Best complete setup for you?

LostInCincy · Post by **LostInCincy** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:00 pm

I've seen a lot of threads asking what are people's various shaving creams, razors, etc... but I haven't seen one asking what complete setup works best for you. In other words, what combination of cream, razor, blade, brush, aftershave, and (if you use it) cologne has consistently given you the best results. Sort of like an all-time Shave of the Day. I think it would be interesting to see the responses, and just as interesting to struggle to come up with one combo.

For me, up to this point, it is:

Vulfix 2233 Super Badger
D.R. Harris Almond Shaving Cream
Gillette 40s Superspeed w/ Swedish Gillette blade
Trumpers Extract of Limes Skin Food

What about the rest of you? Try as hard as you can to keep it as close to one product per part of the shave (yeah, okay, so I already feel guilty about a couple choices).

Thanks,
Dan

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:05 pm

Savile Row SR-204 Super Badger
Cheapo hair conditioner
T&H 1805
Israeli blade
Any old Gillette Tech 3-piece (non-TTO)
Lumene Aftershave

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:22 pm

Tabac soap
Omega bristle brush
Merkur 1904 w/ Feather
Homemade ASB*
Taylor Sandalwood Cologne

* 2 parts Corn Husker's Lotion, 2 parts aloe vera gel, 1 part witch hazel.

Regards,
Doug

JackieMartling · Post by **JackieMartling** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:22 pm

-Edit-

Sorry, but this has been eating at me all day. There's no way I can leave my lists standing as definitive, because they're not. I have a hodgepodge of favorites, and I vary among them. I also like to try new things. Every attempt I've made to come up with a 'desert island' setup has always failed, invariably because I either get bored, or change my mind at some point. So, with all due respect, I'll offer the same answer as Gordon did below.

~ Nathan

yoyology · Post by **yoyology** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:23 pm

Ideal SOTD:

Target Knockoff of Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash (I abbreviate this as TKNO-FAW, 'cause I'm a dork.)
Hair conditioner (I use Infusium 23, but not the leave-in kind)
Arko stick lathered on-the-face with my C&E Best
'61 FatBoy with blade TBD (I'm still working through my letterk sampler, so I haven't found a fave blade)
4 passes - 1 WTG, 1 XG, 1 RXG (reverse cross-grain) and 1 ATG
Hot rinse, cold rinse, witch hazel (generic brand) and Cornhusker's Lotion
Clean&Clear moisturizer on my upper face

I wonder how many times I'll have to come back and edit this post?

JackieMartling · Post by **JackieMartling** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:25 pm

yoyology wrote:I wonder how many times I'll have to come back and edit this post?

No doubt. I had to go Zen and just set it free. Otherwise, it's just too painful.

~ Nathan

-Edit-

Obviously I wasn't Zen enough.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:34 pm

Dan, Interesting question, but I'm afraid I just can't do it. There is no 'one' best combo for me. There are a number of them. You could even take my SOTD post today as one of them, I reckon. I've just been at this whole trip too long to be able to do it, I guess.
Regards,
Gordon

JackieMartling · Post by **JackieMartling** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:38 pm

Always the sensible one, Gordon. I wish I'd answered the same.

~ Nathan

Stainless_persona · Post by **Stainless_persona** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:42 pm

tweezerman, or small scrubby brush
body shop shave cream
gillette long black handle adjustable
israeli blades
Brut aftershave balm

LostInCincy · Post by **LostInCincy** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 4:42 pm

Well yes, Gordon, I think it's pretty much impossible for most of us. I haven't been doing this nearly as long as you or some of the men on here, yet I found that when I tried to narrow it down it was nearly impossible. What was interesting, though, is that there were some shaving creams that might have popped to the forefront of my mind at first, but the more I thought about it I came back to the D.R. Harris Almond. It's almost instructive in that way for some people.

Furthermore, I did notice that while I could swap products in and out in some cases in my mind, I actually came up with a couple setups that were nearly equal, but which had majorly different variables. It's interesting how they all complement each other in different ways.

-Dan

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:15 pm

Hi Dan -

I'm still trying things out, so I haven't settled on the ultimate combination of tools yet, and I have equipment in my possession that I haven't yet tried. Others I have tried, but haven't limited to one variation.

Here is my list, based on current experience:

Brush: Rooney Style 1/Small/Finest.
Soap: Truefitt & Hill Luxury Shaving Soap.
Razor: Weishi DE
Blade: No discernible difference between brands
After Shave: Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel (alcohol-free) and Nivea Sensitive After Shave Balm.

My favorite brushes are the Rooney Style 1/Small/Finest and the Style 1/Small/Super Silvertip. I favor small brushes.

I prefer soaps to creams, and I have several soaps that I really like. Nevertheless, if I could use only one, it would be the T&H.

