Major shift in my shaving universe

[brothers]

Not a lot of discussion, just dealing with the facts.
Brushes plus shaving soap or cream plus lather plus good shave results equal only one kind of wet shaving.
My experiences have included different shaving tackle in comparison to the usual products listed, specifically non-lathering brushless products.
My brushless creams teamed with my preferred safety razor and single edge blades in the absence of soap/brush/lather make no difference in the smooth and comfortable shaves that I prefer every day.
I'm going to test the straight (open) razors with the brushless creams so I can find out how smooth and comfortable shaves those razors might provide.
It's a fact that the brushless creams have a great many different ingredients than the brush-required lather-required products. Not to mention the amount of time spent creating the mandatory shaving brush-lathers.

[CMur12]

More power to you, Gary.

I'll probably order some Reuzel shaving cream yet. I think it would also be great for a young man I introduced to DE shaving. He has a brush, but he hasn't gotten into lathering. Something like this might be a good transition for him, or even an end point, for that matter.

(I'm still grieving the demise of Oliveology, even though I didn't use it a lot. It was nevertheless an outstanding product.)

- Murray

[drmoss_ca]

I have a stash of red Palmolive tubes, and on days when I don't want to luxuriate in the full straight shave I will use some of that, brushless, and the General single-edged razor. It is very slick and results in a very close shave.

C.

[TRBeck]

Experimentation is grand.

That said, the use of a brush to lather is probably my favorite part of the shave and the one I'd have the hardest time giving up. Different strokes and all.

Good shaving is good shaving. Enjoy!

[CMur12]

Experimentation is grand.

That said, the use of a brush to lather is probably my favorite part of the shave and the one I'd have the hardest time giving up. Different strokes and all.

Good shaving is good shaving. Enjoy!

Hi Tim!

It's good to see you.

I remember you talking about a two-year-old son imitating you by slapping his face as you do when applying aftershave. How old is he now?

- Murray

[TRBeck]

He's sixteen and shaving himself these days, Murray! Barbasol and a Gillette Guard. No multiblade stuff. Hopefully I'll get him to come around to a brush and good soap eventually...

Good to see you, too! What's new in your world?

[CMur12]

Tim, not a lot going on here. I've been retired for eleven years, but I haven't been able to bring myself to leave the cat for over two nights at a time. That means no traveling, in contrast to my younger years when I traveled and lived abroad.

I hang out at a local coffee shop, where I have gotten to know the baristas pretty well. I taught one of them about film photography and set him up with some equipment, and he helped me with Linux. I also got him into DE shaving, but he hasn't shown much interest in lathering.

I still have a pretty good supply of your soap that I have held on to.

- Murray

[TRBeck]

Murray, I remember that you retired a few years into my tenure here. The coffee shop sounds lovely.

I bowed out here for a time to focus on some other life matters. Lots of things have happened, most notably the loss of a kidney and adrenal gland last year (along with the tumor that was growing on them). I seem to have a bit of time with it being summer and my kids relying on me less as a caretaker and more as an adviser and guide as they navigate their teen years. So here I am.

I'm gratified that you still have some of my soap. I have lots of it and made a new recipe last week. I still make bath soap, too.

Lots of boar brushes and the Semogue mistura I bought several years ago predominate in my den, although I did order a new badger recently. I'm trying my hand at straights again, but my DEs of choice are a 1955 Red Tip, a 1969 LH Super Adjustable, and the Razorock Gamechanger.

Everything old is new again. Even me. I am cancer-free, and it was detected early enough that no metastasis seems to have occurred. To celebrate
I ran a marathon last month.

Good to chat with you here. I will try to be around more.

[brothers]

It's heartwarming to see you gents chatting here on SMF once again. It's good to hear that you're both doing well these days as the circumstances change.

Changing the subject if I may, I'd like to refer back to the subject of shaving with soap and brush. I've added one step to lathering my favorite soaps with each of my 4 favorite brushes, and it has "supercharged" my lather.
If I can remember, the night before I am scheduled to shave the next morning, I pour a few teaspoons of tap water on the soap and leave it until next morning. This simple act produces mountains of thick beautiful lather. Of course it causes the soap to run out sooner, but at my age, using up 8 bowls of hard shaving soap is the very last thing on my mind.

[CMur12]

Gary: Your idea to soak the surface of the soap makes sense. I'll have to try it some time.

Tim: SO glad to hear that you a free of cancer!

