I reach for other razors just to mix it up but mostly I enjoy my brass Overlander with a Nacet blade and would be quite happy if it was all I had. TBH, most of the vintage Gillette I have tried are mostly for a historical display. Great razors, but not in the same league as my Overlander. I don’t mind a little buffing for BBS if I never, ever have to worry about a nick, cut or irritation. It just works for me. I don’t want to sound like too much of a fanboy and must admit my experience with modern razors is somewhat limited, and I chose the Overlander mostly based on feedback from those I respect on this forum. have several usable soaps and a few AS I like, and any would be sufficient if they were all I had.
Share your "end game"/permanent gear you use for 90%+ of shaves
- Thread starter johnnylighton
- Start date
I started working on my little razor collection in September of last year (2022) when my Blutt BR-1 showed up from Switzerland. A year and 3 month later and lots of trial and error (most of the errors were early on), I'm enjoying almost every shave. I thinned down the herd and what remains is a nice group of modern razors I enjoy using immensely.
I also love the Atelier DURDAN La Faulx. It might be the best razor I've ever used. That said, just considering which ones to jettison makes me feel uncomfortable. I looked at my Top Razor list I have in Notes on my iPhone..... There isn't one I'd want to be without. I know threads of this nature are hypothetical, as least for some of us.... And I also realize there are people who enjoy using just one razor with one blade choice as well as the rest of the associated shaving gear and software. I'm too new at this stuff to know if I'll ever adopt that way of thinking. I do know, at the moment, it isn't one of my goals. <eg>
I also love the Atelier DURDAN La Faulx. It might be the best razor I've ever used. That said, just considering which ones to jettison makes me feel uncomfortable. I looked at my Top Razor list I have in Notes on my iPhone..... There isn't one I'd want to be without. I know threads of this nature are hypothetical, as least for some of us.... And I also realize there are people who enjoy using just one razor with one blade choice as well as the rest of the associated shaving gear and software. I'm too new at this stuff to know if I'll ever adopt that way of thinking. I do know, at the moment, it isn't one of my goals. <eg>
Hi,
Fasan Double Slant razor (since 2013)
Personna Lab Blue blades (since 1988)
RV synthetic brush (last year, replacing a Vie Long horsehair)
A mix of vintage Oster soap (tallow) and modern Carden Farms (glycerine)
No AS, use Lubriderm lotion instead
Stan
Fasan Double Slant razor (since 2013)
Personna Lab Blue blades (since 1988)
RV synthetic brush (last year, replacing a Vie Long horsehair)
A mix of vintage Oster soap (tallow) and modern Carden Farms (glycerine)
No AS, use Lubriderm lotion instead
Stan
I'm glad I have lots of choices at my disposal: razors, blades, soaps, a few brushes.
But if I were tied to only one combo I had to use every day it would be ...
1) Rockwell 6C - Unbelievably smooth razor
2) Gillette Nacet blade - I could have chosen Perma-Sharp or Astra SP. All are excellelnt
3) Stirling Soap Barbershop - My favorite soap ever
4) Jequil & Corenveo 24mm synthetic brush - Excellent backbone but still soft
But if I were tied to only one combo I had to use every day it would be ...
1) Rockwell 6C - Unbelievably smooth razor
2) Gillette Nacet blade - I could have chosen Perma-Sharp or Astra SP. All are excellelnt
3) Stirling Soap Barbershop - My favorite soap ever
4) Jequil & Corenveo 24mm synthetic brush - Excellent backbone but still soft
I guess I don't have an "end game" shaving set up as I very much enjoy mixing things up. Shavettes, DE, SE (GEM, AC, half-blade), and straight razors, badgers, boars, synthetics, 20 different blades, at least two dozen soaps/creams, over a dozen aftershaves...
...but, just for fun: What would I choose for a critically important shave?...like my wedding, or a job interview (even though I'm married and retired)...a shave that needed to be worry-free and perfect:
Timeless stainless steel 68SCL (or pre-war Tech)
Just about any blade (probably Astra SP)
MdC Original
Semogue Mistura
Old Spice AS
...but, just for fun: What would I choose for a critically important shave?...like my wedding, or a job interview (even though I'm married and retired)...a shave that needed to be worry-free and perfect:
Timeless stainless steel 68SCL (or pre-war Tech)
Just about any blade (probably Astra SP)
MdC Original
Semogue Mistura
Old Spice AS
No kidding! The whole concept makes no sense. Do I have one bike? One pair of skis? One kayak? One kid? The word is quiver.
OK, one wife.
lasta
Blade Biter
One shoe.
One wife is enough!
- Thread starter
- #50
It makes sense to me, otherwise I wouldn't have started this thread.
I use one razor every time, because it tops every other I have or have tried. I use one brush every time, because it's the best of all mine and I see no reason to use another. Same with my bowl.If you don't have any such gear, then I think it's implied in the original post that it's not a thread for you. Kind of like when someone posts,
"What are you ordering for Black Friday?"
and someone replies,
"I have enough right now so I'm not ordering anything."
Not every thread applies to every member. 
Point taken. 
Enjoying and reading through this thread, I was engaged by @The Blackadder 's comment.
To stick with the chess metaphor, my permanent (almost 30 years) setup was actually the Merkur variation of the Gillette opening.