I started with a Merkur Classic (Long Handle) razor, which was too aggressive on my throat and neck. (I recently observed that the shaving head is misaligned on this razor, which I have read to be an issue with many Merkurs.) The Weishi, which appears to be a reasonable reproduction of the later Gillette Super Speeds, is much gentler and provides me a smooth, consistent shave. I bought this after reading a good review of it on this forum.

I also have a couple of old Gillettes that I haven't tried yet: a 1954 (old style) Super Speed and a 1959 Fat Boy Adjustable. I look forward to using these at some point.

While I noticed a definite difference in the shave I got by changing razors, I have not noticed much difference between brands of blades. I have tried Merkur, American Personna, Derby, and Feather. The quality of my shaves, so far, depends primarily on technique and razor. More experience may reveal differences between blades as well. Of course, YMMV

- Murray

Leisureguy · Post by **Leisureguy** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:36 pm

Brush: Rooney Style 2 Finest
Soap: QED Mocha-Java Shaving Stick
Blade: Feather or Swedish Gillete
Razor: Merkur Slant Bar or Vision
Alum Bar
Aftershave: Pashana

Brett G · Post by **Brett G** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 6:11 pm

Like most guys, mine changes slightly over time. Here is the current alpha rig.

Plisson #14 HMW
T&H Grafton
Merkur LHC w/ Swedish Gillette
TGR A/S Balm
Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 6:23 pm

Tabac or MWF soap
Japanese Feather AC w/Pro Blade
Rooney Finest (the only brush one needs, seriously)
Aftershave - this is something I haven't settled on yet and it bothers me

Scent - too many favourites

LostInCincy · Post by **LostInCincy** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 6:42 pm

Yeah, Richard, I know where you're coming from, even though I've sort of settled in on Trumpers Skin Food. I've only settled, though, because I haven't yet tried many alternatives, including The Gentlemen's Refinery. I will say that when I settled down with the Skin Food (haven't used anything else in 3 months) my shaves all started to feel similar and have a more satisfactory finsh that was more consistent, no matter how the shaves themselves varied.

It took lack of money and a lot of traveling to get me to settle down. Maybe we all need a smack in the face like that.

-Dan

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:26 pm

Dan, for some reason I haven't found "the one" aftershave. Original Harris Milk would have been it, but I don't count that on any lists because I am using mine so sparingly and once it runs out, that is it. TGR is ok but not worth the price and feels a tad heavy. My Biotherm Active Shave repair is pretty good, but not quite soothing enough. I could go on and on, I've tied a great deal and they all lack in some way. I wish there were as many great aftershaves as there were great soaps. There are at least 8 fantastic "everyday" soaps (and nearly most of us agree on them) and I own them all, I wish there was that many good aftershaves.

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:41 pm

For my best shaves:

Merkur Futur razor
Feather de blade
Plisson HMW #14 Tortoise brush
Coates Tea Tree shave cream
Thayers rose witch hazel
Aftershave is a tossup here as well, I do like the skin food and out of the liquid aftershaves my favourite is still Proraso. It cools and it leaves the face feeling smooth and tight.
Another good one I like very much and in my opinion doesn't get much mention and is definitely underrated is Baxter's AS Balm.
It smells like lemon, is not greasy, doesn't sting and makes my face feel great.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 8:04 pm

Richard & Dan, Yeah, it's interesting because while I entirely agree with you that the aftershave product is the most difficult, often, to find, and that there are fewer really good ones, still, that is the one area were I COULD make an unequivocal pick. D R Harris's ( old ) Aftershaving Milk. If you disallow that, on the grounds that it is no longer made, then D R Harris's Pink A/S. I won't use anything but those two, if I have any choice. But in the other areas, it is too difficult, even if I strike off some of my favourites that are no longer being made ( Coate's creams, the old Taylors Rose cream, even the Schick Injector---because the good Schick blades for it are no longer being produced ). I suppose, with the Injector eliminated, the razor would come down to the specialty Gillette SSs ( TV & Rocket ) with the Swedish Gillette blade. But creams, soaps, and colognes? No hope. Just with colognes, how do I pick one from; Trumpers Spanish Leather, Penhaligon's English Fern, Trumpers Fougena, Floris No 89, Hammam Bouquet, SMN Imperial Lavender.....etc.? Nope, can't do it. My apologies.
Regards,
Gordon

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 8:06 pm

a shower, including a quick and light face wash with ordinary soap
Mitchell's or Tabac soap
a brush, medium size, not floppy
a razor with a Feather blade in it
water rinse, nothing else afterward

straight, no chaser.

Chaps · Post by **Chaps** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:25 pm

Ideal Shave:

Razor - '59 FatBoy
Blade - Derby Extra
Brush - Savile Row 204 Super Badger
Pre-Shave - Proraso Pre-Shave
Shaving Cream - Proraso Shaving Cream
After Shave Balm - Proraso A/S Balm
After Shave - Old Spice A/S

Danny