Return to Simplicity

Thoughts and input on anything related to wet shaving or men's grooming.
User avatar
jww
Woolly Bully
Posts: 10960
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:49 am
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Return to Simplicity

Post by jww »

I have been part of this enjoyable practice of wet shaving with vintage tools for quite some time now, and was recently musing on how my routine has become simplified over the years. When I first started with SMF, I picked up any soap and cream I could get ahold of. I used multiple razors with many different types of blades. My pre and post shave rituals included such things as pre-applying Trumper's Skin Food, 3 passes every morning (with, across and against the grain), alum block, witch hazel, another application of Skin Food, etc., etc.

I realized this morning how much more simple and basic my routine has become. I have not replaced any cream or soap which I have run out of with the exception of MWF (surprised anyone?), Palmolive Classic cream and soap stick (I still grab a few from Tesco on our annual trips to North Yorkshire), and The Body Shop cream. I have been using the same Gillette 1960 slim for at least 5 years, and have only used Polsilvers and Gillette Silver Blue blades for longer. I haven't used an alum block in I can't recall how long, and a few months ago, in an attempt at preserving my stock of Skin Food, I stopped applying "gobs" of it pre-shave.

I do still use most of my brushes - but have landed basically on a rotation between my Semogue 1305 that has an incredibly beat-up handle with more than 1/3 of the painted finish chipped off and a Kent BK4 (always loved the black handle). I also continue to keep a supply of My Nik is Sealed for the odd time that I have a bleeder around the corners of my mouth (my traditional "trouble area" since I started shaving as a lad).

I will be refreshing my supply of Thayer's witch hazel soon as well, although I use so little of it as I have a couple of dollar store small spray bottles that really controls excessive consumption of that liquid gold.

I have gotten myself down to a very small shaving bag when I travel that is relatively light and takes no room.

And the funny thing is --- I am quite happy in and of myself about my evolving towards a very minimal approach at the basin.

A single shave every morning has become my de rigueur and the funny thing is -- I don't miss one single thing about my earlier product-heavy shave days.

Just thought I'd share.
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
EL Alamein
Posts: 3102
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by EL Alamein »

Wendell, excellent post!

I'm getting there too. I still have a plethora of stuff to use up but mostly use my mainstay things. The only thing I seem to replenish these days is my beloved Bay Rum.

In these days of plenty I think many men go through this, it's what we do. We find the best of the best for us and settle down with it.

The journey is wonderful and very satisfying when you find what you're looking for. Go down the road, you'll eventually get home.

Chris
User avatar
libertine
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2015 4:31 pm

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by libertine »

I have always thought the bell shaped curve accurately describes many of life's events including hobbies, favorite pastimes, special interests, etc.

Enjoying yourself on the downward slope is important and not always easy. Keep up the good feelings.
ShadowsDad
Posts: 3121
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 1:13 am
Location: Central Maine

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by ShadowsDad »

That sounds about right. From searching to done searching and just enjoying what you've found.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
User avatar
churchilllafemme
Posts: 5666
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:22 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by churchilllafemme »

I've simplified my inventories over the past few years, but not quite so radically. At one time I had over 40 NOS Gillette razors on display, "just because," and I had a collection of over 80 Somerset Simpson brushes, as well as multiple backups of all my vintage Penhaligon's and Floris soaps and creams. Now I just have enough brushes for a 28-day rotation, three razors heads and a dozen or so handles on which to use them, and only enough soaps and creams to last me for the final 10 years or so of wet shaving that my wife will allow me. I'm certainly not by any stretch of the imagination a minimalist, and I do still enjoy having a different combination of hardware and software each day, but I no longer feel like a hoarder.
_______
John
User avatar
fallingwickets
Clive the Thumb
Posts: 8813
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:59 am

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by fallingwickets »

and I had a collection of over 80 Somerset Simpson brushes,
competing with DrP??? :D :D

As an aside, you guys are on the road to fidelity (viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8061) but obviously not quite there yet!!

