Rusty Blade’s Wet Shaving Journey

[Rusty Blade]

Random Thought #34: I still can't decide if I like synthetic brushes. Most days I prefer a good boar or badger brush...or even a horse hair brush. I just like the feel...and to me they exemplify the old school nature of our wet shaving passion. But this morning I dug out my synthetic brush and really enjoyed my shave. A synth has a different feel on my face, but there is no denying they can work up a nice thick lather. But then again, so can an aerosol can of Gillette Foamy. I like synths in the summer when the humidity is so high it can take three days for a boar or badger brush to dry. I find a synth dries quickly. But then again, this is why having a dozen or so brushes in the den can come in handy...the drying time time between use of many brushes in rotation isn't an issue.

But I digress. I think for now, my synth will see random service.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Random thought #35: I give up. It seems I can only find aftershave products that either knock the buzzard off a gut wagon or have no scent at all. I am fine with the no-scent option. This by itself has been a challenge to find good products. I have found 3 and only one is truly unscented (as in no-scent) and that is Henri et Victoria unscented ASB. the other two: Truefitt and Hill Ultimate Comfort is unscented with a light scent of lavender (which by the way is actually pleasant) and Soap Commander Integrity which is unscented with a pepper-minty, menthol scent.

And now in the other direction I am searching for mildly scented ASBs with a pleasant, not too commercial/industrial scent that doesn't overpower r last beyond 3 hours. And this is becoming a challenge. Most ASBs I find are very powerful and the scent lingers beyond 2 or 3 hours. I know some of this is does related -- the larger the dab of balm on my palm the stronger the scent. Nivea Sensitive is a mildly scented ASB -- it only last as long as it takes me to get to work -- but it does have a bit of an drugstore industrial generic kind of scent. Any suggestions from the loyal followers of Rusty Blade's Wet Shaving Journey?

 

[Rusty Blade]

Random thought #36: It seems lately I am using more creams than pucks. And I realize I really enjoy creams for their consistency and the quality of the lather they produce. I think the reason I like pucks is because of the hand motion working up a lather. With a cream I take an almond size blob of cream and wipe it over my cheeks and then work it in with a brush. Different from a puck. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Random thought #37. True confession. I have never used an open comb DE razor. Not sure why. It may be because when I first started using a DE, I believed everyone when they said an open comb is a more aggressive razor. At the time I was in a serious steady relationship with a Gillette Fat Handle Tech (by all measures a generally mild non-aggressive razor). So I just never tried. Since then I have collected and routinely shave with a straight razor, so I don't know what I was worried about using an open comb DE. I have several in my collection. One of these days...

 

[Rusty Blade]

Random thought #38. I posted the following in the General Shaving Discussion forum. I wanted to add this to my journal...so I don't lose it. Its all part of an ever changing journey:

For the longest time now I have made Sunday my "Proraso shave day". I am generally a big fan of Proraso products. I use either the white or green trio (preshave, soap and ASB). Typically, I also use a Gillette Fat Handle Tech or a Flare Tip Rocket for this Sunday shave with a GSB blade. Not sure how this evolved, but it is a habit now. Other days of the week are a free-for-all. Anything goes.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Random thought #39: Here is a recent antique store find. A Gillette Executive F1 1960 Gold Fatboy made for Christmas 1960. Excelllent condition. This will be used for my morning shave for the coming days.

 

[Clay S]

Random thought #39: Here is a recent antique store find. A Gillette Executive F1 1960 Gold Fatboy made for Christmas 1960. Excelllent condition. This will be used for my morning shave for the coming days.
View attachment 976819

I just found a G2 myself! Had a shave with it this morning.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I just found a G2 myself! Had a shave with it this morning.

Nice. I must say the Executive was really nice to shave with this morning. I used a GSB blade and the razor was set on 4 and it was a pleasure. My father shaved with an Executive for most of his life. I still have his razor.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Random Thought #40: I have recently been experimenting with some of my DE blades that were sent to the bottom of the closet. I have rediscovered the Gillette 7 o'clock super stainless (the green box). Wonderful blade. I don't know why this is called a budget blade. I guess because of the price. They are smooth and sharp. I ordered 50 from Amazon.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Random Thought #41: I've been trying all my soaps and creams lately and I think if I had to boil them down to just one cream and one soap they would be: Saponificio Varesino and Truefitt & Hill Ultimate Comfort. I never seem to tire of these two. One soap scented, one cream unscented. One for each of my moods. Both are a bit pricey...but the extra coins are well worth the outcome.

