Robinson Crusoe - The Bare Bones Desert Island Kit

[mwleach58]

This is just another incarnation of a popular theme...... but it's always interesting, and perhaps people's choices have changed, so here goes...

You are being stranded on a desert island. You may have the following, and ONLY the following:

ONE brush.

ONE straight razor (plus ONE hone & ONE strop)
OR
ONE DE razor (plus ONE brand of blades)
OR
ONE SE razor (plus ONE brand of blades)

ONE hard (or semi-soft) shave soap
OR
ONE shave cream (either tube or tub)

ONE alum block or styptic pencil

ONE aftershave

That's it. That's all. No pre-shaves. No lotions. No balms. No colognes. No witch hazel.
Hardness of water is whatever you'd find on your typical desert island.
All consumables, such as blades, soaps or creams & aftershave would always be in perpetual supply - of the same brand. No switching to something else once a cream, for example, was used up.

Can you deal with only one choice of the bare essentials?
OR would you find the lack of choice too frustrating, and grow a beard instead?

Your final option would be to ignore all of the above, and be issued with one brand of multi-blade cartridge razor, and one brand of aerosol canned goo.

What are your choices? Why those particular models or brands?


My Choices:

Omega 10066 Boar Brush
Merkur 42N (1904) DE razor
Feather Blades
Williams Mug Soap
Styptic Pencil
Pinaud Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum

After much thought, I opted to go the basic, utilitarian route. My only concession to "luxury" is the more expensive Feather blades. But my choices were not based on economy. With the kit listed above, I can achieve a BBS shave each and every time. Just as I can with my Slant, my Tabac etc. etc.
So, my choices will entirely fulfill all my practical shaving needs, fully. I feel, however, that if I had opted for a selection of luxury items, then I would find myself wanting more luxury items. I'd always be craving more variety. But with these choices, and good technique, I'd still achieve my ultimate BBS shave. And that's the bottom line.

[Deacon Frank]

Omega 31025 boar
Merkur 38C
Astra SP blades
Palmolive shave stick (for the convenience of not having to use a bowl)
and...Pinaud Clubman

[jansob]

Gillette Slim
Gillette "Spoiler" blades
Omega 1305 brush
Proraso in the tube
Styptic pencil
Aqua Velva Ice Blue

[binowatch]

Feather All Stainless DE -built to last forever and a great shaver
Persona Medical DE blades
Simpson's Chubby
Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap
Styptic Pencil
Witch Hazel (14% alcohol type)

[FL shaver]

Star restore with a TGN Finest

Merkur HD
Astra SP
La Toja Manantiales lathered in a coconut bowl
Floid Suave

My alternative soap is a scentless, tallow soap like vintage Williams or Old Spice. The items I picked just work. Well.

[DLBconductor]

Dovo Black Micarta Silvertip Brush
6/8 Thiers-Issard Le Grelot
Norton 4000/8000 hone
SRD two-sided paddle strop
Proraso Green soft soap
1 styptic pencil
Royal Copenhagen after shave

[devilmafia]

dovo black micarta silvertip brush
6/8 thiers-issard le grelot
norton 4000/8000 hone
srd two-sided paddle strop
proraso green soft soap
1 styptic pencil
royal copenhagen after shave

agree

[KM-instructor]

If I was marooned on a desert island, the last thing i would be thinking about is shaving to be honest.

[Angry__Panda]

My brush would be the one that I got on the BST with a TGN silver tip knot in it.

Razor, this is a hard one for me cause there are a lot to choose. I would have to say my 49-50 Super Speed right now though cause I get consistent results as opposed to my straight that I am still learning. If I had my straight shave down though I would take my straight.

Soap, again easy. TOBS Sandalwood cream in the tub.

Alum block (more for using it to get a better grip when I stretch my skin heh)

Aftershave is also a hard one for me...been going through a lot lately. It would come down to Mandom or Lucido but in the end I think Lucido would win.

[Marco]

Simpson Duke 3 Best
Cella, Crema Sapone Extra Extra Purissima
Merkur 1904
Red Personna blade
Alum Block
RazoRock AS wax

[Domminigan]

boar brush
one of my Wade & Butcher wedges with one of my old double strops
soap rendered from the boar I made the brush from

For aftershave, some of the alcohol I'd ferment from the local vegetation.

[JCinPA]

King1976 custom brush - ebony handle, TGN silvertip knot
Edwin Jagger DE89 with octagonal black handle
Personna Barber blades
Provence de Sante soap
Styptic pencil
Pinaud Clubman after shave

I could easily shave with this kit every day for the rest of my life. I like a little variety, but until I got here, I shaved with the same stuff every day for years. Boring, but it works!

[king1976]

1. Semogue 1305 Boar Brush
2. Valobra SS Stick
3. Joseph Elliot 7/8 Wedge
4. Osma alum block
5. Coticule
6. Ogallala Bay Rum

I do not need strop-I can strop on my palm........

[Gwhunter]

EJ BBB
Schick Type E
Chinese Schick blades
Cella
Pinaud Clubman

[cryhavoc]

The Bare Bones Desert Island Kit

Brush- FS Silver Tip
Razor- Gillette late 40's Super Speed
Blade- Derby
Shave Soap- TSD Iced Sub Zero
Styptic Pencil- Clubman
Aftershave- Aqua Velva

[Chadtheguru]

Semogue 1305
Flair Tip SS
Astra SP's
MWF
Pinaud Styptic
Aqua Velva

[Dennard]

Omega Boar
Merkur HD (34c)
Feather blades
Old Spice ss
Pinaud Clubman

[njpaddy]

The following kit would work for me.

Brush: Simpson Berkeley
Razor: '52 SuperSpeed
Blade: IP Red
Cream: Cyril R Salter (any scent but vetiver)
Alum: Powdered alum
Aftershave: Aqua Velva

[Capt'n Krunch]

Omega 10275 Boar
Merkur 34C
Personna Med Prep blades
Palmolive Shave Stick
Pinaud Stypic Pencil
Thayers Original Witch Hazel

[Easttexasman]

Rooney Heritage 2XL
Hart Steel Straight Razor
Miller Strop 3 inch
Martin de Candre soap
Knize Ten aftershave