Yep- Too many who offer advice to newbies neglect to mention the styptic pencil and alum block. IMO, based in my first year experience as well, a first timer should have those two inexpensive items (about $8 total for both) handy before blade ever touches face.Since I joined B&B 10-months ago, I went from just ordering a new professional Wahl clipper, to becoming a traditional wet shaver in short order. I originally joined to get info on hair clippers, but with all the talk of DE shaving, and the successes people were having doing it, I guess I just wondered what all the fuss was about. I began my foyay into traditional wet shaving, using a Feather AS-D2 razor, a bowl puk of Tabac, and a literal garbage pure badger brush, that smelled like it came from the back end of a wet dog.
Despite the brush being terrible, a shampoo soaking later to get rid of the smell, I began working a lather on my face. While the brush having the least amount of fibers possible, I still managed to get a preview into what it was like, to get a facial massage, by lathering up the soap. This was the moment where I thought to myself, you know what GeoFatBoy, you might be right. lol.
I discovered through this process though, that I really needed a better brush, thats when I got my Maseto Avatar Silver Tipped Badger brush after that, and the fiber density of that brush, put my first brush to shame so bad, it cowered in fear at the shear size of the Maseto's 30mm knot, it ran under the sink, and hid in the shadows. I also discovered through experience, that I didn't like loading up some from the puk, as this process always takes me forever to do with a brush.
Instead, what I do now days, is I take a bouillon teaspoon, and I scoop up the soap from the puk to an even amount, and place that soap into a shaving bowl, for which I have several, from both Captains Choice, and Cayune Workshop. I place a couple teaspoons of water into the bowl, and I begin working up a lather. This is of course if I have plenty of time, and can have a luxurious shave. If I don't have plenty of time, I will just use a shaving stick or brushless cream, and do a facial lather instead, and use my Henson AL13 razor for quick shaving.
As my shaving technique improved, and my interests in other razors became apparent, it wasn't long before I had realized, that I could get a better shave, if I tried out different razors and blades. I got tired of the Feather AS-D2 razor, because it was taking forever to get me to a BBS shave, and it was giving me irritation to get there, and sometimes nicks and weepers.
Razors I've Bought...
Feather AS-D2 = Kind Of Bad
Yaqi Mellon Head = Kind Of Bad
Rex Ambassador = Better Efficiency But Not Smooth
Merkur Futur = Better Efficiency And Smooth
Timeless Titanium TI95 = Awesome Efficiency And Smooth
Henson AL13 Medium = Great But Is Blade Dependent For Efficiency
Gillette 195 Fatboy = Awesome Razor & Amazingly Smooth
PAA Copper Ascension = My Best Shaving Razor With Supreme Smoothness
Razors I've Won...
Merkur 37C Slant = Surprisingly Efficient And Smooth
Gillette Red SuperSpeed = Terrible Shave Tore Up My Face (Discovered The Razor Requires A Restoration TuneUp As Well As Replating!)
I would say my favorite brush for facial lathering only, is my Maseto Avatar brush. My favorite brush out of pure necessity, for scuttle lathering usage, is my Omega 636 Silver Tipped Badger brush. Scuttles have such small lather spots, that there is just not enough room to use a larger brush in, you really want to keep it down to 21mm or smaller knot sizes for scuttles. I had a go with an APSHAVECO Lagoon brush with a 24mm G5C knot, my first synthetic. Yeah, it got the job done, but its springy nature puts me off most times using it. When you sling soap lather into the mirror or across the room, you will get what I mean.
Other then that, I suppose it does the job, but it was clear that it wasn't going to with the synthetic awards for me. So, wanting to try again, I spent more money this time, and I got a Cayune Workshop Dark Nebula 26mm B&W Tuxedo synthetic knot, what a world of difference that is! I had the artist set the knot lower to secure supreme backbone. But its also got supreme softness from the brush tips. And the density of the brush, made this my best synthetic candidate to actually compete against a silver tipped badger brush.
I only got 4 brushes, don't need anything more. Captains Choice Starry Night bowl & Scuttle are my favorite CC bowl equipment. I got my first plastic urethane resin bowl when I got my Cayune Workshop Dark Nebula bowl, I ended up loving it, and I use it quite often. Thankfully, I also only needed 4 bowls to make a final choice in which I love best as well lol. I went from storing razors in individual stands, to a 5-razor and 5-brush stand made by an artist on etsy, out of a cherry dark wood.
