Friends,
It has been far too long since I’ve posted here. I used to be a pretty active forum member… in fact, there was a good stretch of time where I read literally every thread posted in the DE razor section of B&B. But as the story commonly goes, life got in the way, and I stepped away from B&B. I got very busy with a new job and I didn’t have as much time to browse B&B with regularity. I also found myself in a job that no longer required regular shaving. I started using an electric trimmer to maintain a fairly consistent level of scruff, and (I’m embarrassed to say) I only found myself shaving properly a couple of times per year for special occasions. For this I’d use a vintage Slim, not because it’s the right razor for me (it’s totally not), but because it was convenient to have an adjustable while travelling. Sure, on a regular basis I’d still use a DE to trim my cheeks and neck, but it’s not the same, and honestly, I’d do it just with water... no cream or post products. This has worked very well for me. And as time has passed, my shave den has gathered more and more dust.
Every now and then, I’ve wondered… should I just sell my razors? Even though I’ve hardly used them in recent memory, I always have decided that the answer is solidly no. Despite not using them, I still love having them. And many of them were very hard for me to get (I have a “thing” for stainless steel razors, so I had to work pretty hard to acquire many of them, whether it be due to their cost which represented a lot of money for me, their difficulty to source, or both). And honestly, I still get a lot of enjoyment out of simply handling them from time to time and seeing them on my shelf.
So what’s happened now? Well, I find myself in pretty much full self-isolation, trying to practice good social distancing, because I want to do my part to help prevent the virus that’s taken over so many parts of our daily lives from gaining even more momentum. And in this time, I’ve found myself suddenly wanting to get back into wet shaving. I have plenty of time on my hands. And lucky for me, I have a fully stocked shave den too.
Am I going to return to being a prolific B&B poster? Almost certainly not. I just don’t have the time or energy for it. But I have found myself reading the forums more over the past couple of weeks, and I have been getting enjoyment out of reading some fun threads that have caught my eye.
I’ve also decided to reacquaint myself with some of my favorite razors in my den. Hence the creation of this thread. I figure that if I post my experiences here it will help me keep track of what I’m thinking about the various razors that I will rotate through as I learn what I like again most, what I like less, and what’s in between. I’m interested to see if my preferences today still line up with what I liked years ago or if my face/skin/beard has changed in any ways that make me shift in different directions. So I’m thinking that I’ll post my experiences here to this thread and see how it goes. When will I stop? I don’t know… probably when I’ve gotten a good feeling for the favorites in my rotation, whenever that is. I don’t expect this thread to go on forever. Or, maybe I’ll stop when you guys tell me that I’ve lost my mind and that this is the most boring thread in B&B history.
But maybe there’s a small chance that some of you out there will find this interesting or enjoyable to read so maybe there’s a point in me writing this up after all.
We will see! Anyhow, feel free to add any thoughts that you have to this thread… can be related to what I’m posting, or can be related to your own journeys of rediscovery. I’ll be interested to see what you guys think.
Ok – before you all have the admins ban me for writing a ridiculously lengthy post that rambles on for far too long about nothing, let me get to the first shave.
For my first proper shave in FAR too long, I decided to use an old favorite. The Above the Tie H2 open comb. I bought this from Stan a long time back before he retired. Some background on why I chose this razor for my first shave. I have a very thick, tough beard paired with extremely sensitive skin. It’s a strange combination that makes things difficult for me. Over the years I’ve found that, unless I’ve shaved recently… i.e. within the past several days, I typically prefer very aggressive razors with ultra sharp blades in a two pass shave (With and then Across). Going against is usually not a wise move for me as it just gives me more problems than it’s worth (unless I’m using a much milder razor). So the H2 seemed like a great place to start.
