What did we learn from our last shaves?

From my shave today I learned again that it is actually possible to save money if I could be satisfied with B&M Latha. Cheap and very effective after two uses.

 

I've only used a couple for 4 total shaves, but so far I agree.

 

I learned that I don't like the Personna Reds in my Fatboy as much as I remember liking them in other razors. I got a better shave from a Treet Platinum last week.

 

Nothing today as I am normally roughing it all weekend shave-wise.
Tomorrow, though, I am really looking forward to see how mah very first horse-hair-brush will work.
Maybe I'll hate it. Who knows

 

I learned that Stetson is still a pretty good aftershave. After all these years of wearing it.

 

Walgreens?

 

I'm almost ready to place an order.

 

I had it in my junk drawer for a long time.

 

I just started wearing it last month. I really love it, smells great and has good skincare.

 

I tried Brut today on a non shave whim...a little sweeter than I remember...not sure about it. But it's an old school label, so I feel I must keep it on hand. Maybe I will just look at the pretty green bottle as I splash on the Clubman...

 

I learned that I need to back off of my SE opinion a bit. I just used a Schick Adjustable(5) this morning. Pretty nice shave. Excellent ergos too.

 

I've only read it here kazillions of times, but it is amazing what a light touch on the razor will do for the disappearance of razor burn

 

I learned that I am still very, very capable of having a poor shave. Today's was pretty abysmal.

1) My new Vie-Long horse hair brush felt scratchy and very floppy. Didn't splay 'right' and overall felt like a very inferior knot.
I paid $3 for it so I really can't complain.

2) I love Stirling's soaps and have never had anything but great success in using his products...but this is the third time I'm using 'Road to Elba' and if you can hate a soap I just might hate Road to Elba. There is nothing with this soap that works for me - it doesn't smell very nice, it looks like green snot and the difficulty in getting a solid lather is very non-Stirling like. Ugh.

3) I also think my recent love affair with SE razors have influenced me more than I thought..using my Gillette NEW today felt 'wrong' and far from as efficient as the recent GEM SE razors I've been using. Go figure.

All in all, I rate this morning shave a 4 out of 10. At least I didn't bleed.

Setup:


Lather 'soap' or 'gravy' courtesy of Road to Elba and Vie-Long:


(And yes, I experimented with more water...less water..etc. Maybe it was the brush who knows. I've used Road to Elba 3-4 times now and even though the other times were not good they were not this bad. It was also the first time I think I bowl-lathered the soap.

Think I will switch out almost all for next shave.

 

I am a newbie to brush world. I use a 48, and have a badger and another boar. Is horse hair similar to boar? Is there a break in period for horse brushes?

 

I've always appreciated the honesty found in your posts. Sorry about the bad shave... Now you owe your self a really nice one!

 

I'm very far from a brush expert - but I'd say the horse seems to be right in-between a badger and boar when it comes to how they feel against the face.
My SOC boar softened up a lot after a few weeks of use but no idea if horse hair brushes will/can do the same.

 

"Honesty" is such a nice word to use to describe my 'reviews'

 

Thanks...my boar is a much better brush after weeks of use. The 48 had a break in period for sure. I may try a horse brush just for the heck of it. Good write up on on WDWLG today.

 

Omg that lather looks just wrong lol

I have had those types of shaves recently where everything seems to go wrong. I somehow sliced my upper lip due to a tremor in my hand, set the blade on my skin (a feather no less) and there my hand goes twitching to the side. SLICE.

 

And a nice precise clean slice to boot....were you cut badly?