No shave this morning for me, my schedule is off due to the holiday. But that doesn't stop me from posting a hump day photo!



Have as great day friends!

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I guess I am not saying that variety isn't nice. I like variety, which is evident by the large collection of products I have. I can even say that there are pairings of equipment one may prefer over another. I completely understand this. However, I do think that blaming equipment is a trap that many new traditional wet shavers fall into, so they constantly look for a better razor, or a better brush, or a better soap, or whatever else they have in mind that maybe out there. This leads to lots of wasted money and frustration. I think that making statements that certain brushes are suitable for certain soaps reinforces this mental, but I just don't think it is true. This a wonderful thread were plenty of new shavers come to get tips and advice, and personally, I think that we should be very careful in making some statements about how well some equipment works rather than focusing on technique development.

Thank you, Andrew! You are definitely correct about DBS.

+1 on that recommendation.

Declan is growing up so fast.


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HUMPDAY!!!
He is growing up fast!
Is it about time for another? Still a few more days of the week to fill.

Awesome picture Andrew....and Declan is growing.

This is actually the idea that concerns me. Once again, I am not going to stand up and say buy only one brush, one razor, and one soap. That is not what I am about (my wife will confirm), but I do caution new wet shavers to get good technique first and find out what they like before they start out buying several razors and brushes. Once you know your technique is solid, then you can truly make a good judgment of whether you like a razor or brush. As an example, I hated my Fatboy when I first got it. But honestly, my technique was not that good. Sure, I could get a good DFS or even the occasional BBS with a DE89 clone, but I couldn't pick up other razors and replicate. It was this thread that taught me to focus on technique. After a while, I could get a good shave with just about any razor. If I had given up one the Fatboy because I thought it just wasn't right for me, I would be missing out on one of my favorite razors now.

I had the same problem with a floppy Badger brush. I couldn't get a good lather with it save my life. But after a helpful gentleman on this thread (@PickledNorthern) I developed better lathering technique and got the brush to work just fine with any soap whether hard or soft. At the time, I only had a couple of brushes, so it was more important to get it to work. Now I have a great idea of what exactly I am looking for in a brush, though, so I make much more informed decisions when I buy them.

It is hump day! Great picture, Andrew!

The ulitmate enabling....................children!

Awesome, Andrew! Declan looks guilty...is there a bowl of corn launched across the room?

I agree with your sentiment and mostly it hold true. However shaving and its accoutrements is a broad spectrum and it is i feel unreasonable to expect everything to work in unison with some effort, especially at the extremes.

I was mistaken to pick the Cade puck with the 404 Badger at the start of this 30DR. 1st lesson learned: choose your tools wisely.

This combo is beyond a stretch of technique. It requires compromise and bootstrapping to get it to work and i don't think that is part of the script of my focus. I want to learn more about my razor and soap, not how to muddle through because it isn't going to work regardless.

Of course, some think blooming a soap is an acceptable and necessary (and enjoyable) part of the process. I don't and i have my own reasons for that and with that in mind, continuing to fight the soap with a sloppy badger is just a pointless miserable exercise for me. I don't think that is dishonouring the quest for technique. Its just being logical. At least for me anyways.

For clarity, my thoughts on this are just mine. Bloomer can bloom to their hearts content if they want to. Its your shave, your way. Me not agreeing to it isn't a judgement nor is me thinking that switching brushes is a better solution.

Anyway, for shave #17 i shall try once more. Perhaps the hard puck has a softer underbelly and i might have better success tomorrow with the 404!

Guilty with a look of ..............I did not do that.

If you don't mind sharing, how would you use a hard soap puck like Cade with a soft Badger like the 404?

Can you suggest an approach i can try?

Very cool, Rick. Most definitely want to see wrist shots when Jenesis gets her new watches.

Gals wearing guy's watches is a thing. With two granddaughters, I'm sure you not through buying yet.

I get the distinction Jim @Norcalnewb is making. Self reflection makes me admit I prefer hard soaps and boar brushes. That can be linked to my early problems with inexpensive & ineffectual badgers only being used with creams. I relate creams to being both a "cheat" & a more expensive product because I'd be buying watered down versions of hard soap. The circular logic of liking economical (boar and triple milled) and disliking expensive (badger and creams) is self reinforcing. It may also be wrong and discriminatory because of my prejudices. Hard to break my own cycle since I already own enough soap and brushes for 1000 or more lathers.

Thanks Andrew!

These two statements are fantastic advice to all. My experience matches these very well @BlueShaver, fwiw.
I think once someone truly gets to Technique Trumps Tools, that is when this really becomes a hobby, as opposed to just accumulation, and trust me I've accumulated a lot. To me this means that understanding how different brushes will get to that perfect lather, or how different razors get to similar results, is the hobby part. I love the scents, I love the process of wetshaving, I love the connection to the past, I love the peace and calm shaving has become for me, I love the TTT aspect each and every morning. I have moved stuff on that I don't enjoy as much, even though I acknowledge that it works and works well. A good soap in a scent I don't enjoy? Buh bye. A vintage razor that is a fine shaver but is just like 2 others I have and won't hold a special place in my den? Sayonara. A brush that I just don't reach for enough and maybe someone else will get more usage from? Adios.
It just takes time. A Pal Injectomatic went from being a filet knife to an aggressive injector, A CJB Shavette went from being an instrument of war to a successful focus of technique, certain blades went from being 'awful' to 'working ok, just not a fave'. I seriously have had a few soaps that I didn't enjoy the quality of lather, but yes, they did lather. Only one (the new C&E base about 5 years ago, for the curious) just wouldn't at all. And you know what? If I went back to it today, regardless of brush, I think I'd get a functional foam from it.
We have all gone through our own journeys to get to where we are in wetshaving. This thread has commonalities in philosophy across all the 'regulars', but also differences as well. What is universal, it seems, is a belief that as technique is built over time whatever you use will work (see previous MAYhems for examples); however, how you get it to work turns it into a hobby.

I'm always amazed at what a shot of Geritol will do prior to the shave! Egad, Joseph! Wonderful shave! Sit down and give the old ticker a rest! Speaking of tickers...