I went from storing everything on my counter and under the sink, to installing shelves to store my shave soaps and aftershaves, which cleared important counter space. I went from Tabac, to Proraso, To Caties Bubbles, to Captains Choice, until I finally settled on Stirling for my favorite artisans soaps. I like Arko & Speick for shaving sticks.
In regards to blades, I am really not that picky, but I got a ton of them!
Feathers
Bics
Nacets
Astras
Gillette 7 O Clock GREENS
Gillette Platinums
Gillette Silver Blues
Wizamets
So far the blades that have been my favorites in most of my razors, are Wizamets. This is because Wizamets are sharp and smooth.
I learned the ways of the alum block early in my wet shaving journey, for if it wasn't for alum, my face would never be OK, after using the Feather AS-D2 on my face. I also later discovered aftershaves, and went down a bit of a rabbit hole in collecting several of those, between aftershave splashes, and balms, I have had pretty good experiences with them. I only have one dedicated witch hazel though from Thayers.
And for those times when we get weepers, I also learned the ways of the Styptic stick. I got Pinaud Clubman jumbo stypic sticks, and they can seal a weeper before you have to meet the reaper, and for how cheap they cost, its better then sticking a bandaid to your face and walking around making people think you wearing a facial costume for Halloween.
So thats pretty much been my entire story on my evolution as a traditional wet shaver. Like most, you start out small, and work your way up, until you are so far down the rabbit hole, there is no way back out. HAHA!
The Evolution of a B&B Wet Shave Enthusiast
- Thread starter RRGGMM
- Start date
Yep, totally agree! When I first started out, I was getting nicks and weepers on a consistent basis. Its tough to remember to NOT use pressure, and to get your angle right. But there is no better teacher in life then failure. And because I always chase BBS, I could also suffer capillary bleeding of the unwanted, like Paul H Films does, because we do too much lol.
I find that alum block works great for small nicks or capillary bleeding, it tends to seal those right up. And following the shave up with some witch hazel, works wonders to keep things sealed up, and tone the skin. But, if I have a full on weeper, I find only the styptic stick of enchantment, can really seal them up! And there's different types of styptic too.
There are kinds that leave the white residue that people often hate, then there are ones that do not. Some styptic is in powdered form, other's in hard stick like I use. I even found out they make liquid styptic now too, I guess you apply it with a brush, IDK. But I am more traditional, I will stick with the stick. lol.
And your right about that too, I think all advice given to newbies, should begin with, get yourself an alum block, and styptic stick. Once you've secured those items, then you can worry about the razors, brushes, bowls, soap, and aftershave you buy. Right On!
I wish I could say “when I started” as if it’s all behind me now, but I have this strange urge to continue to play with old SE Gems and tear up my neck. GEM razors with GEM blades have led me not only to the styptic, but to Sephora to have a retail cosmetic consultant match the color for some base makeup for my neck so I could make sales calls or even be on a zoom. My wife and I still joke about my “man makeup”, but that GEM tore my neck to pieces. It was red for a week. I have now ordered the PTFE coated blades to give them one last try before selling every one of the GEMs but the one that was my grandfathers.
Don't take this the wrong way, but especially around your neck, you should probably treat the GEM razors like straights-on-a-stick. By that I mean tightly stretching skin until you have the problem nailed down. If you haven't used straights before, you kind of have to learn to do a touch down while moving, don't stall! I have had my GEMs bite just placing the head on my skin wrong so the blades alone may not be it. The carbon blades that are available are like practice duds, it's kind of hilarious.
Thanks for the input. I keep trying because they shave so close. Yes, they require a little more care than any of my DE but I would think it’s completely worth it if I can get past the neck irritation. I’m not having weeper/birdshot irritation anywhere else, even with the MMOC.
