The Search for Shaving Zen

[Virtus3]

So with a total of 5 wet shaves under my belt I figured it was about time to start a journal to share my vast wisdom ha.

I switched to a safety razor for many of the same reasons as others - better shaves, less irritation, healthier skin, less wasteful than cartridges; but I'm also really interested in the act of shaving as a ritual of sorts. Between work, parenting two toddlers, and life in general it's nice to have a regular act of self care. Shaving has already become that for me and I look forward to continuing my 'Search for Shaving Zen'.

My current hardware:

• Rockwell 6S
• Stirling 2-band Synthetic brush
• Captain's Choice Heavyweight Copper bowl

The initial "search" will involve experimenting with blades and soaps.

To date I like Nacets better than Astra SPs; and Zingari Man Sego (Nomad) edges out Stirling beef tallow (I have samples of Island Man, Haverford, and Gatlinburg).

 

[Virtus3]

Here are the blade sample tucks I've acquired and will be testing; yes I went overboard!

I will post a soap family picture once I receive them all. I've ordered from 8 different artisans:

• Zingari Man Nomad
• 345 Soap Co Estes
• Stirling Varen
• Noble Otter Two Kings
• Southern Witchcrafts Pomona
• Barrister & Mann Le Grand Chypre
• A&E SoCal Hipster
• Declaration Grooming After the Rain

I also have the previously mentioned Stirling samples of Island Man, Haverford, and Gatlinburg, and a sample pack of the TOBS creams.

 

[Virtus3]

The soap gang are all here now! Let testing... well continue.

From admittedly very minimal testing my current performance rankings are as follows:

Tier 1:
Zingari Sego, A&E Kaizen 2e

Tier 2:
Stirling (Mutton)

Tier 3:
Stirling (Beef)

Pending:
B&M Omnibus, DG Milksteak, Noble Otter, Southern Witchcrafts, 345 SoapCo

Barrister and Mann Le Grand Chypre is on deck.

 

[Virtus3]

B&M Le Grand Chypre is a wonderful scent but I don't think I got my lather dialed in quite right so performance was "only" good and not great. I have very hard water so will probably struggle some with certain brands; I'd venture to guess this also contributed to my assessment of Varen as well. But for now that leaves me here:

Tier 1:
Zingari Sego, A&E Kaizen 2e

Tier 2:
Stirling (Mutton), B&M Omnibus

Tier 3:
Stirling (Beef)

Pending:
DG Milksteak, Noble Otter, Southern Witchcrafts, 345 SoapCo


I moved up to the R6 plate for the first time in the 6S; it was noticeably more aggressive than the R5 plate but I didn't find it to be any more efficient for me. Both provided a DFS+ with two passes, WTG and XTG, and minimal touchups. I did get one weeper on my lower neck from a long careless pass and I had very, very minor irritation on my neck. The only reason I mention it is I had absolutely zero irritation with the R5 plate; R5 may be my sweet spot. Nacet continues to be a fantastic blade for me in the 6S.

 

[Virtus3]

On brushes: I only have two inexpensive synthetics so far - the Stirling 2-band synth and Rockwell synth. I started my journey using the Stirling as I preferred the look (ha) and the handle felt much more natural and comfortable to me.

The Stirling isn't a bad brush by any means, it's extremely soft and has good backbone (it is a bit difficult to splay); but my big issue with it is it holds onto the lather too much. The Rockwell in comparison is much easier to apply the lather though it isn't as soft. It has less backbone and is also easier to splay which may be more my preference.

Once August GRUME concludes I would like to try an AP Shave brush - right now leaning towards a G5C or SynBad.

 

[Virtus3]

I can knock two more soaps off the pending list with Declaration Grooming joining Tier 1, and Noble Otter Tier 2. I’m not a big fan of NO Two Kings scent; it’s not bad just too weak and the scents are one of my favorite parts of my ritual.

Within Tier 2 I would say Barrister and Mann and Noble Otter are a slight step ahead of Stirling Varen but that may be down to me as a latherer.

Tier 1:
Zingari Sego, A&E Kaizen 2e, DG Milksteak

Tier 2:
B&M Omnibus, Noble Otter
Stirling (Mutton)

Tier 3:
Stirling (Beef)

Pending:
Southern Witchcrafts, 345 Soap Co.

 

[MaineYooper]

On brushes: I only have two inexpensive synthetics so far - the Stirling 2-band synth and Rockwell synth. I started my journey using the Stirling as I preferred the look (ha) and the handle felt much more natural and comfortable to me.

The Stirling isn't a bad brush by any means, it's extremely soft and has good backbone (it is a bit difficult to splay); but my big issue with it is it holds onto the lather too much. The Rockwell in comparison is much easier to apply the lather though it isn't as soft. It has less backbone and is also easier to splay which may be more my preference.

Once August GRUME concludes I would like to try an AP Shave brush - right now leaning towards a G5C or SynBad.

I went totally synthetic in 2016 after an unfortunate accident ruined my (cheap but soft) Amazon badger brush, and other replacement badgers seemed to make my face irritated. So synthetic brushes and unscented soaps. Boo sinus issues!! My best synths for almost 2 years were the SynBads at APSCo! Love those brushes. I have a G5A and G5C that are pretty darn close to badger quality!