As for a handle, I decided to pair it with one of my favorites… the UFO Kaiser from Rafael. Specifically, the “long” version. This is the handle that was named after his beloved dog. Now I know that plenty has been written about UFO so I’m not going to repeat it all here. Some newer members might not even know what UFO is. Others might express frustration about how hard it is to source a UFO. I’m not going to get into this too much here right now, but what I’ll say is this: most people who have actually used one will agree that UFOs are some of the finest razor handles out there. In my personal opinion, after having worked hard to acquire several UFO pieces (some from Rafael directly, others second hand from the original owners), there is nothing else out there quite like them. They are pieces of art. Masterpieces, plain and simple. I actually like my UFOs more than many of my razor heads, if that tells you anything.
Anyhow, enough about that… but maybe now you understand why I chose to use a UFO for my first shave at least. And I chose the Kaiser specifically because its long length and relatively heavy weight tend to pair well with an aggressive razor for me. Too light a handle on a heavy, aggressive stainless head tends to be a bit unbalanced for me and often leads to more nicks and irritation. With a heavy handle, I can let the weight of the razor do the work. This cuts down on the small changes in head angle that can lead to disaster for me if I’m using an aggressive razor.
To round it out, I chose a feather blade (always my favorite), a nice old 2-band badger brush, and a La Toja stick. This is one of the best soaps out there IMO… no judgment, but if you can’t get a good lather with the La Toja stick, I’m sorry but you have problems. So I figured it would be a good place to start.
So how was the shave? All in all, it was the best my face has felt in years. Why have I been waiting so long to do this?!
The H2 never was my favorite razor, and I still don’t think it will be. But it does a nice job plowing through thick stubble on a first pass and then smooths everything out very well on the second pass. Now of course, the first pass was still a bit bumpy… but there are only a few razors in my den that can truly glide through thick stubble perfectly, and this isn’t one of them. That said, it still did a fine job and left me with a lovely result. And it makes up for it with how close the end result is after the second pass.
This experience reminded me just how much you feel the blade with the H2. It really jumps out at you. I’m not suggesting that my face felt raw… quite the opposite, but you definitely feel the blade in the H2 in a way that you don’t with many less aggressive razors. The H2 with a feather is a razor that can easily get out of control if you aren’t careful with your technique. Another thing I rediscovered… I love how the geometry of the H2 causes water to shoot across the head and out both ends in a steady stream when held under running water. This clears out the shavings from the head very nicely. All ATT open combs do this in my experience, but it’s most pronounced on the H2 so that’s always fun to see.
At the end of the shave, I was left with a very smooth, close result. Was it perfectly smooth? Nope. But my shaves never have been… and that’s by choice. I always have some mild roughness left in a couple of spots on my chin, and it’s just not worth it to chase them. I’ve learned that the hard way over the years. All and all I was very satisfied with the final result. There was a bit of irritation on my neck, but this was cleared up very easily with a few splashes of North from the Captain (I see that he has discontinued this scent… oh no!! ). The Captain’s splashes are the best in my experience… they always make me feel just right after a shave.
So there you have it! That’s shave #1. I’d rate it as follows:
Closeness of shave: 9/10
Comfort: 8/10
The experience, generally: 8.5/10
Note: the math on these ratings may not always add up… it’s totally subjective. And the rating I give a shave may not be the same rating I would give it using the same razor another day… it has just as much to do with my face as anything else. If I shaved with this same razor tomorrow I guarantee I’d give it a lower rating because the shave would be far less comfortable (my skin doesn’t tolerate shaves multiple days in a row very well, let alone with an aggressive razor). What I’ll tell you is this: I will do my best here to always choose a razor that is optimal for the way that my face is feeling on any given day. So I’d say that these ratings will probably be the “best” I’d ever rate each of these razors. But I could rate them far worse if I didn’t pay attention and carefully choose the one that makes sense for me at a given time. I also reserve the right to go back and change these ratings as I run through additional razors and refine my opinions. I can do what I want because it’s my thread, remember? Can’t wait for the next one. Cheers!
Oh and here’s one bad picture of the razor because nobody should write a thread this long and include not even one picture.
And I promise my future posts to this thread will be MUCH shorter.