- Thread starter
- #27
Yesterday was shave three with a Feather Pro in my Above the Tie X1. I used D R Harris Windsor soap and aftershave for the first time and finished everything off with a sample of Tom Ford Noir. First, the X1 performed exceptionally well, surprising me, considering it was the third shave with the blade. All of the different accounts of men getting six to eight or more shaves from an Artist Club razor seemed unrealistic initially, but after yesterday's performance, it feels like I am on track to do the same. I have a curly beard, and with a few days of growth, like I had yesterday, I can begin to get some ingrown hairs. With my DE razor, I need to be careful, or I can knick those spots because of raised skin. Under typical circumstances, I shave before that develops, but yesterday I could feel some spots where my beard was turning in on itself. Well, the X1 gave me as close of a shave as ever, with zero knicks! I continue to be amazed at how clean I can shave my chin with the X1 without any knicks or cuts!
I've used D R Harris Arlington aftershave milk for years, and the Windsor performed similarly, with a milder fragrance that was pleasant. The Windsor soap was my first experience with D R Harris soaps, and I was impressed! I put hot water in the soap bowl to cover the puck, standard practice for me with new soap to "set" the puck in the bowl. I do not bloom the soap after the initial use. I also went back to my Semogue Owner's Club badger brush. While the synthetic platinum Chubby 2 I've been using is a great brush, it seems to lack character, a trait I attribute to the synthetic bristle. My Semogue felt like an old friend, and I had a great lather from the new Windsor puck in no time. I'd place performance somewhere between MWF and the Saponificio Varesino soaps I own, but I had zero issues with the razor clogging up, unlike the SV soaps. I don't consider the razor clogging to be enough of a negative to downgrade the SV soaps, and I am in love with their fragrances. But, the performance from the Windsor soap was effortless. My experience with MWF, SV, and D R Harris soaps has been top-notch, and I appreciate their differences. I have D R Harris Arlington soap en route, SV Manna di Sicilia, and Cubebe, and other than different fragrances, I expect the soaps to perform like the other soaps from their respective brands. With all the soaps I have on hand and the large inventory of blades I've accumulated, I am set for several years! The initial cost certainly exceeds that of a month of cartridge shaving. Still, over the long haul, I have many fantastic options and have no plans for any more purchases, other than blades, once I can adequately test the new blades I have on hand. I am confident that the remainder of 2023 will be of gentlemanly restraint!
I also received, but have not used, an Above the Tie SSRH and SSRH2 (open comb) plate with the new Windsor top cap, as well as an S1 plate, and a top cap. While I could easily run with the X1 from now until my time on earth is finished, I look forward to trying all of the combinations. As impressive as the X1 is, DE shaving with my original ATT set up was not only my forst foray into wet shaving over ten years ago, but a system I hold close to my heart.
I have several colognes on hand, and have had the opportunity to use Polo Green, Hermes Terre d'Hermes, Floris no89, and Dior Sauvage. All of those are fantastic! I'm still learning where and in what situations I like them most, but I already know I can wear Polo Green with jeans and a flannel, and love Hermes Terre d'Hermes with dressier clothes. I also have Acqua di Parma Colonia and AdP Leather which I have only worn at home so far, but also love. I initially thought I would find a couple of fragrances I liked and that would be that. However, I like so many that I will have a larger rotation than I originally anticipated! In addition to the decanted Sample of Tom Ford Noir, I have Tom Ford Grey Vetiver, Oud Wood, and Tabacco Oud. I also have samples of Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male, Dolce and Gabbana The One, Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio, Creed Aventus, Paco Rabanne 1 Million, and Dior Farenheit. I liked TF Noir, but there was a sweetness or something about it I am not settled on. The rest were very nice, but I will probably only but bottles of a couple of the samples I have. Off the top of my head I don't recall which, but a couple of my samples have an almost cotton candy sweetness that isn't to my liking. At my age, and clothing style, I definitely lean towards classic, masculine fragrances. The high-end fragrances are wonderful, and ultimately I plan to have ten or so on hand for my rotation. My current inventory of samples will take some time to wear and decide on, but I will disregard gentlemanly restraint once I settle on my favorites from this round. I should note that I got along quite nicely with Floris no89, and look forward wearing my two Acqua di Parma options next.