I have enjoyed your journal to date and agree about the Zen. Shaving was a solace for me during some bad times.

Welcome to the Journals!

 

[Virtus3]

I went totally synthetic in 2016 after an unfortunate accident ruined my (cheap but soft) Amazon badger brush, and other replacement badgers seemed to make my face irritated. So synthetic brushes and unscented soaps. Boo sinus issues!! My best synths for almost 2 years were the SynBads at APSCo! Love those brushes. I have a G5A and G5C that are pretty darn close to badger quality!

I have enjoyed your journal to date and agree about the Zen. Shaving was a solace for me during some bad times.

Welcome to the Journals!

Thanks! I'd be curious your thoughts on the SynBad vs G5A and G5C. I still haven't made a decision on which I want to try most and am unsure if I would really like the G5s.

I recently ordered a RazoRock Lupo (sorry GRUME) and added one of their Plissoft synthetic brushes that was on sale to try as well.

 

[Virtus3]

Mail call yesterday!

Had the first shave with the Lupo 95 OC last night. I lathered up with Zingari Nomad, loaded up a Nacet on it's 2nd use, and tackled 3 days of growth; which coincidentally is the longest growth I've had since picking up a DE. I had some minor tugging the first couple of strokes as I figured out the best angle; found the best to be pretty similar to the 6S which is a shallower angle closer to riding the cap. Once I got that dialed in I was off to the races.

Being newer to all of this it's sometimes tough to wrap your head around what others share about their experiences with various razors. Blade feel vs smoothness, efficiency vs aggressiveness, etc. I must say it all started to make sense using the Lupo. There is a lot more blade feel with the 95 OC than the 6S with the R6 plate (and I think I actually know what blade feel is now ha) but it's not harsh at all. The Lupo is more efficient than any of the 6S plates and I would say smoothness is on par with the 6S somewhere between R4-5; I've found R5 to be my sweet spot for reference. I had no irritation and feel I could easily use the 95 OC multiple days in a row without issue.

I did my usual two passes, WTG and XTG, and had DFS+ results with almost zero touch-ups. I thought I nicked myself once around my chin but didn't have any weepers so may have just been getting used to the blade feel. The smaller head of the Lupo made it so much easier to get under my nose compared to the bulky 6S.

The Lupo and 6S are both heavy razors which as a beginner I like as I feel it helps me not apply pressure and I can just let the weight of the razor do the work. The super knurl handle is awesome, so much grip! I look forward to eventually experimenting with the Ti Crown handle to see what the weight difference will bring.

Overall I am extremely pleased; the Lupo is incredible value and I can't believe it doesn't cost considerably more!

 

[SunShave]

Mail call yesterday!

View attachment 1503547

Had the first shave with the Lupo 95 OC last night. I lathered up with Zingari Nomad, loaded up a Nacet on it's 2nd use, and tackled 3 days of growth; which coincidentally is the longest growth I've had since picking up a DE. I had some minor tugging the first couple of strokes as I figured out the best angle; found the best to be pretty similar to the 6S which is a shallower angle closer to riding the cap. Once I got that dialed in I was off to the races.

Being newer to all of this it's sometimes tough to wrap your head around what others share about their experiences with various razors. Blade feel vs smoothness, efficiency vs aggressiveness, etc. I must say it all started to make sense using the Lupo. There is a lot more blade feel with the 95 OC than the 6S with the R6 plate (and I think I actually know what blade feel is now ha) but it's not harsh at all. The Lupo is more efficient than any of the 6S plates and I would say smoothness is on par with the 6S somewhere between R4-5; I've found R5 to be my sweet spot for reference. I had no irritation and feel I could easily use the 95 OC multiple days in a row without issue.

I did my usual two passes, WTG and XTG, and had DFS+ results with almost zero touch-ups. I thought I nicked myself once around my chin but didn't have any weepers so may have just been getting used to the blade feel. The smaller head of the Lupo made it so much easier to get under my nose compared to the bulky 6S.

The Lupo and 6S are both heavy razors which as a beginner I like as I feel it helps me not apply pressure and I can just let the weight of the razor do the work. The super knurl handle is awesome, so much grip! I look forward to eventually experimenting with the Ti Crown handle to see what the weight difference will bring.

Overall I am extremely pleased; the Lupo is incredible value and I can't believe it doesn't cost considerably more!

I’m getting serious razor envy at the pace you’re picking up hardware. I think I’m going to have to get a GC or a Lupo much sooner than I was anticipating!

 

[thombrogan]

May your attainment of complete focus without self-consciousness overwhelm your every shave soon, @Virtus3

 

[MaineYooper]

Nice write up, @Virtus3! Due to its head size and my nose size, the 6S had a short stay in my shave kit!

 

[Virtus3]

I’m getting serious razor envy at the pace you’re picking up hardware. I think I’m going to have to get a GC or a Lupo much sooner than I was anticipating!

I have been on quite an acquisition haul ha. The intention is to find what works and stick with it though. I definitely see myself as a 1-2 razor and brush kind of guy in the long run. I do see myself continuing to experiment with soaps. I like the Lupo a lot so far and have heard good things about the GCs too.

