So I've been at this for a month and a half. I wanted to post some thoughts and reflections that I've noticed since beginning this hobby.
I've completely ditched the electric and carts, and have shaved everyday with the DE, cream or soap, a brush and AS and ASB. I have been blessed to have great success from the start, thanks to this great community and videos from Brian at Excutive Shaving. I've found the vendors I've worked with in the Wet Shaving community to be hands down the most customer oriented and friendly I've been around.
The main folks I've bought from are:
The Men's Room Barber Shop
West Cost Shaving
Executive Shaving in Scotland
I've tried a cheaper brush in a Parker Long Loft Pure Badger, and I've had the opportunity to use some Simpsons in Best and Super. I cannot say how pleased I am with the Simpsons Brush line. They are functional works of art that I look forward to using everyday. I like both of the hairs, Best and Super, for their different nuances and characteristics when lathering. This is the area I find myself gravitating towards when it comes to collecting.
I use a Merkur 23C as a daily driver, and think this razor is fantastic in its simplicity and functionality. The razor does not have a lot of bells and whistles, but it gives a mild shave and has great attention to detail in the fit and finish. I started with Gillette 7 o'clock blades while I was learning, and have since switched to Feathers. Daily I will make a two pass shave, WTG and ATG. I think the 38C is my next buy.
I have a Mhule R41 Grande that I bought as "down the line" razor. I bought Personna blades to use with it, at the recommendation of WCS. I decided that "down the line" was two weeks into this adventure. I'm happy to report that I'm alive and well after using it as my Saturday morning leisure shave razor. I take an abundance of time with this one, and I will make a full WTG, XTG and ATG shave with it. The only hiccup I had was using the Personnas a second time. All was good except for the ATG, with a blade that was used once before. On that pass, I got a good amount of weepers due to the aggressive nature of the razor and the duller blade. Since only using one blade and then starting with a fresh one, I've gotten fantastic results. I am going to drop a Feather in this one next and see where things go next week.
In the software department, I found that TOBS and Mitchell's really scratch my itch. The TOBS Sandalwood scent pleases me, and it is a scent that my wife really enjoys. Their entire line of Sandalwood products is wonderful, IMHO. I really enjoy the lather from the cream, and the AS and cologne are daily products for me. A few days ago I received a Wool Fat puck and container, along with the body soap of the MWF. I am super pleased with this line, too. I fight myself on which I'll use, the TOBS or Mitchell's...so they are on an every other day rotation. Both provide amazing comfort and moisture to my face. The combination of these has lead me to coin the last month and a half my "English Shaving Revolution".
I also have discovered Clubman. When I was a boy, I used to have my hair cut by a barber named Red, in an old fashioned place right outside of Lowry Air Force Base. Red would smoke cigarettes and yell at you if you moved while he was cutting your hair. Red has long since died, I'm sure, but his memory lives on. The other day I went into a newer barber shop, that was trying for that old school classic feel and the scent of Clubman nailed me in the olfactory parts. I was transported back to the late 80's and Red's place. I went to Walgreens, loaded up on Clubman, and have been partaking in Clubman Fridays. One of my work buddies thanks that the old school scent of Clubman is probably derived from a mystical combination of diesel, asbestos, and gun powder. Whatever it is, I dig it and so has most everyone that's been around me on Fridays.
Shaving and taking time in the morning has also helped with family time. Before, I would roll out of bed with enough time to use the bathroom, electric razor myself, and run out the door. Now I get up about an hour before I need to walkout the door, my wife and (and sometimes our son) will sit in the bathroom together once I start shaving and talk while I shave. Usually we throw on baseball highlights on the iPad, sometimes we talk, somethimes we just enjoy being together. When my boy gets up in time, I'll lather his face on my second pass, and he takes a Lego "razor" and remove the cream, get a good rinse, and AS splash and lotion. Absolutely priceless.
Anyways, sorry for the long post--I appreciate those of you who have made it this far! I appreciate the great community here and the vribriant forum I get to look forward to reading. I appreciate the vendors, and the great help they've all provided while taking copious amounts of my money. I truly look forward to shaving, reading, and supporting these small businesses as much as I can. Thanks to you all for everything.