 

[kluber]

Random Thought #41: I've been trying all my soaps and creams lately and I think if I had to boil them down to just one cream and one soap they would be: Saponificio Varesino and Truefitt & Hill Ultimate Comfort. I never seem to tire of these two. One soap scented, one cream unscented. One for each of my moods. Both are a bit pricey...but the extra coins are well worth the outcome.

What SV is your favorite scent?

 

[Rusty Blade]

What SV is your favorite scent?

The 70th Anniversary soap in the fancy tin. Love the scent.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Gold seems to be my thing lately. I found this today in an antique store. An A-2 Diplomat. Near mint condition.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I picked up a tin of Hawkins and Brimble Shaving Cream today. I don't know if I mentioned it before,...but the H&B ASB has become one of my favourites. A nice warm scent. Kind of reminds me of a cross between Henri et Victoria Cognac and Cuban Cigars soap and Saponificio Varesono 70th Anniversary soap. I thought I would try the shave cream. I said, go crazy...try it. So, I will use it for the next couple of days and post my thoughts. Stay tuned.

 

[Rusty Blade]

So this morning was my first shave with Hawkins and Brimble shaving cream and I must say it was an absolute delight. I scraped off the bit of cream that was stuck to the bottom of the lid and applied it to my wetted face and worked up a fine lather...enough for three passes (even though i only usually do a 1 or 2 pass shave). The cream is very soft, similar to a TOBS or GFT cream. super slick and nice scent to boot. It pairs perfectly with the ASB. This cream is a keeper.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Today I received in the mail some Lucky Tiger Shaving Cream. I am a big fan of Lucky Tiger products, in particular their after shave splash and their mustache wax. I did a test lather on my palm and used just a small dab, whipped it up with a Simpson badger brush and...and...(wait for it)...it is a lather monster. And a light citrus scent similar to the LT splash. Can't wait to shave with it tomorrow morning. I will post a review. Stay tuned.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Lucky Tiger Cream Shave. My initial review...wonderful stuff. A small dab the size of a nickle and it was easy to work up a slick thick lather. This will be a nice travel cream because it is a small bottle, not much chance of leaking and it is a fine product. I highly recommend this cream. The real question is why did I wait so long to try this product?

 

[Rusty Blade]

Today was my first shave with my Shaverboy Brass and Stainless DE. I like this razor. It has nice heft (which I like) and while I generally prefer a long handle razor this shorter handle razor was fine. It felt good in my hand. I prepped with some Proraso white preshave cream and used Truefitt and Hill Ultimate Comfort shave cream. Semogue boar brush.

Overall I would say this is a more aggressive razor than, say, a Merkur 23c or Fat Handle Tech. I would say this was like a Fatboy set on 5. I think this may be due in part to the blade being a bit stiffer than my usual GSB and that sometimes gives the illusion of a more aggressive razor. I could tell when I opened the blade pack that the blades were thicker than my usual blade. But it didn't tug or pull. Just a nice clean shave.
I will use this razor and blade for the next few days. I always find it takes a few shaves to get to know a new razor and blade combo.
For the money, I would say this is a great little razor. And it looks cool as well. What more can I say.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I have come to realize that blades are very much a YMMV thing in wet shaving. We all have opinions on which one is best and others that we curse. Over the years I have tried many and for the most part I can achieve a fine shave from any one of the blades I have ever used. Each one has it's own unique character and once you learn how to get the most from the blade I can get a great shave. Some are smooth and sharp, others are sharp and not so smooth. I find the first shave with any new blade is a bit edgy and then each subsequent shave it gets smoother. I change my blade every Sunday. Now, my Dad would shake his head at me with this approach. He would insert a blade and use it until one day, he would come down to breakfast wearing multiple spots of tissue paper on his weepers. Then I would know it was time to change his blade. I am not so brave. For the few pennies a blade costs, a weekly change seems reasonable.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Anyone who has even sampled some of my wet shaving journey can see I change my routines as often as the wind changes directions. I often dream of the old days with one razor, one brush, one soap and no AS. But let's face it, those days are gone, never to return. My hope of becoming minimalist is like me hoping I am going to fit into size 34 jeans again. Just not going to happen. I try to keep my soaps and creams to a limited number but lately I am buying aftershaves and blades and stocking up for the shave apocalypse that I know deep down is never going to happen. Even picked up a new razor lately. And of course my collection of vintage razors DE and SRs have been increasing lately as well. I guess if you cant beat it, then you learn to love it and just go with the flow. And why not. I dont drink and I dont smoke. Lately I have four razors on the go: a modern DE, a vintage DE, a SE and an SR. A different one to use to suit my whim. It's nice to switch around. I enjoy the benefits of each kind of razor.