Rusty Blade’s Wet Shaving Journey

[Rusty Blade]

Finally caught up here. Good stuff!

Yep, searching for the perfect blade can take a long while . . . I spent more than 10 months & that was for just one razor! In the end, you may have to put some artificial limit on how many/how expensive you’re willing to test . . . or I suppose you could decide the journey is the destination . . . that didn’t work for me though. I had to get to where I could buy 100 of my ‘best’ and not bat around any more.

Thanks for checking in Spike. Hope all is well with you. Yes, blades...what can I say. The search should be a short one. I am really just testing three blades: GSB, Astra SP and Derby Extra. Over the past year I have purchased 100 of each because I knew these blades were ideal for me. Now I am trying to match each one with one of three different razors. It may be a bit of a wasted effort since I get an excellent shave with any of the three razors and any of the three blades. I would just like to pick up a razor and know that its perfect made-in-heaven match is a particular blade. This entire exercise has taught me one thing: it doesn't take much to amuse me!

 

[Rusty Blade]

I have a confession to make. Lately I have found myself sneaking into the 3017 thread and reading through the many hundreds of posts. I am intrigued by the idea of working through a single soap start to finish before starting the next one. I feel like a kid reading my Hardy Boys book under the cover with a flashlight. Its almost hard to admit that I could even contemplate going this route, yet the 3017 guys seem firmly committed to this approach.

Though when I think back to my early shaving days, I methodically worked my way through probably hundreds of Williams soap pucks over a 40 year period. Unboxing a new Williams puck and putting it in my old restaurant coffee cup was always a treat. Since I started on the forums and trying many many new soaps and creams I have been happy using a rotation of soaps and doing lots of experimenting. A colleague of mine does the 3017 thing and he would have it no other way. Indeed, he can't understand how I can switch around so much. Over the past few years I have used up many soaps and creams. I admit it felt good. It felt really good. Hmmmm....I wonder.

 

[JTshaves]

I’ve been tempted to 3017 a soap as well, but I’m still pretty new to wet shaving and love experimenting.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I’ve been tempted to 3017 a soap as well, but I’m still pretty new to wet shaving and love experimenting.

Yes, I know how you feel. In the early days of wet-shaving it is a lot of fun experimenting with different soaps...and everything else related to wet-shaving. My advice is enjoy every bit of it. Eventually you may settle on a particular routine and range of products.

 

[Tokyospike]

It’s funny, that pretty early on, I settled into using one soap for a few months at a time, then rotating to another as the seasons change. I don’t 3017 anything, but I don’t change it up every day either . . . not sure how or why I’m like that, it just feels right for me.

 

[Rusty Blade]

It’s funny, that pretty early on, I settled into using one soap for a few months at a time, then rotating to another as the seasons change. I don’t 3017 anything, but I don’t change it up every day either . . . not sure how or why I’m like that, it just feels right for me.

I am much the same, though over the past few years I will occasionally have a soap that is nearing the bottom 1/4 of the tub or tube and I will decide to finish it off. I have done a few of those...otherwise I generally use a soap for a week and then switch to another. I don't get too picky over these things anymore. Some days I will wake up with a particular soap on my mind and dig it out of my box and use it for a couple of days and then go back to my soap for that particular week. Eventually I hope to use up all of my soaps and end up trying to use up my jar of MdC and then order soaps one at a time.

 

[albsat]

@Rusty Blade

I like your approach. Are you going to post a picture of your trimmed collection? Razors, brushes, blades, soaps?

I was enjoying a lot a minimalistic setup myself. 2 brushes, 1 de razor, 2 creams. Then I took the bite. 5 brushes, 5 soaps, several razors but using one only mostly. Hope I reduce everything under the number 2 or 3 for each category. Hope that would be fun too!

 

[Rusty Blade]

@Rusty Blade

I like your approach. Are you going to post a picture of your trimmed collection? Razors, brushes, blades, soaps?

I was enjoying a lot a minimalistic setup myself. 2 brushes, 1 de razor, 2 creams. Then I took the bite. 5 brushes, 5 soaps, several razors but using one only mostly. Hope I reduce everything under the number 2 or 3 for each category. Hope that would be fun too!