I've completely ditched the electric and carts, and have shaved everyday with the DE, cream or soap, a brush and AS and ASB. I have been blessed to have great success from the start, thanks to this great community and videos from Brian at Excutive Shaving. I've found the vendors I've worked with in the Wet Shaving community to be hands down the most customer oriented and friendly I've been around.
The main folks I've bought from are:
The Men's Room Barber Shop
West Cost Shaving
Executive Shaving in Scotland
I've tried a cheaper brush in a Parker Long Loft Pure Badger, and I've had the opportunity to use some Simpsons in Best and Super. I cannot say how pleased I am with the Simpsons Brush line. They are functional works of art that I look forward to using everyday. I like both of the hairs, Best and Super, for their different nuances and characteristics when lathering. This is the area I find myself gravitating towards when it comes to collecting.
I use a Merkur 23C as a daily driver, and think this razor is fantastic in its simplicity and functionality. The razor does not have a lot of bells and whistles, but it gives a mild shave and has great attention to detail in the fit and finish. I started with Gillette 7 o'clock blades while I was learning, and have since switched to Feathers. Daily I will make a two pass shave, WTG and ATG. I think the 38C is my next buy.
I have a Mhule R41 Grande that I bought as "down the line" razor. I bought Personna blades to use with it, at the recommendation of WCS. I decided that "down the line" was two weeks into this adventure. I'm happy to report that I'm alive and well after using it as my Saturday morning leisure shave razor. I take an abundance of time with this one, and I will make a full WTG, XTG and ATG shave with it. The only hiccup I had was using the Personnas a second time. All was good except for the ATG, with a blade that was used once before. On that pass, I got a good amount of weepers due to the aggressive nature of the razor and the duller blade. Since only using one blade and then starting with a fresh one, I've gotten fantastic results. I am going to drop a Feather in this one next and see where things go next week.
In the software department, I found that TOBS and Mitchell's really scratch my itch. The TOBS Sandalwood scent pleases me, and it is a scent that my wife really enjoys. Their entire line of Sandalwood products is wonderful, IMHO. I really enjoy the lather from the cream, and the AS and cologne are daily products for me. A few days ago I received a Wool Fat puck and container, along with the body soap of the MWF. I am super pleased with this line, too. I fight myself on which I'll use, the TOBS or Mitchell's...so they are on an every other day rotation. Both provide amazing comfort and moisture to my face. The combination of these has lead me to coin the last month and a half my "English Shaving Revolution".
I also have discovered Clubman. When I was a boy, I used to have my hair cut by a barber named Red, in an old fashioned place right outside of Lowry Air Force Base. Red would smoke cigarettes and yell at you if you moved while he was cutting your hair. Red has long since died, I'm sure, but his memory lives on. The other day I went into a newer barber shop, that was trying for that old school classic feel and the scent of Clubman nailed me in the olfactory parts. I was transported back to the late 80's and Red's place. I went to Walgreens, loaded up on Clubman, and have been partaking in Clubman Fridays. One of my work buddies thanks that the old school scent of Clubman is probably derived from a mystical combination of diesel, asbestos, and gun powder. Whatever it is, I dig it and so has most everyone that's been around me on Fridays.
Shaving and taking time in the morning has also helped with family time. Before, I would roll out of bed with enough time to use the bathroom, electric razor myself, and run out the door. Now I get up about an hour before I need to walkout the door, my wife and (and sometimes our son) will sit in the bathroom together once I start shaving and talk while I shave. Usually we throw on baseball highlights on the iPad, sometimes we talk, somethimes we just enjoy being together. When my boy gets up in time, I'll lather his face on my second pass, and he takes a Lego "razor" and remove the cream, get a good rinse, and AS splash and lotion. Absolutely priceless.
Anyways, sorry for the long post--I appreciate those of you who have made it this far! I appreciate the great community here and the vribriant forum I get to look forward to reading. I appreciate the vendors, and the great help they've all provided while taking copious amounts of my money. I truly look forward to shaving, reading, and supporting these small businesses as much as I can. Thanks to you all for everything.
No. I don't really mean that. In shaving, as in so many areas of life, more is not necessarily better.