Gillette thick cap Old Type (granddad's)
Merkur 36 slant
generic store label Personna blades
Williams Mug in a thrift store coffee cup
cheap drug store boar
In the middle game I exchanged for a Plisson badger and a pewter lather mug, gift from that wife I mentioned.
Endgame seems to be chaotic speed chess or Fischer Random, pieces flying everywhere. So my arc is reversed. But my tastes are still strongly biased by the settled practice of 40+ years.
Enjoying and reading through this thread, I was engaged by @The Blackadder 's comment.
To stick with the chess metaphor, my permanent (almost 30 years) setup was actually the Merkur variation of the Gillette opening.
Gillette thick cap Old Type (granddad's)
Merkur 36 slant
generic store label Personna blades
Williams Mug in a thrift store coffee cup
cheap drug store boar
In the middle game I exchanged for a Plisson badger and a pewter lather mug, gift from that wife I mentioned.
Endgame seems to be chaotic speed chess or Fischer Random, pieces flying everywhere. So my arc is reversed. But my tastes are still strongly biased by the settled practice of 40+ years.
RazoRock Mamba (WTG/ATG)
Gillette Silver Blue (Russia)
RazoRock Beehive (face lather)
RazoRock AS Wax
3017 Soap. Last year PdP. This year Tallow Tabac. Next year Tallow MWF
Every second day. Night shaver. Skip weekends.
Aside from the soap, this has been my go-to for a few years now. Maybe Astra as my blades thounds.
Gillette Silver Blue (Russia)
RazoRock Beehive (face lather)
RazoRock AS Wax
3017 Soap. Last year PdP. This year Tallow Tabac. Next year Tallow MWF
Every second day. Night shaver. Skip weekends.
Aside from the soap, this has been my go-to for a few years now. Maybe Astra as my blades thounds.
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Razor: Timeless Ti .68 SC
Blade: Astra SP
Brush: Simpson Duke 3
Soap: TOB’s Sandalwood
Aftershave: TOB’s Sandalwood
Blade: Astra SP
Brush: Simpson Duke 3
Soap: TOB’s Sandalwood
Aftershave: TOB’s Sandalwood
Razor: Rockwell 6s (R3)
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Razorock Plissoft
Soap: Martin De Candre Original or TOBS Sandalwood
Post: Lucky Tiger Post Shave Lotion
Splash: Trumper's Bay Rum or TOBS Sandalwood
Nothing exciting, just stuff i can rely on to give me a great daily shave time after time. The 6S on R3 is the smoothest daily shaver I've ever tried and something about the original Plissoft is just perfect somehow. I could use this stuff forever quite happily
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Razorock Plissoft
Soap: Martin De Candre Original or TOBS Sandalwood
Post: Lucky Tiger Post Shave Lotion
Splash: Trumper's Bay Rum or TOBS Sandalwood
Nothing exciting, just stuff i can rely on to give me a great daily shave time after time. The 6S on R3 is the smoothest daily shaver I've ever tried and something about the original Plissoft is just perfect somehow. I could use this stuff forever quite happily
I enjoy using different stuff too much, but if I had to choose now:
Mühle Rocca R96
Mühle STF size M
MdC Nature
Pitralon Classic AS
Balea Men Energy ASB
Something like this, apart from the blade.
View media item 73207
Mühle Rocca R96
Mühle STF size M
MdC Nature
Pitralon Classic AS
Balea Men Energy ASB
Something like this, apart from the blade.
View media item 73207
In my short experience, what’s worked best for me is:
Razor: Henson + Astra SP for the face / Tech + Nacet for the neck
Brush: Any soft synthetic
Soap: SV
Aftershave: SV
Bowl: Captain’s Choice copper
Razor: Henson + Astra SP for the face / Tech + Nacet for the neck
Brush: Any soft synthetic
Soap: SV
Aftershave: SV
Bowl: Captain’s Choice copper
I only shave with vintage razors. Gillette DE & GEM SE.
90% gear..
OC 7 O’clock razor
Omega 40033 mini boar
Nacet , KAI , Bic blades
SV soap
Thayer’s
I’d look forward to the other 10% though
OC 7 O’clock razor
Omega 40033 mini boar
Nacet , KAI , Bic blades
SV soap
Thayer’s
I’d look forward to the other 10% though
Razor: Yates Precision Titanium (as-machined) 921-M Scalloped (4" handle, no logo, birthday and type etched on bottom). I like it so much I got another with M solid and combed baseplates, so that I can use a different blade and solid bar for against the grain.
Blades: Feather and Nacet (I also like many other blades from St. Petersburg, but I reach for these first).
No favorites for everything else, so far.
Blades: Feather and Nacet (I also like many other blades from St. Petersburg, but I reach for these first).
No favorites for everything else, so far.
My home setup end game is:
New products can be fun but I’m pretty happy with my current setup.
- Razor - Blackland Ti Blackbird (Goldilocks for me).
- Blades - some variety here.
- Brush - some variety here.
- Soap - MdC Rose Brain bowl.
- Lather bowl - Mugseco.
- Dirty Bird Brush Scuttle.
- Dickenson’s WH.
- Aftershave - SV (Opuntia, Desert Vetiver, Tundra Artica). Since discovering SV aftershaves the rest of my collection is used when away from home unless I take the SV with me which I often do.
New products can be fun but I’m pretty happy with my current setup.