It has been far too long since I’ve posted here. I used to be a pretty active forum member… in fact, there was a good stretch of time where I read literally every thread posted in the DE razor section of B&B. But as the story commonly goes, life got in the way, and I stepped away from B&B. I got very busy with a new job and I didn’t have as much time to browse B&B with regularity. I also found myself in a job that no longer required regular shaving. I started using an electric trimmer to maintain a fairly consistent level of scruff, and (I’m embarrassed to say) I only found myself shaving properly a couple of times per year for special occasions. For this I’d use a vintage Slim, not because it’s the right razor for me (it’s totally not), but because it was convenient to have an adjustable while travelling. Sure, on a regular basis I’d still use a DE to trim my cheeks and neck, but it’s not the same, and honestly, I’d do it just with water... no cream or post products. This has worked very well for me. And as time has passed, my shave den has gathered more and more dust.
Every now and then, I’ve wondered… should I just sell my razors? Even though I’ve hardly used them in recent memory, I always have decided that the answer is solidly no. Despite not using them, I still love having them. And many of them were very hard for me to get (I have a “thing” for stainless steel razors, so I had to work pretty hard to acquire many of them, whether it be due to their cost which represented a lot of money for me, their difficulty to source, or both). And honestly, I still get a lot of enjoyment out of simply handling them from time to time and seeing them on my shelf.
So what’s happened now? Well, I find myself in pretty much full self-isolation, trying to practice good social distancing, because I want to do my part to help prevent the virus that’s taken over so many parts of our daily lives from gaining even more momentum. And in this time, I’ve found myself suddenly wanting to get back into wet shaving. I have plenty of time on my hands. And lucky for me, I have a fully stocked shave den too.
Am I going to return to being a prolific B&B poster? Almost certainly not. I just don’t have the time or energy for it. But I have found myself reading the forums more over the past couple of weeks, and I have been getting enjoyment out of reading some fun threads that have caught my eye.
I’ve also decided to reacquaint myself with some of my favorite razors in my den. Hence the creation of this thread. I figure that if I post my experiences here it will help me keep track of what I’m thinking about the various razors that I will rotate through as I learn what I like again most, what I like less, and what’s in between. I’m interested to see if my preferences today still line up with what I liked years ago or if my face/skin/beard has changed in any ways that make me shift in different directions. So I’m thinking that I’ll post my experiences here to this thread and see how it goes. When will I stop? I don’t know… probably when I’ve gotten a good feeling for the favorites in my rotation, whenever that is. I don’t expect this thread to go on forever. Or, maybe I’ll stop when you guys tell me that I’ve lost my mind and that this is the most boring thread in B&B history.
But maybe there’s a small chance that some of you out there will find this interesting or enjoyable to read so maybe there’s a point in me writing this up after all.We will see! Anyhow, feel free to add any thoughts that you have to this thread… can be related to what I’m posting, or can be related to your own journeys of rediscovery. I’ll be interested to see what you guys think.
Ok – before you all have the admins ban me for writing a ridiculously lengthy post that rambles on for far too long about nothing, let me get to the first shave.
For my first proper shave in FAR too long, I decided to use an old favorite. The Above the Tie H2 open comb. I bought this from Stan a long time back before he retired. Some background on why I chose this razor for my first shave. I have a very thick, tough beard paired with extremely sensitive skin. It’s a strange combination that makes things difficult for me. Over the years I’ve found that, unless I’ve shaved recently… i.e. within the past several days, I typically prefer very aggressive razors with ultra sharp blades in a two pass shave (With and then Across). Going against is usually not a wise move for me as it just gives me more problems than it’s worth (unless I’m using a much milder razor). So the H2 seemed like a great place to start.
