mrmotley
01-18-2011, 12:35 PM
All -
I'm new to the forums, and this is my first post. I have been lurking about for some time and have been truly amazed at the wealth of information here.
First let me say that I find it hard to believe that I am posting to a forum about shaving. While shaving has never been an unpleasurable activity for me, it has been at times mundane, a daily requirement necessitated by my profession and elaborated unconsciously in the early hours of the morning. Only in recent years have I become fully obsessed with shaving: the techniques, implements, and (dare I say) "experience" of the perfect wet shave. Who knew shaving could border on a hobby? It is now, above all, my daily luxury.
I am by no means a seasoned wet shaver. My father gave me a puck of C&E soap and an EJ BBB (I've already picked up some shaving lingo from this site) about 15 years ago when I started shaving. Since then I have stuck with the same brush/soap combination although it wasn't until recently that I learned how to produce a proper lather from this site (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21136).
Four years ago I became interested in the straight razor and bought a DOVO Bergischer Lowe 5/8 and have used it off and on. About three years ago I discovered the happy medium of the DE safety razor and shed my Gillette Mach3 razor in favor of a couple of Merkurs (a Futur and a 34C). I recently discovered the Feather Artist Club series and bought one of the DX Teakwood models, which is my go-to razor on most days.
Which brings me to the real point of this post: my brush. I have been using the same EJ BBB brush from C&E for 15 years. It has been a good brush, but I am ready to upgrade to something more luxurious. In short, I need a good all-around brush. I mostly use C&E soaps (I remain relatively understudied in the area of soaps) but am starting to experiment with MWF soap. While I have traditionally lathered in the soap bowl, after reading the aforementioned post I now have a dedicated lathering bowl. I also use creams from time to time (Taylor of Old Bond Street and Truefitt & Hill). I tend to face lather with the creams.
After reading reviews and threads on this site, I have become interested in the Kent BK8, Rooney 1/small or medium, and Shavemac 177 23mm. I lived in England for quite some time and remain partial to English goods, but the Shavemacs sound wonderful and the extra customization is an attractive feature.
What would you recommend? If I were to buy a Shavemac, which one? I have encountered individuals advocating the finest badger and others the silvertip. Some have advocated a custom shorter (~50mm) loft, denser knot, and special grade supertip. I obviously want something soft and luxurious but not so soft that I can't load a hard soap. I have a feeling that excessive "floppiness" will bother me.
Good to be posting here, apologies for the long-windedness, and thanks in advance for any suggestions.
I'm new to the forums, and this is my first post. I have been lurking about for some time and have been truly amazed at the wealth of information here.
First let me say that I find it hard to believe that I am posting to a forum about shaving. While shaving has never been an unpleasurable activity for me, it has been at times mundane, a daily requirement necessitated by my profession and elaborated unconsciously in the early hours of the morning. Only in recent years have I become fully obsessed with shaving: the techniques, implements, and (dare I say) "experience" of the perfect wet shave. Who knew shaving could border on a hobby? It is now, above all, my daily luxury.
I am by no means a seasoned wet shaver. My father gave me a puck of C&E soap and an EJ BBB (I've already picked up some shaving lingo from this site) about 15 years ago when I started shaving. Since then I have stuck with the same brush/soap combination although it wasn't until recently that I learned how to produce a proper lather from this site (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21136).
Four years ago I became interested in the straight razor and bought a DOVO Bergischer Lowe 5/8 and have used it off and on. About three years ago I discovered the happy medium of the DE safety razor and shed my Gillette Mach3 razor in favor of a couple of Merkurs (a Futur and a 34C). I recently discovered the Feather Artist Club series and bought one of the DX Teakwood models, which is my go-to razor on most days.
Which brings me to the real point of this post: my brush. I have been using the same EJ BBB brush from C&E for 15 years. It has been a good brush, but I am ready to upgrade to something more luxurious. In short, I need a good all-around brush. I mostly use C&E soaps (I remain relatively understudied in the area of soaps) but am starting to experiment with MWF soap. While I have traditionally lathered in the soap bowl, after reading the aforementioned post I now have a dedicated lathering bowl. I also use creams from time to time (Taylor of Old Bond Street and Truefitt & Hill). I tend to face lather with the creams.
After reading reviews and threads on this site, I have become interested in the Kent BK8, Rooney 1/small or medium, and Shavemac 177 23mm. I lived in England for quite some time and remain partial to English goods, but the Shavemacs sound wonderful and the extra customization is an attractive feature.
What would you recommend? If I were to buy a Shavemac, which one? I have encountered individuals advocating the finest badger and others the silvertip. Some have advocated a custom shorter (~50mm) loft, denser knot, and special grade supertip. I obviously want something soft and luxurious but not so soft that I can't load a hard soap. I have a feeling that excessive "floppiness" will bother me.
Good to be posting here, apologies for the long-windedness, and thanks in advance for any suggestions.