I will try to take a pic this weekend and post it. I wish I had a before picture but I was unable to rent the local gymnasium to lay everything out on the floor and I didn't have a wide-angle or panoramic lens.

 

[albsat]

I will try to take a pic this weekend and post it. I wish I had a before picture but I was unable to rent the local gymnasium to lay everything out on the floor and I didn't have a wide-angle or panoramic lens.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Conversion to 3017? Nope....I don't think so. Not yet at least. Still enjoying my top 7 soaps and creams with an occasional dip into my box of seconds.

 

[MilkCrate]

You should buy another soap, I did enjoy the trails. Or just pull a ruffian from the seconds box.

Right now I’m setting at 8 soaps and no stash. So I’ll just hold what I’ve got.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I have a jar of Martrin de Candre Unscented in my box of second string soaps. Its one that I purchased a few years ago and ended up only using a few times. I have used it a few times this week and I must say it is an excellent product. A true lather monster. I also realize that I like an unscented soap because I can then use any aftershave product without worry of the scents clashing or not working together. I can see someday in the future only having unscented soaps or creams in my rotation.

 

[MaineYooper]

Job and family issues have me using only unscented soaps for almost two years now. I have tried many tubs, and probably just as many that I haven't tried! But I have a handful that I found to be very good for me! But that doesn't stop me from looking at more!

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[Rusty Blade]

Job and family issues have me using only unscented soaps for almost two years now. I have tried many tubs, and probably just as many that I haven't tried! But I have a handful that I found to be very good for me! But that doesn't stop me from looking at more!

Sent from my Samsung using Tapatalk

My experience is similar...my family prefers low scented products and my workplace is scent-free. During the week I tend to go with mild or unscented products. When I started my wet shaving journey a few years ago I entered searching for unscented soaps...and I found a few very nice ones (B&M, MdC, Stirling, Copper Hat, TOBS, GFT, Fendrihan, T&H, among others). I enjoy scented products, but I find I get tired of the same scent if I use the same one every day for a while. Not so with unscented soaps or creams. Eventually I see myself with a couple of good unscented soaps or creams and a wider range of mildly scented ASBs. I think I could be quite content with this very minimalist shaving kit.

What are your preferred unscented soaps or creams?

 

[MilkCrate]

Just out of curiosity, if you run unscented soaps why not find one with the properties you like and just have one? And maybe an unscented tube of cream for travel.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Just out of curiosity, if you run unscented soaps why not find one with the properties you like and just have one? And maybe an unscented tube of cream for travel.

True enough. I suppose I could boil it down to one...but even among unscented soaps and creams I have found there are subtle differences. Maybe I could get it down to one soap, one cream. Tough choice...

 

[MilkCrate]

I do like the scented soaps and the matching AS to prolong the scent. I don’t know if we have a no scent policy at work, I tend not to read policy and procedures. Anyway I can see the simplicity of one unscented soap and cream, so I’m curious where you land.

 

[MaineYooper]

True enough. I suppose I could boil it down to one...but even among unscented soaps and creams I have found there are subtle differences. Maybe I could get it down to one soap, one cream. Tough choice...

I agree, I notice differences between some soaps. And even my top performers have subtle differences. And it's fun to switch it up!

Sent via my Samsung

 

[MaineYooper]

What are your preferred unscented soaps or creams?

Mystic Water Soaps Sensitive Skin, Mike's Natural Soap, Wholly Kaw vegan, and Shannon's Soaps Nil are my main ones that are in the bathroom now. Soap Commander Integrity and Phoenix & Beau were good, but I tried the Soapy Science and liked it.

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[Rusty Blade]

Mystic Water Soaps Sensitive Skin, Mike's Natural Soap, Wholly Kaw vegan, and Shannon's Soaps Nil are my main ones that are in the bathroom now. Soap Commander Integrity and Phoenix & Beau were good, but I tried the Soapy Science and liked it.

Sent via my Samsung

I have not tried any on your list...if you could pick your top one which would it be?