- Murray

[TRBeck]

Gary, I like your idea, especially if a given soap hasn't been lathered in a while. Very dry soaps do take more time to get loaded and start lathering, so it makes sense. I haven't been around, so I'm probably asking something you've answered elsewhere previously:

What are four brushes you have kept around?

[brothers]

Hi Tim! My 4 favorite everyday brushes are in a regular rotation. No matter which one comes up I always know the brush's performance will get the job done. There are only 6 of my brushless creams, so the brushes are still the king. Only one of them was factory assembled (handle and knot) by Thater before he went out of business. The other 3 were assembled by yours truly, buying the knot from one place and the handle from another. Of course I have a shoebox in the closet filled with other brushes I've collected over the years. The lucky 4 are 1 synthetic and 3 badgers.

[CMur12]

I eventually simplified my lathering technique to building lather on top of the cake of soap.

When I loaded the brush and lathered in a separate bowl, badger brushes worked a little better for me than boar. However, for lathering directly on the cake of soap, boar seems to be a little better, and my favorite boar is the Semogue 1305. I also have a couple of synthetics that work pretty well.

Once I determined what worked for me, I haven't done much rotation of tools and products. I tend to use a Rockwell razor and the Semogue 1305 brush. Soaps are more varied, but I usually pick one and use it until it's gone. Blades vary a little more, but I can't say I rotate them.

- Murray

[TRBeck]

Good stuff, gentlemen. I am a fan of brushes and seem to drift back to brush variety often, only to find that there are three or four that I favor above the others. I do love boar, but my mixed Semogues remain my favorite knots of all, and were I to bring my numbers down to just a handful, the two different sizes of Semogue Misturas would be the only sure things. Maybe that means I should just use them and pack up the rest? Or maybe it's okay that I get the itch for a scrubby little boar or a soft three-band badger now and then?

Gary, I saw your thread about Reuzel. Intriguing for sure. I have had mixed results with brushless creams, finding some of them (ahem, Cremo) really clog up my razors. Besides Reuzel, what else are you using for days without a brush?

[brothers]

Tim, my first brushless cream was - still is - Noxzema, now followed by four Caswell-Massey creams (Ros, Almond, Number Six, and Woodgrain Sandalwood), and most recently Reuzel.

[CMur12]

Gary, can you think of any special measure you have taken to avoid the razor-clogging with brushless creams that Tim has experienced?

- Murray

PS. Tim, I haven't tried Cremo Cream (sp?) since my early days here, but I found that it worked dandy when lathered with a brush. I'm not sure I ever actually used it in brushless form.

[brothers]

Food for thought Murray, you and Tim have reminded me of these two important issues. First, after 10 years of my SMF enthusiasm I realized I had become hopelessly buried in an avalanche of shaving brushes and razors of every description. After taking inventory I sorted and sold off about half of all the brushes and razors. As I used the brushes it became clear that I just subjectively enjoyed shaving with some more than others. It took about another couple of years to decide which four brushes and one razor are going to see me through until the time comes that I might lose interest in the whole shaving concept. There are a lot of other beloved examples in my brush boxes, but they're not preferred for daily use.

The other issue is the very real problem of the clogged razor. Every time I shave I pause to run the tap on the razor head to flush away the whiskers' debris so the shave can quickly resume. Over the years I always despise a clogged razor because the cream won't rinse out quickly and thoroughly. I actually can't remember the names of those who've been thrown away but there have certainly been several. This absolutely applies to both brush-mandatory and brushless soaps and creams.

[drmoss_ca]

The thicker the cream (and brushless creams rely on that since they don't get air whipped into them) the more likely a razor will clog. But I notice another factor, too: since retirement I don't shave every day, and if I go more than two days the stubble is long enough that it contributes to clogging. Obviously not an issue with straights but it is for the General. The fix is to takes fewer swipes with the razor before rinsing, to vigorously rinse the razor in the sink after each swipe, and best of all to use running water for rinsing it.
Which reminds me, I didn't shave yesterday, so I'd better do so today!

C.

[blantyre]

I enjoy the whole lathering process too much to give it up. I have used brushless a few times and found that it worked quite well - definitely beat an electric. I’d take a close look at the ingredients list. I’m guessing it’s far more processed and “industrial” than even commercial soaps and creams. I mostly use artisan products that are based on either tallow or nut oils. Even when traveling, I like the brush and cream approach.

[Megumy2]

I never really thought about how brushless creams could work just as well without all the lather fuss. It’s cool you’re trying straight razors with them-would love to hear how that goes.