I use the Shave Buddy app so my collection is on my phone and I can look back at my shaves and rate them, etc. That said, as far as selecting the day's soap/aftershave I generally think of what type day it's going to be. If I have some stressful presentations, Pinaud Clubman aftershave and a pairing soap is the standard. Summer I use a lot of Bay Rum, Citrus, and Old Spice. Winter I use lots of leather, fern and wood scented stuff.
This is what I do!! Tell me what you do? (FYI my wife thinks I am loony)
- Thread starter Gobucks01
- Start date
Looks like you have shaving collections and a rotation hobby. Hobby has a higher loony threshold than “just shaving”. So it’s okay.
My routine is one brush, one razor, one soap until finished, and one razor blade changed weekly while using up the tuck. I’m looking for a consistent shave using quality tools and products. My collections are ~10 years of soap and DE blades in back stock.
My routine is one brush, one razor, one soap until finished, and one razor blade changed weekly while using up the tuck. I’m looking for a consistent shave using quality tools and products. My collections are ~10 years of soap and DE blades in back stock.
I have a look in my crates where I keep my shaving gear and see what jumps out at me for soaps or creams. In the summer I tend to rotate between fewer soaps and creams though and menthol ones usually win out!
With brushes until fairly recently I only had 4 and now have 6; my DE razor collection has grown to 8 too. I usually think about which brush and razor I fancy on the day. For blades I tend to use the same one in different razors until it’s chucked.
Trying different scented soaps and creams is a big part of it for me now too. I used, like a lot of us, canned goo for years and apart from the Original Source tea tree and mint gel I used from around 2009 onwards most of them smelled alike to me - quite a dull smell really! I never bought ones fragranced with designer colognes - truth be told I didn’t realise they existed!
With brushes until fairly recently I only had 4 and now have 6; my DE razor collection has grown to 8 too. I usually think about which brush and razor I fancy on the day. For blades I tend to use the same one in different razors until it’s chucked.
Trying different scented soaps and creams is a big part of it for me now too. I used, like a lot of us, canned goo for years and apart from the Original Source tea tree and mint gel I used from around 2009 onwards most of them smelled alike to me - quite a dull smell really! I never bought ones fragranced with designer colognes - truth be told I didn’t realise they existed!
Currently, I have 10 soaps, 31 brushes, and 14 razors in my rotation. Everything is lined up neatly in a drawer. I use one soap for two days in a row, pick two or three razors and use them each day until I change blades when I go to a new razor, and then select a new brush every day. No guesswork for this compulsive individual.
The four knots which are not Zeniths are purchased knots and handles from AliExpress. Entry #10 in my journal shows all four being knotted.
GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY
I’ve recently acquired these three beauties. The commonality of each razor was, first time shaves rewarded me with BBS. That was very uncommon for me. Especially three for three. I haven’t any idea why, other then they are all open combs. I am not overly technical, I will rotate a brush for each...
www.badgerandblade.com
The second over:Shaving-Brush-Knot Oumo 28/75 from knot bottom Finest Two Band Chubby Fan - Oumo Acrylic Handle
The fourth over DsCosmetic handle and Oumo 26/47mm boar knot.
I should have known. I shop them both constantly and own a few of each.The four knots which are not Zeniths are purchased knots and handles from AliExpress. Entry #10 in my journal shows all four being knotted.
GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY
I’ve recently acquired these three beauties. The commonality of each razor was, first time shaves rewarded me with BBS. That was very uncommon for me. Especially three for three. I haven’t any idea why, other then they are all open combs. I am not overly technical, I will rotate a brush for each...
The second over:Shaving-Brush-Knot Oumo 28/75 from knot bottom Finest Two Band Chubby Fan - Oumo Acrylic Handle
The fourth over DsCosmetic handle and Oumo 26/47mm boar knot.
The delivery is slow but I feel very good value. I also found it very satisfying knotting the brushes.
I loved aliexpress before covid. I still order but stuff takes a while. I have opened a global express account with Rakuten Ichiba, but they are just like Amazon. Not much hobby stuff, just commercial goods like Japanese Gain detergent and Sony headphones. I did get some Schick Injector II Twin blades in like four days though. Incredibly fast! Anyway, nice rotation. I almost regret not having a smaller collection to simplify things. My method is madness though, so I'm right there with OP in the same boat!
I tend to shave with the same razor and brush for weeks or months till I decide to change. I use a blade till dies and just grab a new one that strikes my fancy. My daily choice of soap and AS are made while I shower and sometimes just use the same ones till I get tired of them.
Obviously I have no schedule and I have kit that doesn't get touched for weeks or months at a time. Hell I only used my SE's for almost 2 years before I picked up a DE again.
If a written schedule works for you then more power to you! It's your shave do what you enjoy
BTW SWMBO thinks I'm crazy too!
Obviously I have no schedule and I have kit that doesn't get touched for weeks or months at a time. Hell I only used my SE's for almost 2 years before I picked up a DE again.
If a written schedule works for you then more power to you! It's your shave do what you enjoy
BTW SWMBO thinks I'm crazy too!
I agree with your wife
I have an involved Excel spreadsheet I use to keep track of shaves by razor, soap, and blade. But, this will soon be changing.