clive

p.s. where's squire hiding??
de gustibus non est disputandum
brothers
Posts: 21513
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by brothers »

This is where I'm at, and loving it. I realize I must not go completely and prematurely into my blissful coma however. If I did that just a couple of years ago I'd have missed out on just about all of the elements of my best of the best: i.e. General razor by Colonial; Salter's Solid tallow soap; SilkSmoke synthetic brush; and Kai Original blades. All of which only quite recently came into existence. In fact, I was already in the nirvana of blissful ignorance a decade ago when my "best of the best" was a Schick Krona and whatever blades and canned shaving cream were on sale at the grocery store. When we say Stop the world I want to get off it can be good or it can be bad. Timing is critical.
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
User avatar
drmoss_ca
Admin
Posts: 10731
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 4:39 pm

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by drmoss_ca »

churchilllafemme wrote: Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:00 pm ....and only enough soaps and creams to last me for the final 10 years or so of wet shaving that my wife will allow me.
Wife or life? If the former, what will she do to you or your razors one day ten years hence? :shock:
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
User avatar
churchilllafemme
Posts: 5666
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:22 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by churchilllafemme »

drmoss_ca wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 5:50 am
churchilllafemme wrote: Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:00 pm ....and only enough soaps and creams to last me for the final 10 years or so of wet shaving that my wife will allow me.
Wife or life? If the former, what will she do to you or your razors one day ten years hence? :shock:
Ah, well, she's the boss regarding some subjects, including my health. I have slowly progressive hand and arm tremor and weakness from post-polio syndrome, which she fears will lead to me cutting myself while shaving. So I have pledged to stop wet shaving at age 80.
_______
John
User avatar
drmoss_ca
Admin
Posts: 10731
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 4:39 pm

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by drmoss_ca »

churchilllafemme wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:19 am
drmoss_ca wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 5:50 am
churchilllafemme wrote: Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:00 pm ....and only enough soaps and creams to last me for the final 10 years or so of wet shaving that my wife will allow me.
Wife or life? If the former, what will she do to you or your razors one day ten years hence? :shock:
Ah, well, she's the boss regarding some subjects, including my health. I have slowly progressive hand and arm tremor and weakness from post-polio syndrome, which she fears will lead to me cutting myself while shaving. So I have pledged to stop wet shaving at age 80.
When the day comes, and if I'm still here*, I can send you a bunch of marvellous and harmless vitamin pills that will "cure" the tremor to the extent that shaving is still possible - you and your better half may believe it as it will be written on the label. 80 year old beards tend to be a bit thin and disreputable.

*possibly I should print some labels now for you to attach to whatever vitamin pill bottle you like. Ten years is a lot to ask at the moment as I am four years into a two to five year survival prognosis. Entirely happy to be a miraculous outlier, though.
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
User avatar
churchilllafemme
Posts: 5666
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:22 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by churchilllafemme »

drmoss_ca wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 11:34 am
churchilllafemme wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:19 am
drmoss_ca wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 5:50 am

Wife or life? If the former, what will she do to you or your razors one day ten years hence? :shock:
Ah, well, she's the boss regarding some subjects, including my health. I have slowly progressive hand and arm tremor and weakness from post-polio syndrome, which she fears will lead to me cutting myself while shaving. So I have pledged to stop wet shaving at age 80.
When the day comes, and if I'm still here*, I can send you a bunch of marvellous and harmless vitamin pills that will "cure" the tremor to the extent that shaving is still possible - you and your better half may believe it as it will be written on the label. 80 year old beards tend to be a bit thin and disreputable.