May your attainment of complete focus without self-consciousness overwhelm your every shave soon, @Virtus3

Many thanks!

Nice write up, @Virtus3! Due to its head size and my nose size, the 6S had a short stay in my shave kit!

Thanks! Yeah, I'm still glad I started with the 6S as it allowed me to quickly discover I prefer a little more aggressiveness so I could feel more confident about my next purchase. I'm not quite ready to move the 6S yet but I imagine I will sooner than later. Maybe I can find a friend who is interested in trying a safety razor that I can PIF to.

 

[Virtus3]

The Lupo 95 OC continues to be an excellent razor for me though I believe it is more suited to use every other day; I get some minor irritation (mostly on the neck) on subsequent day's use but it's more that there's just not enough growth 24 hours later to necessitate such an efficient razor.

I used it with the Timeless Ti Crown handle for the first time last night and may never use it with anything else. I see now what people mean when they call a lighter razor more nimble. The RR super knurl handle is excellent in it's own right but I just prefer the handling characteristics of the Ti Crown.

I also used Southern Witchcrafts Pomona for the first time. Performance and scent were excellent.

Tier 1:
Zingari Sego, A&E Kaizen 2e, DG Milksteak, So. Witchcrafts

Tier 2:
B&M Omnibus, Noble Otter
Stirling (Mutton)

Tier 3:
Stirling (Beef)

 

[Virtus3]

I’m not calling it yet but the Lupo 95 OC may be a bit too aggressive for me right now. If I don’t wait at least a full 48+ hours it’s just too much blade feel. I’ve ordered the 72 SB plate and hope I can find a happy medium there that can still be used daily. The Timeless Ti Crown handle is a real winner though and I’m extremely happy with it.

On soaps - I’m close to moving B&M up to tier 1. I’m going to get one more use before I decide but my first impression of it was definitely due to user error. Stirling Varen and Noble Otter, while not bad, haven’t lived up to expectations and I’ll probably PIF them.

Tier 1:
Zingari Sego, A&E Kaizen 2e, DG Milksteak, So. Witchcrafts

Tier 2:
B&M Omnibus
Noble Otter, Stirling (Mutton)

Tier 3:
Stirling (Beef)

I’m still torn on brushes. I ever so slightly prefer the knot in the Rockwell synth (far left) but hate the handle. I like the handle of the RazoRock ‘Bruce’ (middle) and the Plissoft knot is good but not special. I like the handle of the Stirling 2-band but the knot just holds onto the lather so I’m not a fan.

Still considering trying an AP Shave Co - Cashmere, SynBad, or G5A/C - but can’t seem to quite get there on ordering one. I’m leaning towards trying a Muhle STF next instead.

The one, and only, area I feel I have dialed in and am happy with is my aftershave routine. The combo of Thayer’s Coconut Facial Toner and Neutrogena Hydro Boost gel-cream leave my skin feeling fresh and moisturized with absolutely zero residue.

The best addition to my “den” is a repurposed stroller fan. Nothing like a nice breeze while shaving post workout and shower!

 

[Virtus3]

Alright, consider me confused. Yesterday I shaved two days growth with the Lupo 95 OC and it felt a little too harsh and blade forward. Shaved with it again tonight and it felt great; I even did more touch-ups than normal. So we have a mystery on our hands.

Maybe it’s a skill issue; maybe it’s the soap? I did use Varen last night (which I’ve found to not work great for me) and I used B&M Le Grand Chypre tonight which worked wonderfully. It’s definitely getting moved up into my tier 1 category.

In other news - I contacted Rudy Vey and he’s making me a brush with a Muhle STF. After discussing my likes and dislikes with my current lineup he suggested the 23mm (which apparently is actually closer to 22) over the 25mm. I can’t wait to try it out.

 

[MaineYooper]

Mysteries and brushes! Gotta love it!

 

[SunShave]

Alright, consider me confused. Yesterday I shaved two days growth with the Lupo 95 OC and it felt a little too harsh and blade forward. Shaved with it again tonight and it felt great; I even did more touch-ups than normal. So we have a mystery on our hands.

Maybe it’s a skill issue; maybe it’s the soap? I did use Varen last night (which I’ve found to not work great for me) and I used B&M Le Grand Chypre tonight which worked wonderfully. It’s definitely getting moved up into my tier 1 category.

In other news - I contacted Rudy Vey and he’s making me a brush with a Muhle STF. After discussing my likes and dislikes with my current lineup he suggested the 23mm (which apparently is actually closer to 22) over the 25mm. I can’t wait to try it out.

The brush saga continues!

 

[Virtus3]

Get a load of this beauty! Also, there may or may not be a Ti Blackbird inbound as well...

 

[thombrogan]

Who needs enlightenment with a brush like that? As the cartoon characters of my distant childhood would say: “AwooOogaa!”

That brush, the Blackland ti Blackbird, your top tier soaps, and maybe a blade would make every shave over the top.

The mental game is everything, but sometimes everything isn’t everything.

Did I mention that brush looks cool?