Soon, I am going minimalist and exclusively using my Viking Chieftain, Omega 11126 Brush, and Van der Hagen soap. I still vary my blade selection. In fact, an assortment of Gillette blades should be arriving tomorrow.
Very soon, watch for a PIF of two razors, a brush, and some Astra SP and Personna blades.
Soon, I am going minimalist and exclusively using my Viking Chieftain, Omega 11126 Brush, and Van der Hagen soap. I still vary my blade selection. In fact, an assortment of Gillette blades should be arriving tomorrow.
Very soon, watch for a PIF of two razors, a brush, and some Astra SP and Personna blades.
Cool system, that it works for you is awesome!
As for your better half, put her in touch with my GF and they can commiserate about shaving induced OCD.
As for your better half, put her in touch with my GF and they can commiserate about shaving induced OCD.
Razor x blade x brush x soap/cream x bowl x aftershave = more unique combinations than one lifetime!
AA
AA
Yep! . . . . . . . loony! 
First of all, I like the methodical-ness of your routine. It's too restrictive for me, yet still pleasing at the same time if that makes any sense.
Soaps are my addiction of choice as well and I have too many right now. I'm using each soap once or twice to decide if I want to keep it or sell it so that has been my routine lately. I focus mainly on scent rather than performance and that's probably why I have so many.
Once I've gone through them all I'll just choose what I feel like on a given day. Mostly that depends on weather and what I'm doing.
Edited to add:. My fiance thinks I'm crazy too given all the soaps. It's better than some hobbies.
Soaps are my addiction of choice as well and I have too many right now. I'm using each soap once or twice to decide if I want to keep it or sell it so that has been my routine lately. I focus mainly on scent rather than performance and that's probably why I have so many.
Once I've gone through them all I'll just choose what I feel like on a given day. Mostly that depends on weather and what I'm doing.
Edited to add:. My fiance thinks I'm crazy too given all the soaps. It's better than some hobbies.
For years I only used one soap, and one razor, and one brush. Then I discovered B&B and all that changed. For awhile I had plenty of soaps, razors and brushes. Now I'm down to about 3 pucks of soap, 3 sticks of soap, and 2 creams.
Works good for me.
Works good for me.
What's it like, being a mechanical engineer?
I have 6 brushes in rotation. I pick one each day based on mood.
I have three pucks, one stick, and one cream in rotation. Of those, the stick (Arko), the cream (C. O. Bigelow), and one puck (Tabac), are always there. The other two pucks get replaced from a bin of "wanna try these" soaps that are then either PIFed (if I don't like them) or used until gone. (Finished WCS Fougere this morning and replaced it with MWF.)
Razors are another matter. I have 26 straights (with to more inbound) in rotation and pick one daily based on mood and how much growth I'm removing. I also have 8 GEMs that I rotate through for Micromatic Mondays. There are three DEs that get almost zero use, and a couple of wedge blade razors (Rolls, GEM lather catcher) that I use on weekends as the mood strikes me.
Loony? Probably. Organized? Kinda. Works for me? Heck yes.
I have three pucks, one stick, and one cream in rotation. Of those, the stick (Arko), the cream (C. O. Bigelow), and one puck (Tabac), are always there. The other two pucks get replaced from a bin of "wanna try these" soaps that are then either PIFed (if I don't like them) or used until gone. (Finished WCS Fougere this morning and replaced it with MWF.)
Razors are another matter. I have 26 straights (with to more inbound) in rotation and pick one daily based on mood and how much growth I'm removing. I also have 8 GEMs that I rotate through for Micromatic Mondays. There are three DEs that get almost zero use, and a couple of wedge blade razors (Rolls, GEM lather catcher) that I use on weekends as the mood strikes me.
Loony? Probably. Organized? Kinda. Works for me? Heck yes.
3017ing a lather product and using a 34C/Astra SP every day leaves only the brush in question. I have 9 brushes on the shaving shelf...
I'm still working up my routine (still just a couple of months in), but here's my general plan. I see a lot of this sticking even after I build up experience:
1) I rotate between three soaps at the moment: Stirling Soap Lime, Gatlinburg, and Barbershop. I try to use a different one each time, but sometimes I'm just digging one of the scent and will use it "out of order."
2) I have the same scents in aftershave form, plus a few others. If I'm not sure what scent I'm in the mood for or I'm feeling some Bay Rum (a scent that I don't have the corresponding soap for) then I go with Barbershop since that's pretty neutral.
3) I shave roughly every two days, so about three times a week. I've been mostly two-pass to this point, but I'm starting to try out a third pass. I'm still in blade sampling mode and I've been changing out the blade about once a week. Once I settle on a couple of brands I'll experiment with going longer.
1) I rotate between three soaps at the moment: Stirling Soap Lime, Gatlinburg, and Barbershop. I try to use a different one each time, but sometimes I'm just digging one of the scent and will use it "out of order."
2) I have the same scents in aftershave form, plus a few others. If I'm not sure what scent I'm in the mood for or I'm feeling some Bay Rum (a scent that I don't have the corresponding soap for) then I go with Barbershop since that's pretty neutral.
3) I shave roughly every two days, so about three times a week. I've been mostly two-pass to this point, but I'm starting to try out a third pass. I'm still in blade sampling mode and I've been changing out the blade about once a week. Once I settle on a couple of brands I'll experiment with going longer.
