The automatic combination for the best possible results

[gmgaj]

Suppose you are in a situation where you have to have the best possible shave, no irritation and no cuts/nicks/weepers. (Job interview, dream date, meet the parents, etc.) What combo do you pull out of your den to give you the automatic guaranteed best shave? Time is not a factor. You can take as long as you need for the shave.

I'll start it off:

Gillette "the new" long comb
Gillette 7 O'Clock black blade
VDH/KMF/Cornhuskers blend soap stick
Omega Pro 49 brush
Ogallala lime and peppercorn AS
face lather
3 passes: N to S, S to N, R to L, touchups


I will admit I had trouble choosing a razor (futur, slim adjustable, fatboy also considered), and soap (Arko, proraso and Ogallala also on the list)
The blades, brush and AS didn't require much thought.

 

[Niles]

Merkur HD (34c)
Polsilver SI
Omega boar
D.R. Harris Arlington soap
Pinaud Clubman

 

[Weaselsrippedmyflesh]

I'll fill in at least two parts of the equation: DE89 and Proraso.

 

[prbutterfield]

iKon OSS
Gillette 7 O'clock Blue
Edwin Jagger Aloe cream
Vie-long black badger
Thayer's cucumber
TOBS Herbal Aftershave Cream
GFT Spanish Leather

 

[keithmax]

Merkur 38C with SI blade(first or second use only)
home made pre-shave oil, castor-olive oil blend.
long hot shower
use my tea kettle to soak my brush in hot water and then to fill my scuttle.
Lijun finest brush
4 pass plus touch up
Tabac soap (in summer Proraso soap)
home made AS
Cade ASB or Nivea Sensitive ASB
Antaeus EdT for cold weather or Creed GIT for warmer weather

 

[sinbad339]

H. H. Hill "Toledo Blade" 4/8 in bone scales.
SCS New Spice shave soap
Simpson Beaufort B4 badger
Thayers Witch Hazel Astringent
Pinaud Clubman "Original"

 

[N2theBreech]

Fatboy
Feathers
Hot Towel
AoS pre-shave oil
Kyles prep
Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap
Alum for finger traction
5-pass shave
Lucky Tiger face tonic
Nivea A/S balm

 

[PFP_Dad]

Fat handled Tech
Personna Lab
Razorock Don Marco
TGN Super Badger
Clubman
3-Passes (WTG, XTG, XTG)

 

[john shea]

Shower and shampoo,
MWF, glycerin, Bigelow cream,
Merkur Vision brush and razor,
Feather blade,
Thayers witch hazel (lemon),
Dominica bay rum (lime),
Neutrogena ASB

 

[Lion and the Fox]

Very difficult...

GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Ted Pella GEM PTFE coated blade
C.O. Bigelow / Proraso shave cream
Escali Badger Brush
Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue AS
Neutrogena Razor Defense Post Shave Lotion

 

[texaninkc]

AOS preshave gel
Shavemac D01 2band flat top
p160/yardley/MdC
President
Super Iridium
Twinluxe Booster serum/Thayers also does trick
AOS sandalwood ASB/gel mix
AOS sandalwood edt

 

[penn1313]

If the situation called for a shave with no chance of irritation, for a job interview we'll say, I would make preparations days in advance. I would only do two wtg passes all week leading up to it and not shave the day before. I would shave about a half hour before I left on the day of the interview. For that shave...

pre shave pre- oil cleanse method followed by hot shower
soap- cella
razor- Futur
blade- Gillette seven o'clock yellow with 2-3 shaves under its belt
two wtg passes
cold water rinse
witch hazel and ogallala bay rum AS

I recently attended a wedding and did just this to ensure no irritation. It's not that I don't trust my technique, it's that trying to get bbs always leaves a chance for irritation and with me, it could last several days which is why I started the process so early. The two wtg passes cleans me up so that I am presentable. I'm the only one that knows I'm not as clean shaven as I can be. You can only feel the stubble, not see it.

Penn

 

[gmgaj]

Very difficult...

GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Ted Pella GEM PTFE coated blade
C.O. Bigelow / Proraso shave cream
Escali Badger Brush
Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue AS
Neutrogena Razor Defense Post Shave Lotion

I really need to get my hands on some of those Ted Pellas. I might have to order a few to try them out.

 

[Haggises]

For guaranteed zero irritation I'm pulling out a Schick or PAL Injector with a fresh blade. For a closer shave with more mojo but a slightly riskier chance of mild irritation, it's the ER 1914 or the 1912.
Some Mystic Waters Bay Rum whipped on the face with a Vie Long Horse/Badger or my restored ER C40 with TGN Silvertip.
Witch Hazel
Done

 

[Shave_Rat]

Super Adjustable short handle, new Feather blade
Tabac

No other selections past those two would matter, anything I have on hand all works great.

 

[Big Jay]

Fatboy loaded with a feather. Alum then rinse prior to AS.

Everything else I own I feel works equally. Those are the only two "constants".

 

[Retiredgene]

For me it is:

EJde89 w/ Weber Classic Handle
Personna Red IP
SR3824 Brush
Any Italian Soft Soap - Cella, Velobra, RR
Alum
Thayer's Rose Petal WH
Nivea ASB
Any Floid After Shave Lotion - Blue, Vigoroso or Suave

Three passes w/ touchups, bowl lather - a enjoyable 45 minutes

Gene

 

[gegarrenton]

Razorock Artisan MdB
Le Grelot 6/8
GFT Limes Skin Food.

Done.

 

[indy0423]

Slim set to 5
GSB on second shave
Proraso Green, tube or tub.
Proraso Pre-Post as ASB.

Bulletproof.

 

[gmgaj]

if it ain't broke don't fix it.. go with your daily routine.

Yep, but only if you have a daily routine. My problem is that I've overdone it on variety. 5 razors that are in "normal" rotation, not to mention 8-10 soaps/creams, and 3 (so far) brushes. That doesn't include the stuff I've weeded out that didn't do as well. The only real given is my AS and my blades. And I'm getting ready to start making my own AS balm. Why not?

I just seem to have 2 or 3 combos that just seem to work better together. The stars align, and everything is peaceful in the world, and I get an effortless BBS shave.