I've used D R Harris Arlington aftershave milk for years, and the Windsor performed similarly, with a milder fragrance that was pleasant. The Windsor soap was my first experience with D R Harris soaps, and I was impressed! I put hot water in the soap bowl to cover the puck, standard practice for me with new soap to "set" the puck in the bowl. I do not bloom the soap after the initial use. I also went back to my Semogue Owner's Club badger brush. While the synthetic platinum Chubby 2 I've been using is a great brush, it seems to lack character, a trait I attribute to the synthetic bristle. My Semogue felt like an old friend, and I had a great lather from the new Windsor puck in no time. I'd place performance somewhere between MWF and the Saponificio Varesino soaps I own, but I had zero issues with the razor clogging up, unlike the SV soaps. I don't consider the razor clogging to be enough of a negative to downgrade the SV soaps, and I am in love with their fragrances. But, the performance from the Windsor soap was effortless. My experience with MWF, SV, and D R Harris soaps has been top-notch, and I appreciate their differences. I have D R Harris Arlington soap en route, SV Manna di Sicilia, and Cubebe, and other than different fragrances, I expect the soaps to perform like the other soaps from their respective brands. With all the soaps I have on hand and the large inventory of blades I've accumulated, I am set for several years! The initial cost certainly exceeds that of a month of cartridge shaving. Still, over the long haul, I have many fantastic options and have no plans for any more purchases, other than blades, once I can adequately test the new blades I have on hand. I am confident that the remainder of 2023 will be of gentlemanly restraint!
I also received, but have not used, an Above the Tie SSRH and SSRH2 (open comb) plate with the new Windsor top cap, as well as an S1 plate, and a top cap. While I could easily run with the X1 from now until my time on earth is finished, I look forward to trying all of the combinations. As impressive as the X1 is, DE shaving with my original ATT set up was not only my forst foray into wet shaving over ten years ago, but a system I hold close to my heart.
I have several colognes on hand, and have had the opportunity to use Polo Green, Hermes Terre d'Hermes, Floris no89, and Dior Sauvage. All of those are fantastic! I'm still learning where and in what situations I like them most, but I already know I can wear Polo Green with jeans and a flannel, and love Hermes Terre d'Hermes with dressier clothes. I also have Acqua di Parma Colonia and AdP Leather which I have only worn at home so far, but also love. I initially thought I would find a couple of fragrances I liked and that would be that. However, I like so many that I will have a larger rotation than I originally anticipated! In addition to the decanted Sample of Tom Ford Noir, I have Tom Ford Grey Vetiver, Oud Wood, and Tabacco Oud. I also have samples of Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male, Dolce and Gabbana The One, Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio, Creed Aventus, Paco Rabanne 1 Million, and Dior Farenheit. I liked TF Noir, but there was a sweetness or something about it I am not settled on. The rest were very nice, but I will probably only but bottles of a couple of the samples I have. Off the top of my head I don't recall which, but a couple of my samples have an almost cotton candy sweetness that isn't to my liking. At my age, and clothing style, I definitely lean towards classic, masculine fragrances. The high-end fragrances are wonderful, and ultimately I plan to have ten or so on hand for my rotation. My current inventory of samples will take some time to wear and decide on, but I will disregard gentlemanly restraint once I settle on my favorites from this round. I should note that I got along quite nicely with Floris no89, and look forward wearing my two Acqua di Parma options next.
Out of curiosity what led you to Above the Tie? I don’t see those mentioned very often. (I use my Dad’s old Gillettes.)
- Thread starter
- #29
Sorry for the late reply. I have been slammed with my work lately. Ten-plus years ago, when I was getting into wet shaving after a brief period of wet shaving using my Grandfather's adjustable Gillette when I was younger, I wanted a nice razor for the long haul. I have, and occasionally use, an adjustable Gillette Fat Boy that is nice. But the Gillette is a little light, and I wanted an option with more heft. Above the Tie was a relatively new company at the time, and they made an appealing razor. I liked the ATT options better than the Merkur and Edwin Jagger razors I considered.
