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- #61
My Wet Shaving Journey
- Thread starter gablett
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- #62
New soap from Stirling. Smells great. Stirling has got to be one of the easiest soaps to lather. I thought declaration was easy, but I think Stirling is even easier.
Question for anyone reading this. Is it pretty typical for people to always use their soaps in sets with splashes? Or is it my OCD that I have to use both together? There are couple scents that are so similar that I will use one splash for both soaps. But if a soap is available and the splash isn't I typically wont buy it. Maybe Im weird, maybe Im not.
Revisited an old favorite. This is one of my all time favorite shaves right here. Outstanding performance. Wonderful scent. No need for any post shave balm with this soap.
Also this was shave #11 with this Nacet. No perceptible change in performance. I might just see how many I can get. One blade to rule them all..... Glad I listened to Sean at Carbon and have this blade a try. Been a game changer for me. I have a couple other razors I enjoy but I love this combo so much and get such a great shave, I dont even want to miss out on it and use something else.
All in all shaving is going great. I am thinking of giving PAA another shot and trying Cavendish. Is it similar to like Haverford or Tabac De Vanille or is it another animal entirely? I like sweet tobacco scents.
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- #63
Shave #13 with the Nacet and going strong. A friend sent me a sample of southern witchcrafts so I decided to give it a go. The scent was a little strange off the puck. Once lathered it mellowed and was pleasant. Actually it had a soapy smell very similar to PAA. So Im guessing that is the smell of a vegan base soap. Soap performance was great, similar to PAA. Post left a little to be desired. I only used what was pictured, no additional post products so I could get the real experience. Skin felt a touch dry but still has a decent level of post shave slickness.
I dont think any of the SW scents are really for me, but this has led to me think I should give PAA another try in stronger scent that will cover the base scent.
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- #64
This is not the greatest shave in the world, this is just a tribute. Actually it was a great shave. Wasnt super sure about this scent when I first used it, but its growing on me. Help me hold on just a little longer to summer as we slip into fall. #14 with the Nacet. Still doing great.
#15 with the Nacet. Back to the vintage Tech. This shaves so well. Not to get a break from a more blade forward aggressive razor and just have an auto pilot shave. Still amazes me that something that old still works so well. Not much has changed in DE shaving in a long time. Great shave. Stirling is so easy to lather! Used my all time favorite brush.
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- #65
So I've pretty well narrowed it down at this point, and this is my desert island soap. I absolutely love this scent. I have to talk myself out of using it for every shave. Not only is the performance outstanding, the scent has everything I could ask for. Its easy to load, almost too easy, and lathers for days. I sometimes wish it was a little bit firmer as its easy to overload with too much pressure from the brush. This was shave 19 with the Nacet.
Another scent I totally love. Reserve base needs no introduction. It took me some time to learn how to build the lather with it and that the finish product is not the same as other soaps. Annnnnndddd thats a wrap. Shave 20 with the Nacet. That was my goal and I made it. Im pretty sure I can feel that its not as good as it was. Got a little razor burn and the shave isnt quite as smooth and close. But thats pretty impressive either way. I got a passable DFS with a 20 use, 3 pass per shave, blade. That works for me. I used my now vintage TDR brush lol.
So this was shave #1 with the new Nacet. Definitely a difference. A lot sharper. Definitely smoother. Super close BBS shave. I actually had a couple weepers because I was becoming used to having to use a little more pressure to get a close shave. I think my goal is going to be 10 shaves from now on and see how that goes. Very happy with the Nacet. They seem to be hard to find now for some reason though. Wonder why?
Also used my other now vintage TDR Pueblo. I know I have sung the praises of the AP Shave Co Synbad knot before, but Im going to do it again. Best knot in wet shaving period IMHO. There is nothing I would want a brush to do that this doesnt do perfectly. Love this scent. You can tell its made by a perfume house. Its so well blended and just pleasant in every respect.
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- #66
First off I took a week vacation and took with me Stirling Sandpiper set and carbon razor. I could totally shave like that from here on out. Great soap that is extremely simple to lather, smells great, and performs well above its price point. Really the only thing it is just a notch short on is post shave, which is not a huge deal.
