What I've learned so far...

Thoughts and input on anything related to wet shaving or men's grooming.
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southpaw
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Post by southpaw »

Excellent post! As to the women and BBS, might I make a suggestion/observation. Perhaps for appearance women like the scruff / some stubble look, but at "special" moments appreciate the smoothness of a BBS shave. Just a thought. :-k
Blessings,
Michael
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pjdatzil
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Post by pjdatzil »

My woman likes the BBS....she said the scruff hurts her face!
Tad
GrantPark
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Post by GrantPark »

Best-written post I've read on any forum. Great advice and a pleasure to read. Thanks for taking time to write & post this.
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gagarin
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Post by gagarin »

I've seen little of Michael's inspired scribblings recently. This vintage thread is well worth revisiting.
Chuck

“Hundido en horizontes
soy polvareda que al viento va.
Zamba, ya no me dejes,
yo sin tu canto no vivo más…….”
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bavi
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Post by bavi »

haha nice read

Thanks
Hello
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Squire
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Post by Squire »

What the lady likes. Works for me.
Regards,
Squire
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IanM
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Post by IanM »

Great post, Michael. I've read it 3 times already.

Ian
Those who design "Fool Proof" systems often underestimate the ability of fools.
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BklynBoy
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Post by BklynBoy »

Great post. I have come to feel the same way about the relative contributions of the elements of shaving kit to a good shave, that is why when I am traveling I manage to get a passable shave with a cartridge and a good shaving soap
Gary
petr
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Post by petr »

fine posT!
brothers
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by brothers »

This week I learned that current generation (for archive purposes today's date is 25March2017) synthetic brushes are overall different (obviously) and better (might as well say it, because it's true) than boar brushes. Superior performance at very reasonable prices. Boar brushes offer adequate performance at bargain basement prices.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
CMur12
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by CMur12 »

I'll have to disagree with you, Gary. I think the synthetics are pretty good, but I get the best results (better than synthetic or badger) from my Semogue 1305 boar brush. It and the model 830 are made with a grade of bristle different from any other I have tried, and it makes a huge difference. For me, the little 1305 outperforms everything else.

- Murray
brothers
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by brothers »

My conclusion was reached over the course of two rotations of the boar, the synthetic, and the badger. My truncated simplified single pass ATG shave function requires only a 15 second loading of a dry brush on a wet soap, followed by face lathering, followed by one pass with the lather and a final touchup with water only. The boar cannot handle it the way I expect and demand from an acceptable brush. The boar bristles require a soaking prior to use. The first appearance in rotation (dry) the boar lost about 5 bristles because dry boar bristles break. The second appearance in rotation I had to soak the boar beforehand to avoid losing bristles and no bristles were lost. The wet boar brush picked up so little soap in the first 15 seconds that it would not lather on the face. As a concession, I went off the clock and loaded the wet boar brush for an extended (unknown) duration, followed twice by adding water from the tap. My expected thick rich (face-built) lather was obtained from the boar only after a much longer and tedious face lathering session. Did the boar work? Yes! Did it take far more time and attention to get the results I wanted? Yes! I can make the boar work. The extended and labor intensive creation of an acceptable lather is not justified, and indicates inferior performance. Some say this is also true of using and maintaining the edge of a straight razor in order to get the desired end result.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
CMur12
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by CMur12 »

Hi Gary -

The key here is that the boar brushes you tested don't work well for you with your style of lathering and the subtleties of your lathering technique.

Boar brushes vary tremendously within the Semogue line alone, with different qualities of bristle, knots of varying density, and different lofts. For me, only the 1305 and the 830, with their special quality of bristle, work to my satisfaction. They are the only boar brushes I use, primarily the former.

My lathering technique is very different from yours, so it's natural that I would prefer different brushes. When I lathered in a bowl, I used both Semogue boar and Semogue badger, with a preference for the badger. When I decided to shorten the lathering process and lather on top of the cake of soap, I got best results with boar.

I bought Razorock synthetic brushes with 22mm and 24mm knots, and they don't work well for me. The 22mm doesn't splay and the 24mm are too big. The synthetics that work for me are the HJM Black Fibre (19mm knot) and the Asylum BG7 (23mm knot). The BG7 is by far the best synthetic brush I have ever used and it gives my favored boars a run for their money.

So, as I see it, YMMV still reigns in the choice of all shaving tools and expendables.

- Murray
brothers
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by brothers »

CMur12 wrote:Hi Gary -

The key here is that the boar brushes you tested don't work well for you with your style of lathering and the subtleties of your lathering technique.

Boar brushes vary tremendously within the Semogue line alone, with different qualities of bristle, knots of varying density, and different lofts. For me, only the 1305 and the 830, with their special quality of bristle, work to my satisfaction. They are the only boar brushes I use, primarily the former.

My lathering technique is very different from yours, so it's natural that I would prefer different brushes. When I lathered in a bowl, I used both Semogue boar and Semogue badger, with a preference for the badger. When I decided to shorten the lathering process and lather on top of the cake of soap, I got best results with boar.

I bought Razorock synthetic brushes with 22mm and 24mm knots, and they don't work well for me. The 22mm doesn't splay and the 24mm are too big. The synthetics that work for me are the HJM Black Fibre (19mm knot) and the Asylum BG7 (23mm knot). The BG7 is by far the best synthetic brush I have ever used and it gives my favored boars a run for their money.

So, as I see it, YMMV still reigns in the choice of all shaving tools and expendables.

- Murray
Yes, Murray, that's the best part isn't it! One size never fits all, that's what makes it so interesting. When I used to take the long way from point A to point B, and the more lathering and razoring and prepping the better, it was during the exploration part of the journey, and it served a great purpose for me. Now that I've shifted from the lavish to the proven and practical, I don't need all that much any more.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
CMur12
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by CMur12 »

I've narrowed things down to a small number of favorites, myself, Gary. Unfortunately, it's still hard to tell a new wetshaver what will work for him or her, though synthetic brushes have become a good place to start.

- Murray
EL Alamein
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by EL Alamein »

I came across this thread recently for some reason even though it's going on eleven years old. I must say when I re-read it I found much wisdom in what Michael posted.

Chris
brothers
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by brothers »

Michael, thank you for your original post. Much wisdom there.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Raze R. Blade
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Re: What I've learned so far...

Post by Raze R. Blade »

I think the original post is one of the best ever, and agree wholeheartedly with those who sing its praises. I do disagree with two of the points, though:
-- Women just. Do. Not. Get. It.
Oh they get it, but us men often fail to listen.
-- Because the BBS is for US. Women, on the whole, either don't care or actively don't like it. They like us being men. They don't want our faces to feel like a baby's bottom or any other part of a baby or a women. They want our faces to feel like MEN'S faces.
That is not at all true for the women I have known. Quite the contrary, actually. Nothing gets a guy a taste of honey like a baby bottom-smooth face. It is like catnip for women. There might be a few exceptions, but in my experience, it would be very few indeed. Women do want us to be men, and they want our faces to feel like freshly shaven men's faces. They might like the look of stubble, but not the feel.
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