I don't recall what other razors I researched, as too much time has passed. But I loved my original R-Plate ATT razor and used it exclusively for every shave for ten years. I still use that razor occasionally. When I decided to try a different razor, my familiarity with ATT made it an easy choice. I also liked what I read about their Artist Club razors and have been very impressed with the shave. As a matter of fact, I shaved yesterday for the 9th or 10th time with the same blade in my ATT X-1 Slant and had a great shave. The performance impressed me tremendously. When I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. Since I liked my ATT R-Plate razor but wanted a different feel, it seemed like a safe bet to try their other configurations. So far, that has been correct. However, I have yet to write my review of the S1 slant I purchased, but after two shaves with a Feather blade, I can say it isn't my favorite. It is the mildest razor I have used and the least efficient. It would be a good choice to shave ATG or two-pass. But, I prefer more blade feel and efficiency from a razor. The SSRH ATT razor is a close second to my X-1 Slant, and I like it a lot. I also still like my original R-Plate razor. ATT makes a nice-looking razor with a nice heft that I enjoy. There are so many options today that ATT may not stand out, but for me, the razors have been a solid choice that will outlive me. I probably need to write into my will that my shaving kit will be donated to the Badger and Blade forum when I die since I don't have anyone to pass them along to.
- Thread starter
- #30
My most recent purchase was a Rudy Vey Shavemac 2-band silvertip 24 mm from the group buy. This brush is likely my last shaving purchase for a long, long time. With thirteen bushes, twenty-one soaps and aftershaves, and a mix of twenty DE and SE razors, I have everything I was curious about and more than I need. My blade selection is large and varied and will last several years at my current consumption rate. I plan to check in to B&B occasionally and enjoy the banter and knowledge shared here.
However, as much as I enjoy wet shaving and the tools I have acquired, I tend to knock out a shave and get on with my day. My routine involves running the tap until the water is hot, filling an Old Spice shave mug with hot water, running a splash over my day's soap to get a slight bloom going, and letting the brush soak while I shower. I load the brush from the soap container and face lather unless I use a cream where I bowl lather. I am a single-pass shaver using a DE blade twice or thrice and an SE blade eight to ten times. After my shave, I rinse my face with a washcloth soaked in cold water, use an alum block, then rinse again with cold water before pat-drying and using aftershave. I usually apply an EdT of EdP while dressing for the day.
My entire process, including the shower, is ten to fifteen minutes. I enjoy every minute but don't feel the need to linger. A couple of months ago, I acquired a complete straight razor setup with two strops, three razors, and a set of hones. As I suspected, straight razor shaving isn't for me, and I am not interested in investing the time into learning that technique. The idea sounded fun, but I don't have the patience for it in practice, and I get great shaves with my DE and SE razors without stress. I will probably BST my straight razor setup when I am not so busy this winter since I will never use it.
On average, I shave two or three days a week, and my selection of soaps, aftershaves, and blades will last me years without replenishment. For rotating through bushes and razors, I have found that a grouping of four works well for a period of time, and then I will set those to the side and grab another group of four. Trying to rotate through all of my razor selections at all times is more than I can handle, and I stick with a handful most of the time.
One of these days, I will display all my stuff and take some pictures to share.
I hope all of you are having a great Summer!! See you in the forums soon.
However, as much as I enjoy wet shaving and the tools I have acquired, I tend to knock out a shave and get on with my day. My routine involves running the tap until the water is hot, filling an Old Spice shave mug with hot water, running a splash over my day's soap to get a slight bloom going, and letting the brush soak while I shower. I load the brush from the soap container and face lather unless I use a cream where I bowl lather. I am a single-pass shaver using a DE blade twice or thrice and an SE blade eight to ten times. After my shave, I rinse my face with a washcloth soaked in cold water, use an alum block, then rinse again with cold water before pat-drying and using aftershave. I usually apply an EdT of EdP while dressing for the day.
My entire process, including the shower, is ten to fifteen minutes. I enjoy every minute but don't feel the need to linger. A couple of months ago, I acquired a complete straight razor setup with two strops, three razors, and a set of hones. As I suspected, straight razor shaving isn't for me, and I am not interested in investing the time into learning that technique. The idea sounded fun, but I don't have the patience for it in practice, and I get great shaves with my DE and SE razors without stress. I will probably BST my straight razor setup when I am not so busy this winter since I will never use it.
On average, I shave two or three days a week, and my selection of soaps, aftershaves, and blades will last me years without replenishment. For rotating through bushes and razors, I have found that a grouping of four works well for a period of time, and then I will set those to the side and grab another group of four. Trying to rotate through all of my razor selections at all times is more than I can handle, and I stick with a handful most of the time.
One of these days, I will display all my stuff and take some pictures to share.
I hope all of you are having a great Summer!! See you in the forums soon.
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