Back to the regularly scheduled program. At the persuasion of a friend I decided to give PAA a try in a scent he said I was sure to love. Well..... he was right. The base smell I was complaining about in the previous 2 PAA soaps I used was not there. The scent profile of this must match well with it. All I could smell was that fresh, clean, citrusy glorious smell. Let me say it smells NOTHING like what I imagined. I was completely surprised. I would not call this at all your typical barbershop. It smells outstanding. I got the little car air freshener thing as well in CAD (which is a fantastic idea, wish more companies did this) and I love smelling CAD on my drives. Plus the holder is really really well made and looks great! Back to the soap, it performs just stellar. Never in a million years would I think this is Vegan. The lather just literally explodes from this soap. Extremely thirsty. I have to get used to loading correctly, kind of like Declaration. Shave was great. The only thing that wasnt a 10 was it lacks just a touch in post shave from some of the top tier non vegan soaps. Star Jelly picks that up though and makes it 10s across the board. PAA does have the best Splash in the business. I love how strong it is, and how long it lasts. I caught wiffs of it all day long. Im not a huge fan on menthol, but this isnt one that lasts a really long time so Im on the fence about that. The brush is outstanding. I took it with me on my trip and used it for a week. So easy to hold on to. Splays awesome. Very soft with just the right size and backbone. Probably eclipsed the Cashmere as my #2 knot behind synbad. I will be ordering more. Star Jelly is great stuff. Starts off a little greasy but absorbs very quickly. I do still prefer B&M balm as my go to still.
And after a week of vacation and back to work I decided to go to my desert island soap. Best performing, best scent I have used. Nothing is even close in my den to this package right here. This is a perfect 10 shave.
I also learned a little bit with this razor shaving with the same soap, blade, and brush for a week. I was able to focus on the mechanics of the shave. I have some problem areas right above my adams apple and to the sides of it on my neck. I get irritation and weepers there sometimes, especially if I go a few days not shaving or a fresh blade. I thought I had the angle dialed in on this razor perfectly. Turns out I didnt in those areas. I was riding the cap there to keep it mild. Turns out for me at least riding the guard 100% took those issues away. I have yet to figure it out, and maybe someone can help me determine why. But I shaved a couple days growth with a brand new blade, rode the guard in those areas, and ended up with zero irritation, zero weepers, and 100% BBS. Something I had not accomplished in a while with this razor. Turns out, I dont know everything lol.
Back to the regularly scheduled program. At the persuasion of a friend I decided to give PAA a try in a scent he said I was sure to love. Well..... he was right. The base smell I was complaining about in the previous 2 PAA soaps I used was not there. The scent profile of this must match well with it. All I could smell was that fresh, clean, citrusy glorious smell. Let me say it smells NOTHING like what I imagined. I was completely surprised. I would not call this at all your typical barbershop. It smells outstanding. I got the little car air freshener thing as well in CAD (which is a fantastic idea, wish more companies did this) and I love smelling CAD on my drives. Plus the holder is really really well made and looks great! Back to the soap, it performs just stellar. Never in a million years would I think this is Vegan. The lather just literally explodes from this soap. Extremely thirsty. I have to get used to loading correctly, kind of like Declaration. Shave was great. The only thing that wasnt a 10 was it lacks just a touch in post shave from some of the top tier non vegan soaps. Star Jelly picks that up though and makes it 10s across the board. PAA does have the best Splash in the business. I love how strong it is, and how long it lasts. I caught wiffs of it all day long. Im not a huge fan on menthol, but this isnt one that lasts a really long time so Im on the fence about that. The brush is outstanding. I took it with me on my trip and used it for a week. So easy to hold on to. Splays awesome. Very soft with just the right size and backbone. Probably eclipsed the Cashmere as my #2 knot behind synbad. I will be ordering more. Star Jelly is great stuff. Starts off a little greasy but absorbs very quickly. I do still prefer B&M balm as my go to still.
And after a week of vacation and back to work I decided to go to my desert island soap. Best performing, best scent I have used. Nothing is even close in my den to this package right here. This is a perfect 10 shave.
I also learned a little bit with this razor shaving with the same soap, blade, and brush for a week. I was able to focus on the mechanics of the shave. I have some problem areas right above my adams apple and to the sides of it on my neck. I get irritation and weepers there sometimes, especially if I go a few days not shaving or a fresh blade. I thought I had the angle dialed in on this razor perfectly. Turns out I didnt in those areas. I was riding the cap there to keep it mild. Turns out for me at least riding the guard 100% took those issues away. I have yet to figure it out, and maybe someone can help me determine why. But I shaved a couple days growth with a brand new blade, rode the guard in those areas, and ended up with zero irritation, zero weepers, and 100% BBS. Something I had not accomplished in a while with this razor. Turns out, I dont know everything lol.
