Hi!
Just stopping by with a hello - I'm joining B&B with a sample pack of T&H and DRH creams, a EJ DE89 with Astra and Derby blades and a Merkur Vision (which I've used twice and a scene from 'Carrie' happened both times, so if someone wants to buy that..), and Kent Silver Synthetic (I retired my Kent Best Badger).
Here's some thoughts from my highly un-educated viewpoint:
DRH:
Arlington - smells like fake citrus.
Marlborough - I think the sample expired - it smelled like dust.
Twenty-Nine - Dusty Cinnamon?
Rose - floral, kinda socks ya in the nose with the scent, but pleasantly.
Windsor - Smells like ye olde gentleman's club.
Lavender - Dusty, a bit like lavender epsom salts. Very pronounced scent.
Almond - sweet scent, almost like cake frosting
Sandalwood - woody, yet a little dusty, not very pronounced.
T&H
Apsley - peppery, modern
Trafalgar - soapy (a bit like hospital soap?)
Limes - citrus, with plaid trousers.
Sandalwood - Masculine, woody, much more pronounced than DRH (i.e. stronger, headier scent)
1805 - No scent (maybe expired?)
Grafton - Vintage Manly "dad smell".
As for the lathering... I didn't have any problems creating lather, but some of the DRH would "dry out" after ~1 minute on the face, and I was shaving in a "snowstorm" of floating/flying dried shaving foam.. (So does that mean I did it wrong?)
Blades:
Astra - Nice and sharp, they do a swift, close job in the EJ razor.
Derby - Very good in the EJ, and I used two of them in the Vision, but perhaps a little more forgiving than the astra...
Edwin Jagger DE 89, faux ivory
Nifty little razor, feels weighty enough in hand, easy to take apart and clean.
As a side note - I'm sure with most things (like microwaves and fridges) there are only two or three companies that actually make DE razors? (the DE89 sure does look a lot like one from DRH, and T&H, DRH, etc., and all seem to have the same handle styles available..) Is there a "who makes what" brand post?
Merkur Vision
This is what started it all. A gift from a friend eons ago. I've tried adjusting the settings but my skin is just so <adjective> that I get a lot of nicks with this puppy. If I dial it all the way down, I need to shave about 3 times before I'm at the level of a triple blade, which is about 2 o'clock shadow..
Kent Brushes
Best Badger - a lovely brush - the bristles picked up the color of Trumper's Rose cream and hasn't ever really released the dye color.
BK4S Silvertex Synthetic - takes a moment or two longer to 'warm up', and holds water - needs an extra couple of shakes to dry it out.
So - I'd like to add to my kit - what's a razor I should look at that is forgiving, yet classy? (I was thinking of getting the ol' Merkur 34C, just to say I have one (lol)), but if there's some other nifty eye candy out there, let me know!
Now I'm off to scour the boards!
Doc
Just stopping by with a hello - I'm joining B&B with a sample pack of T&H and DRH creams, a EJ DE89 with Astra and Derby blades and a Merkur Vision (which I've used twice and a scene from 'Carrie' happened both times, so if someone wants to buy that..), and Kent Silver Synthetic (I retired my Kent Best Badger).
Here's some thoughts from my highly un-educated viewpoint:
DRH:
Arlington - smells like fake citrus.
Marlborough - I think the sample expired - it smelled like dust.
Twenty-Nine - Dusty Cinnamon?
Rose - floral, kinda socks ya in the nose with the scent, but pleasantly.
Windsor - Smells like ye olde gentleman's club.
Lavender - Dusty, a bit like lavender epsom salts. Very pronounced scent.
Almond - sweet scent, almost like cake frosting
Sandalwood - woody, yet a little dusty, not very pronounced.
T&H
Apsley - peppery, modern
Trafalgar - soapy (a bit like hospital soap?)
Limes - citrus, with plaid trousers.
Sandalwood - Masculine, woody, much more pronounced than DRH (i.e. stronger, headier scent)
1805 - No scent (maybe expired?)
Grafton - Vintage Manly "dad smell".
As for the lathering... I didn't have any problems creating lather, but some of the DRH would "dry out" after ~1 minute on the face, and I was shaving in a "snowstorm" of floating/flying dried shaving foam.. (So does that mean I did it wrong?)
Blades:
Astra - Nice and sharp, they do a swift, close job in the EJ razor.
Derby - Very good in the EJ, and I used two of them in the Vision, but perhaps a little more forgiving than the astra...
Edwin Jagger DE 89, faux ivory
Nifty little razor, feels weighty enough in hand, easy to take apart and clean.
As a side note - I'm sure with most things (like microwaves and fridges) there are only two or three companies that actually make DE razors? (the DE89 sure does look a lot like one from DRH, and T&H, DRH, etc., and all seem to have the same handle styles available..) Is there a "who makes what" brand post?
Merkur Vision
This is what started it all. A gift from a friend eons ago. I've tried adjusting the settings but my skin is just so <adjective> that I get a lot of nicks with this puppy. If I dial it all the way down, I need to shave about 3 times before I'm at the level of a triple blade, which is about 2 o'clock shadow..
Kent Brushes
Best Badger - a lovely brush - the bristles picked up the color of Trumper's Rose cream and hasn't ever really released the dye color.
BK4S Silvertex Synthetic - takes a moment or two longer to 'warm up', and holds water - needs an extra couple of shakes to dry it out.
So - I'd like to add to my kit - what's a razor I should look at that is forgiving, yet classy? (I was thinking of getting the ol' Merkur 34C, just to say I have one (lol)), but if there's some other nifty eye candy out there, let me know!
Now I'm off to scour the boards!
Doc
