Pretty sure I'm not unique, but here is my oddessy, and looking for reassurance (maybe a hug?)
Currently using my wife's great grandfathers GEM OCMM, and have enjoyed the journey until lately, more on that shortly.
Started using the razor about a year ago, purchased a Van Der Hagen beginner set (Boar's brush, soap and mug) and figured out how to make some lather. Two pucks later was moderately pleased with my lather and shave overall, not BBS but reasonably pleased. Used some CVS blades, not tremendously happy, but they worked, seemed to have some quality issues as not as comfortable from blade to blade, found some GEM blades at a local grocery store and was much happier.
Was then lured by the siren song of Williams shave soap ($1.50 a puck? heaven as I'm cheap), and became less pleased, as I can make a nice lather with it - don't care for the smell, feels kind of like I'm using lye soap, but it doesn't bother my face - likely go back to Van Der Hagen - it's available and inexpensive.
In the mean time - ran out of the GEM blades - and the store had something called Techniq blades. Horrible, just horrible. Can't get any better shave with them right out of the blade bank than with a GEM blade after a week or 2.
So I've ordered some GEM PTFE blades from Connaught on the 15th of January which have yet to arrive.
The Van Der Hagen brush continued to shed, maybe got a month since last January without losing a bristle. So got a gift certificate from my son to the Art of Shaving for Christmas. Bought a best badger brush - like it very much, and bought their product - shave cream, pre-shave oil, and after shave balm. Almost threw up when the total showed up - but decided to try it. Needless to say - the gift certificate from the son came up WAYYYY short. Am waiting to use the product until I get decent blades.
Now for the reassurance. Connaught said they shipped the 15th, we are now the 1st of Feb, not 20 some days yet, but will customs and the USPS total screw me over?
And - will I really like the GEM PTFE blades?
And for the money - will the Art of Shaving product cause me to have a tingling in my nether regions as the salesman let me believe?
Ok, he didn;t - and I know it won't - but will it be as nice as it seemed in the store and I won't totally regret slipping up and succumbing to impulse?
Thanks for reading and I do enjoy the forums and information available.
Currently using my wife's great grandfathers GEM OCMM, and have enjoyed the journey until lately, more on that shortly.
Started using the razor about a year ago, purchased a Van Der Hagen beginner set (Boar's brush, soap and mug) and figured out how to make some lather. Two pucks later was moderately pleased with my lather and shave overall, not BBS but reasonably pleased. Used some CVS blades, not tremendously happy, but they worked, seemed to have some quality issues as not as comfortable from blade to blade, found some GEM blades at a local grocery store and was much happier.
Was then lured by the siren song of Williams shave soap ($1.50 a puck? heaven as I'm cheap), and became less pleased, as I can make a nice lather with it - don't care for the smell, feels kind of like I'm using lye soap, but it doesn't bother my face - likely go back to Van Der Hagen - it's available and inexpensive.
In the mean time - ran out of the GEM blades - and the store had something called Techniq blades. Horrible, just horrible. Can't get any better shave with them right out of the blade bank than with a GEM blade after a week or 2.
So I've ordered some GEM PTFE blades from Connaught on the 15th of January which have yet to arrive.
The Van Der Hagen brush continued to shed, maybe got a month since last January without losing a bristle. So got a gift certificate from my son to the Art of Shaving for Christmas. Bought a best badger brush - like it very much, and bought their product - shave cream, pre-shave oil, and after shave balm. Almost threw up when the total showed up - but decided to try it. Needless to say - the gift certificate from the son came up WAYYYY short. Am waiting to use the product until I get decent blades.
Now for the reassurance. Connaught said they shipped the 15th, we are now the 1st of Feb, not 20 some days yet, but will customs and the USPS total screw me over?
And - will I really like the GEM PTFE blades?
And for the money - will the Art of Shaving product cause me to have a tingling in my nether regions as the salesman let me believe?
Ok, he didn;t - and I know it won't - but will it be as nice as it seemed in the store and I won't totally regret slipping up and succumbing to impulse?Thanks for reading and I do enjoy the forums and information available.