Just caught up with this thread, it hadn't been showing up in my alerts for some reason or maybe I just missed it.
Sounds like you're getting some good shaves. A truly excellent soap rotation, I have to say. Good reviews of them as well. I noticed the Nacet drought a few days ago and think the prices are going up too. Luckily there's lots of other blades I like but it's still annoying.
Sounds like you're getting some good shaves. A truly excellent soap rotation, I have to say. Good reviews of them as well. I noticed the Nacet drought a few days ago and think the prices are going up too. Luckily there's lots of other blades I like but it's still annoying.
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- #68
So this was a back to my roots shave. One person took the time here with me in the very beginning of me wet shaving and helped guide me through the confusion. His insight helped me to find something that I truly enjoy each day, something I can pass down to my son as well. He is truly a gentleman, and feels like a friend even though we have never met. I have talked with some of the nicest, most helpful people in this hobby, of which he is #1. Early on he sent me this Boar brush as I was asking about them. It holds a special place and I only bring it out once in a while, and its something I will pass down to my son. This shave is for you @Chan Eil Whiskers
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- #69
A friend sent some blades for me to try. One thing I have learned at this point, at least for me, the more blades I try, the more I like. Maybe I just adjust my shave to each blade, but I have yet to get a bad shave with the dozen or so blades I have tried. The only one I didnt really get a long with so well is polsilver, which surprised me since its so well liked. But I could still get a good shave with it, it just seemed a little harsh. But as for these Wilkinson Sword blades, they are extremely smooth. I used a Carbon CX-316L with a sizable blade gap and positive blade exposure, so there is a lot of blade feel which I like. But this blade made it feel at times like there was no blade in the razor. We will see how the subsequent shaves go, but this is looking very positive. Its similar to the Nacet, but just a little smoother. Im wondering if that is because it isnt as sharp, so maybe it wont last as long either. But they are cheap and easy to find, so thats a major plus.
Part of the increase in smoothness might be because I really focused on the lather tonight. I got a tip that really made sense to me. Add water until there is no drag on the brush on your face. I dont know why I hadnt thought of that before. I think my lather was a little on the thick side, not hydrated as well as it could be. So I focused on trying to be conscious of that and having peaks that folder over on themselves. Made for a great shave. I used a soap I know is easy to lather and has great performance. Its funny looking back how many times I use Stirling to dial something in or test something. That really should say something about the quality of this soap even compared to some that costs twice what this does.
I found the same thing. During my trial of 29 blades, only a few were not my liking, mostly those made by Lord, although that could just be a coincidence. I may re-visit them soon. I think improvement in technique over time, including the quality of lather as you mentioned, plays a part.
@TinyT, FWIW, a bit of an overview on Proraso pre-shaves, given I have used all 4:
Proraso Red does not contain menthol. That said it does have a very powerful Sandalwood scent.
Proraso Green is MUCH more eucalyptus than menthol. To me it's an eucalyptus overkill.
Proraso White has some menthol, smells like a "medicinal" product. IME, it is not as good performance wise as Red.
Proraso Blue, which I have just recently acquired has very little menthol, almost unnoticeable and smells very fresh and clean, very light "modern" scent. It's my clear favorite scent wise. Performance wise though Red is unrivalled IMHO.
That said, my honest opinion is that they add very little, if any value to the actual shave, given you do a proper face-prep and use the top-quality soap/cream. As a matter of fact, any of these creams will be better used applied after the shave as an AS balm. Back in the day, this is how these Proraso products were marketed originally "Pre e Dopo Barba"
YMMY and all that...
Although I use Proraso Green as a preshave (I love the strong eucalyptus) it' s actually for the post shave feel that I value it most. I do nothing post shave other than a cold water splash but I get superb post shaves. My skin feels cool and exceptionally well moisturised, never dry. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that since I've been using Proraso Green preshave regularly my skin has never been better.
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- #73
I was pretty excited for this shave. I have been trying for a long time to get a Game Changer 84 with the barber pole handle. Finally found one for sale and was able to quickly grab it. It lived up to the hype. Shave was awesome. This razors shaves just as well as razors that cost 3x to 4x. Extremely smooth, yet surprisingly efficient. Handle is among the best I have used.
