There Can Be Only One

[Tannhauser]

I'm still new here, so I don't know if this thread has been done before. Anyway, I know lots of new people like to ask "what's the best" regarding every aspect of wetshaving, be it soap, blade, razor, etc. I'm not asking for what the best is. What I'm asking is, if you could only have one soap/cream, one razor, one blade, etc., for every shave for the rest of your life, what would it be?

From my limited (just over a month) experience, here are my answers:

Razor: Edwin Jagger D89L
Blades: Astra SP
Preshave: Proraso Preshave Cream
Shaving Brush: SOC Boar
Shaving Soap/Cream: Cella
Aftershave: Floid Blue

Admittedly, I only have the one razor, so that answer is a bit skewed. And I still have many more soaps and aftershaves to try, so this list could change once I have more experience.

 

[Niles]

Razor: Merkur HD (34c)
Blade: Personna (red pack)
Brush: SOC
Soap: Mitchell's Wool Fat
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman

 

[dannycr]

My surprise to see the thread title. I've been toying with the idea for a similar thread for soaps, creams, croaps and sticks. For me it's:

Razor: '58 TV Special (birth year and quarter)
Soap: Arko ( I think I could lather up with it and get a DFS with a shard of glass)
Blade: Derby
Aftershave: Clubman
Brush: I still use my starter brush and I need to upgrade

 

[Moondancer]

Razor: Gillette Long Comb New, bar handle
Blade: Feather
Brush: Vintage Blades Rooney Style 3, Size 1 (small) in Pure Badger
Cream: Tabac
Aftershave: Captain's Choice Bay Rum

 

[Soldierdan]

Preshave: proraso pre/post
Razor: my cadet handle with lord head
soap: omega hard soap
blade: blue bird
as: proraso blue
brush: Simpsons wee scot

i don't have a lot of options in my den, but thus far I think that this combo would work for me everyday. I apologize for adding the preshave in there, but I think it's pretty essential.

 

[NCJack]

Okay, I'll play. Merkur 37c Slant, Astra SP, Semogue 830, AoS Sandalwood cream, Captain's Choice Bay Rum

 

[OkieStubble]

Razor: Trac II
Blade: Wilkinson Sword Carts
Brush: Omega 11047 Mighty Midget Boar/Badger Mix
Soap: LaToja
Aftershave: Classic Ice Blue Aqua Velva

 

[BIGFURM]

Razor: Merkur Futur
Soap: Simpsons Sandalwood
Blade: Feather
AS: Floid Vigoroso/ Balm: GFT Skinfood Sandalwood
Brush: Simpsons Colonel X2L
Preshave: Proraso Pre/Post

 

[Ton Eighty]

Razor: '40's Super Speed
Blade: Personna Med Prep
Brush: Matty D custom silvertip
Soap: Arko
Aftershave: this is the toughy.... Skin Bracer

 

[jamesspo]

Razor: Gillette NEW LC w/ iKon handle
Soap: Arko
Blade: Feather
AS: Gillette Sun-Up (vintage)
Brush: TGN Super Silvertip custom

 

[gash]

Razor: Henkotsu Japanese straight razor
Soap: Valobra menthol
Aftershave: QCS key lime

 

[Badgerfat]

Razor: GEM OCMM
Blade: GEM Personna
Preshave: When I use it, Shave Secret
Soap: Tabac
Brush: Omega BnB Brush
Aftershave: Clubman on evens, OS on odds

 

[Hunter]

Razor: Merkur 34C HD
Soap: EJ scentless puck
Cream: EJ Sandalwood (uberlather FTW)
Blade: Feather
AS: Old Spice
Brush: Omega B&B LE

For an extra edge I like to use cold water for shaving as well!

 

[keith_hendrix]

Razor: Parker 94R. Love the short handle, good grip, and relatively aggressive cut.
Soap: Mystic Water Unscented
Brush: EJ for C&E super. This is actually a little bit big and I may replace it with a smaller one.

 

[Mad Man]

Current #1s on the "hit parade"

Slim
Irisch Moos stick
TGN Finest
Ogallala Bay Rum

I'm sure it'll be different next week...

 

[ThePatrician]

Razor: Merkur 34C
Blade: Gillette 7 O'clock Yellow
Soap: L'Occitane Cade
AS: Clubman ASL

This is usually called "Desert Island setup", and there's a couple of threads that pop up periodically. It's just a fun exercise.

 

[BroJohn]

I've got a lifetime supply of everything, and these are my current answers --check back with me next month and the response may differ a little bit. I have about 40 razors, 25 or so brushes and have a definite favorite for those. I tend to favor large knot brushes, but would go with a 'standard' size brush if I only had one.

Razor: 40's Gillette Aristocrat.
Blades: Gillette 7 O'clock Blacks.
Vintage Blades: Personna 74*.
Preshave: Noxzema cleansing cream.
Badger Shaving Brush: Kent BK4. If you can only have one brush THIS is the one to have.
Boar Shaving Brush: None. I'd go without a brush rather than use Boar.
Shaving Soap: Razo Rock La Familia Croap.
Shaving Cream: Body Shop Maca Root.
Shave Stick: Euro Wilkinson
Aftershave: Aqua Velva.
Talc: Yardley 'Iris'.

-- John Gehman

 

[chris.hale]

The first three are easy for me because I've settled:

Razor: Tradere OC
Blade: Personna med prep
Brush: Muhle Basic black fibre

Soap: Palmolive stick. (I'm sorry Arlington, I really am. If I could take two...)
AS: D R Harris Arlington

 

[Redstickjohn]

Razor: 40's Aristocrat
Cream: TOBS Jermyn St
Blade: Astra SP
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Super
AS: Floid Vigoroso

 

[SamF]

Merkur 34C
Astra SP
Cella
Simpson's Colonel
Trumpers Lime skin food

4 of those are fairly easy for me, as I only have 1 razor, only use Astras, only have 3 brushes of which the Colonel sees by far the most use, and only use skin food in regards to ASB. Only think that would be difficult is the soap. I don't want to give up my Wool Fat