As for a handle, I decided to pair it with one of my favorites… the UFO Kaiser from Rafael. Specifically, the “long” version. This is the handle that was named after his beloved dog. Now I know that plenty has been written about UFO so I’m not going to repeat it all here. Some newer members might not even know what UFO is. Others might express frustration about how hard it is to source a UFO. I’m not going to get into this too much here right now, but what I’ll say is this: most people who have actually used one will agree that UFOs are some of the finest razor handles out there. In my personal opinion, after having worked hard to acquire several UFO pieces (some from Rafael directly, others second hand from the original owners), there is nothing else out there quite like them. They are pieces of art. Masterpieces, plain and simple. I actually like my UFOs more than many of my razor heads, if that tells you anything.
Anyhow, enough about that… but maybe now you understand why I chose to use a UFO for my first shave at least. And I chose the Kaiser specifically because its long length and relatively heavy weight tend to pair well with an aggressive razor for me. Too light a handle on a heavy, aggressive stainless head tends to be a bit unbalanced for me and often leads to more nicks and irritation. With a heavy handle, I can let the weight of the razor do the work. This cuts down on the small changes in head angle that can lead to disaster for me if I’m using an aggressive razor.
To round it out, I chose a feather blade (always my favorite), a nice old 2-band badger brush, and a La Toja stick. This is one of the best soaps out there IMO… no judgment, but if you can’t get a good lather with the La Toja stick, I’m sorry but you have problems
. So I figured it would be a good place to start.So how was the shave? All in all, it was the best my face has felt in years. Why have I been waiting so long to do this?!
The H2 never was my favorite razor, and I still don’t think it will be. But it does a nice job plowing through thick stubble on a first pass and then smooths everything out very well on the second pass. Now of course, the first pass was still a bit bumpy… but there are only a few razors in my den that can truly glide through thick stubble perfectly, and this isn’t one of them. That said, it still did a fine job and left me with a lovely result. And it makes up for it with how close the end result is after the second pass.
This experience reminded me just how much you feel the blade with the H2. It really jumps out at you. I’m not suggesting that my face felt raw… quite the opposite, but you definitely feel the blade in the H2 in a way that you don’t with many less aggressive razors. The H2 with a feather is a razor that can easily get out of control if you aren’t careful with your technique. Another thing I rediscovered… I love how the geometry of the H2 causes water to shoot across the head and out both ends in a steady stream when held under running water. This clears out the shavings from the head very nicely. All ATT open combs do this in my experience, but it’s most pronounced on the H2 so that’s always fun to see.
At the end of the shave, I was left with a very smooth, close result. Was it perfectly smooth? Nope. But my shaves never have been… and that’s by choice. I always have some mild roughness left in a couple of spots on my chin, and it’s just not worth it to chase them. I’ve learned that the hard way over the years. All and all I was very satisfied with the final result. There was a bit of irritation on my neck, but this was cleared up very easily with a few splashes of North from the Captain (I see that he has discontinued this scent… oh no!! ). The Captain’s splashes are the best in my experience… they always make me feel just right after a shave.
So there you have it! That’s shave #1. I’d rate it as follows:
Closeness of shave: 9/10
Comfort: 8/10
The experience, generally: 8.5/10
Note: the math on these ratings may not always add up… it’s totally subjective. And the rating I give a shave may not be the same rating I would give it using the same razor another day… it has just as much to do with my face as anything else. If I shaved with this same razor tomorrow I guarantee I’d give it a lower rating because the shave would be far less comfortable (my skin doesn’t tolerate shaves multiple days in a row very well, let alone with an aggressive razor). What I’ll tell you is this: I will do my best here to always choose a razor that is optimal for the way that my face is feeling on any given day. So I’d say that these ratings will probably be the “best” I’d ever rate each of these razors. But I could rate them far worse if I didn’t pay attention and carefully choose the one that makes sense for me at a given time. I also reserve the right to go back and change these ratings as I run through additional razors and refine my opinions. I can do what I want because it’s my thread, remember?
Can’t wait for the next one. Cheers!Oh and here’s one bad picture of the razor because nobody should write a thread this long and include not even one picture.
And I promise my future posts to this thread will be MUCH shorter.