Moment of truth. This was a wake up call for me and extremely expensive razors. This shaved equally as good as the Carbon. In fact it was probably smoother with no difference in end result or efficiency. That says a lot to me about a razor at this price point. So it felt strange to keep a razor that costs that much that I probably wont be reaching for any more. I have wanted to try a few other items, so I decided to sell the Carbon to fund some other options.
I cannot say enough good things about this razor. The only thing I would prefer different is to have the locking tabs in the cap, not the base plate. The blade is sometimes tough to load and unload for me anyway. So as these new items come in, Ill be putting up my review here for any that are interested in my thoughts and experiences.
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- #75
So a few of the items I have been wanting to try out have arrived. So, with no further ado here it is in all its glory.
About a week into wet shaving I came across a photo of the most beautiful brush handle I had ever seen. After some research I found out it was from Dogwood Handcrafts. I have long lusted after them. And when he announced he was going to do custom orders, I jumped on it. I think I was #14 in line. After some waiting it was my turn. And I knew exactly what I wanted. Something to match, IMHO, the best soap in both scent and performance, massacre of the innocents. Lets just say he knocked it out of the park. As any of you know who own one, they are nearly impossible to photograph. He did a much better job of capturing its beauty than I did: Massacre Handle
It is everything I hoped it would be and combined with my favorite knot, AP Shave Co synbad 26mm, this is my 100% desert island brush. There is nothing I would change. It is flawless, its a wonderful shape and size, and is a pleasure to use.
About a week into wet shaving I came across a photo of the most beautiful brush handle I had ever seen. After some research I found out it was from Dogwood Handcrafts. I have long lusted after them. And when he announced he was going to do custom orders, I jumped on it. I think I was #14 in line. After some waiting it was my turn. And I knew exactly what I wanted. Something to match, IMHO, the best soap in both scent and performance, massacre of the innocents. Lets just say he knocked it out of the park. As any of you know who own one, they are nearly impossible to photograph. He did a much better job of capturing its beauty than I did: Massacre Handle
It is everything I hoped it would be and combined with my favorite knot, AP Shave Co synbad 26mm, this is my 100% desert island brush. There is nothing I would change. It is flawless, its a wonderful shape and size, and is a pleasure to use.
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- #76
The next item up for trial is A&E soap. Admittedly this is not my first use of A&E. I have used Peaches & Cognac once, but it extremely irritated my skin. Like burning sensation. Bad. So I wasn't able to give the soap an honest try. I went with a scent that sounded good but also doesnt have a reputation for being irritating as P&C does.
First let me say this puts every other soaps scent strength to shame. It is extremely strong. Like 10/10. This is not a bad thing, but seems to be a theme with A&E. Its an enjoyable scent. Somewhat sweet, but not off putting sweet. Its quite enjoyable. Somewhat floral. But definitely the up front scent is Pear. I quite liked it and began considering getting Asian Plum. It is a soft base. In the realm of Declaration Grooming, but maybe a little more firm. Loads easy, lathers very easily into a good, dense, thick lather. Right up my alley. Things are looking up!
The shave went well. On par with the top tier soaps. I can see why so many people like this soap. Easy to load, strong scents, great slickness. But for me anyway, the post shave was pretty lacking. This is Kaizen base. I was pretty sure everyone raved about their post shave feel. I did not get that. My face in fact felt quite dry. Maybe there is something in this soap also that my skin doesnt like but not quite as bad of a reaction as with P&C. I did not use any other post shave product as I wanted to just try this. Im not writing them off just yet. The scent was great and the shave was great. I have B&M balm with outstanding post shave feel I can use to make up for this. So I will probably try more from A&E but they are not a favorite at this point.
That brush tho.......
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Wow, I've never before had a shave dedicated to me. Thanks.
I'm usually not smart enough to remember to pay it forward but sometimes I am. One of the first and best lessons I've learned as a B&B member has been to focus more on that part of the B&B culture. It's a blessing to help others by passing on what others taught me (and the little bit I've learned myself). Thanks for giving me the opportunity to do so.
Speaking of which, my Maggard 70/30 knot was a very long break in project. I'm not entirely sure after months of breaking it in that it's fully broken in. In fact, I expect it to improve over time. It has however finally gotten broken in enough so I can use it without losing layers of skin. I love its deliciously scrubby feel and its amazing abilities as a lather monster, but it sure took a while to become a knot rather than a Brillo pad.
