress
Blade: Med Prep/Lab
cream: CF lavender or AK1869 in tub - then Ultimate Comfort or Simpsons
Brush: easiest one - Kent BK8, although I have a SOC in the mail.
WH: Thayer's unscented with aloe
Moisturizer: Clinique M lotion
Cologne: no clear winner there

 

[dantheviking]

Thanks for all the responses. I will be definitely trying out some of your favorites.

Dan

 

[chris.hale]

Razor - Tradere OC
Blades - Personna med prep
Brush - Muhle black fibre synthetic

Soaps, well I'm struggling to narrow those down. Palmolive is a favourite, as is D R Harris Arlington. Those are two that will definitely get replaced when they're done.

 

[Gerbs]

I've settled into the following setup
Razor: DE89 with Tradere handle
Blade: Polsiver SI
Cream: Trumper's Coconut
Soap: Mike's Natural Orange/Cedarwood/Pepper
Brush: Rooney Stubby 2XL (face lathering)

I will swap in a Tradere OC when I have more than 2 days of growth.

 

[Dave258]

When all of my shaving AD's subsided, I started using.............Fountain Pens, and opened up a entirely new AD!
Then the shaving AD's started back up again too!

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

After 3 years of this wonderful hobby I have settled on a rotation of 5 DE's, 5 blades, 7 brushes, 12 soaps, 2 creams, 3 ASB's.... I think you get the picture.

Now I'm experimenting with single edge razors. I think my rotation just got larger.

 

[Snuff-Belgium]

Razor: Feather DX
Blade: Feather Professional
DE: 37C
cream: St. James of London
soap: Cella or MWF
Brush: Shavemac 2band
Moisturizer: Kruidvat

 

[LittleLebowski]

Razor: USMC Clauss straight or New York Shaving Company Mariner
Blade: Personna blue
Soap: MWF
Brush: Simpson Case
Balm: Razorock Sandalwood Nonno Michelino

 

[Cagliostro]

Razor: A mix between my Merkur 34c HD and my EJ DE89
Blade: Feather...thoguh I some times mix it up with Astra SP and the now and then Derby
Soap/Cream: Usually TOBS Sandalwood or Mr Taylor, I have others and rotate now and then.
Brush: My first usually...my Tweezerman badger, also breaking in my Semogue boar
Balm: Proraso balm/Nivia sensitive and a few others but Proraso is my go to.

You all forgot...

Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman original )