*possibly I should print some labels now for you to attach to whatever vitamin pill bottle you like. Ten years is a lot to ask at the moment as I am four years into a two to five year survival prognosis. Entirely happy to be a miraculous outlier, though.
Thanks. What is in these marvelous pills?
And I'm glad you're beating the odds...
_______
John
User avatar
drmoss_ca
Admin
Posts: 10731
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 4:39 pm

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by drmoss_ca »

churchilllafemme wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:03 pm Thanks. What is in these marvelous pills?
Nothing at all - placebos can be used to treat wives as well as shavers!
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
User avatar
fallingwickets
Clive the Thumb
Posts: 8813
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:59 am

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by fallingwickets »

And I'm glad you're beating the odds...
ditto and a million+ thumbs up on the sentiment

clive
de gustibus non est disputandum
User avatar
churchilllafemme
Posts: 5666
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:22 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by churchilllafemme »

drmoss_ca wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:25 am
churchilllafemme wrote: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:03 pm Thanks. What is in these marvelous pills?
Nothing at all - placebos can be used to treat wives as well as shavers!
I guess it might be worth a try, although she watches like a hawk. I've tried a lot of other approaches, ranging from B vitamins to TENS to acupuncture, without any change. But at least my form of the syndrome is quite slow in its progression and involves no pain at all. And two-handed shaving, with one supporting the other at the elbow, is not really very awkward.
_______
John
User avatar
jww
Woolly Bully
Posts: 10960
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:49 am
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by jww »

My father suffered seriously from tremors his last couple of years and had to resort to an electric shaver which my mother wielded for him. Not looking forward to that day -- not sure what it was he had, but my mother keeps telling me it's hereditary ..... :(
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
User avatar
fallingwickets
Clive the Thumb
Posts: 8813
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:59 am

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by fallingwickets »

thats when i head to oregon ](*,)
de gustibus non est disputandum
Julius_Rodman
Posts: 664
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:44 am
Location: Toronto

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by Julius_Rodman »

Thanks JWW!

When the ratrace is grinding me down it's good to reach out without looking and put together the old tried and true shaving tools.

When I have more time to think about it I like to mix and match again and try something new.

and there is an electric razor out there that will be perfect for you, you'll have to spend a little $$ though, the Braun Super 7 series is mine, I can jump to it with a perfect shave every time I have to.
slackskin
Posts: 361
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:27 am
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by slackskin »

@ churchilllafemme -

Here is an idea for your 80th birthday. Because DEs are forbidden as carry-ons, I recently became curious about the newly-launched "Gilette3" (not Mach3) cartridge shaver. When used with a fresh cartridge, they give as good a shave as a DE (for me, anyway). I was also surprised about how little they cost, pricey but much less so than the Fusion. And I had the feeling I could not cut myself even if I tried. This strategy may allow you to keep wet shaving after your birthday. :D
User avatar
churchilllafemme
Posts: 5666
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:22 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by churchilllafemme »

slackskin wrote: Fri Aug 17, 2018 1:39 pm @ churchilllafemme -

Here is an idea for your 80th birthday. Because DEs are forbidden as carry-ons, I recently became curious about the newly-launched "Gilette3" (not Mach3) cartridge shaver. When used with a fresh cartridge, they give as good a shave as a DE (for me, anyway). I was also surprised about how little they cost, pricey but much less so than the Fusion. And I had the feeling I could not cut myself even if I tried. This strategy may allow you to keep wet shaving after your birthday. :D
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll put that on my list. Now if I could just remember where I put my list...
_______
John
User avatar
jww
Woolly Bully
Posts: 10960
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:49 am
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Re: Return to Simplicity

Post by jww »

When I had a travelling job a few years ago, everything was TSA/CBSA approved for in-cabin, which meant DR Harris, Palmolive or Tabac soap sticks and a fresh Bic sensitive disposable, which still is my go-to DE substitute.

This is probably what contributed mostly to my return to simplicity - as I can pretty much pin point my turn around to 2013 when my work required much more travel.

I still keep an air carry-on friendly kit ready to go -- and only travel on planes for personal reasons -- like maybe a couple of times a year instead of 3 trips a month. I miss the frequent flyer benefits but don't miss being away from home. Using the lounge for a couple of trips a year ain't worth it in my books.
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
Post Reply