I'm not much interested in synthetics and am pleased to have just this one which I like. It feels to me like a little bit floppy but perfectly acceptable three band silvertip. It's very soft, but it also has enough scrub to get by with. I like it, and not just for a synthetic. Actually, it doesn't feel to me like a synthetic or at least like the few other synthetics I've tried. Interesting how much into synthetics (and good ones I think) you've gotten. The idea of buying a custom made synthetic brush or an artisan synthetic is way beyond my capacities. To me they're travel brushes.
All that useless opinion of knots stuff aside, I agree. Your custom handle is really very good looking and unusual without being weird.
Thanks again and happy shaves,
Jim
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- #78
Thanks Jim. Yea my 70/30 seems to only get better with time. I think it will be one of those brushes that takes dedication but once its broken in completely it will be amazing.
I didn't like synthetics unless I tried the right ones. I'm certainly not anti badger, and will honestly probably get one again at some point just to have. I'm super happy with how that turned out. Dogwoods does some amazing stuff.
I'm hoping to do the same and pass on what I have learned with this thread.
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- #79
Well I thought some of these items I would have to wait a bit for, especially the star of this show. But everything showed up so quickly, this is an epic test shave.
I have long been desiring and hearing great things about Karve razors. I had also heard there is a long wait, but that wasn't the case for me. From ordered to my hands in 7 days. Thats plenty fast enough. They also seem to sell instantly when one comes for sale, which is usually a good sign. So this was the primary reason for selling the Carbon. I will say that it feels and looks better in person than I thought. I went with the SS in C plate with 3.5" handle. This is very high quality. The handle is fantastic. And I love that the stand has a plastic insert to protect the stainless. Nice touch. Its obvious this is a well machined item.
On to the shave. Spartacus soap is a different smell for Aventus than the other I have used. More muted and a bit darker. Not as much pineapple. However the splash is more along the lines of Stirling/DG and sweeter. Good balance. A&E loads easily and needs a ton of water. Its on par with the other top tier soaps I have used, simply lacking some in post shave which I said about Asian Pear as well. No big deal. Good quality soap at a good price point. DG still maintains my #1 spot over all.
I also got the PAA pre shave cube after hearing about it a lot. I have used some preshaves before and was extremely skeptical. I notice no difference whatsoever with the prior pre shaves. This one is different. I made the mistake of using my shaving hand to "activate" it. Holy crap is it slick. You can tell 100% of the point of it is slickness. It is incredibly slick. There is no doubt in my mind you could shave with it. And it 100% made a difference in the shave. I think it is unnecessary with high end soaps, but this would make the worlds worst soap shave great. It comes at a great price and its a ton of soap. I seem to like PAA accessories more than I like their soaps lol. On a side note, I tried Diver Down and did not like it at all. Very off putting smell for me. My wife liked it even less! I'm just not sure PAA scent profiles are for me. They seem to be more old school cologne and odd scents. Im more for the straight forward modern scents and natural scents. I also dont care for menthol which they use a lot. I love CAD. And their soap is a great vegan soap, but I'm struggling to find scents that are really for me. But anyway back to the point, the Cube is definitely worth it!
As for the razor. It shaves every bit as good as the hype. I used a Nacet. This is similar blade gap and positive exposure as the Carbon. But it does not feel like it at all! It is several times over more smooth than the Carbon. It shaves like a very mild razor with the efficiency of an aggressive razor. It defies logic. I can't believe how nice it was. The Carbon was very blade forward, very efficient. The game changer was smooth and mild, but not quite as close or efficient as the Carbon. This is the best of both worlds. Just as smooth as the game changer, but easily as efficient and as close of a razor as the Carbon. I noticed on pass 3 there was almost no feedback and it felt like the razor was at the wrong angle or something because it wasnt doing anything. But it was that pass 3 was almost unneeded. This is just a fantastic daily shaving razor. Its not high polish and fancy handles. It just works!!!
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Great review.
What's the gap?
| I know nothing about PAA's other scents, and I'm not a huge fan of the PAA soaps I've tried (although they're okay), but these splashes rock. I've tried quite a few bay rums I like and like 'em all. Atomic Age Bay Rum is the best, with a long lasting scent as a bonus. PAA nailed it! Beach is not as long lasting, but it's great, too. |
These are my daily splashes. I use them to the exclusion of just about everything else, but there are plenty of great scents. Of course scents are subjective.
Happy shaves,
Jim
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