If you'd like to give soap and brush a try, Stirlingsoap.com has great synthetic brushes, and even better soap. A nice size 24X51 synthetic and 2 sample pucks will run you right around $20. And you get quite a few shaves out of the sample. If you have any interest at all in DE razors, Stirling's starter sets are about the best value in shaving I've ever seen. And welcome to the Den!
Actually,. I've been a member of the Dark Side for a while. I use straight razors. This one is from before WWII and is highly usable. It's got a great smile. The forge which made it was in operation from 1900-1938 when the Nazis confiscated the factory. Sooooo....You could say that I'm dedicated to the Dark Side. Besides, I make it a game to see how high I can get foam and hair to stack up on the blade before rinsing. Can't do that on a DE without clogging the thing up. But the soaps do sound like a great place to start... Several people have mentioned them.
Now my son might like the razor and blades. (Lord knows I have to hound him to keep his face shaved and he gets scared to death at the mere sight of my razors or strop...Course the strop reminds him of spankings but that's another thread all of its own)
@JohnDB, if you do go with a set, I'd recommend the upgrade to one of the bigger brushes. I can vouch for the quality of the Stirling products, I'm a verified fan-boy!
Welcome! You said earlier that you have been using gel for your face prep. I'd be interested to hear what kind of gel. Is it the kind that creates a lather, or just a protective coating. Thanks for sharing.
Here's a pic. It's scent is nice and not really strong but all a guy has to do is leave your face wet and rub it in. It forms a lather really easily as you work it over your face. It will provide lots of glide for your razor. Usually it's great for safety razors in the shower because it's a bit more difficult to completely rinse off. Not that it's impossible obviously. But I'm a slave to doing things in the most expedient or customary methods. But in the past couple of years I've been using straight razors but kept using the gel. I can't shave in the shower any longer. So the rinsing has been becoming tedious. I quit the safety razors because I've been shaving only once a week. They clog up and take forever to clean out. So I switched to shavettes and now to vintage straights. I'm trying to focus for a bit on the vintage straights but feel I'll master that soon and be ready to move on with brushes and soaps. I've been reading all about brushes and the different types of bristles. Kinda a lot to go through and choose from especially when I don't know if I prefer to face lather or whip up suds in a scuttle before applying the lather. Kinda lost in a sea of choices about it all. I know that I probably should just dive in and do something. But that tiny, scratchy, and wimpy brush that came with a kit my son gave me left a really bad taste in my mouth for brushes. (AoS...Go figure) I know that I am wanting one and to try out some soaps. I've heard a few suggestions by some fans of various vendors. Just not sure which way to jump yet.
Thanks for the update. I keep a few "cans of goo" around to use when I need a quick, uncomplicated shave. I notice that product has colloidal oatmeal. Sounds good. One of my favorite canned shave creams is Aveeno Active Naturals Therapeutic Shave Gel which has the same thing. Let us know what you decide on next and how it works out for you.
Welcome to TSD John @JohnDB. From the south here, too. Long story about how my 1st cousin married my sister? He is my 1st cousin on mom's side. She's my adopted step sister/(ex) sister-in-law so no blood relation. It's still a funny story to tell. Usually I skip the part about how my parents adopted her, and just say she's from West Virginia so it's O.K. In the past there were three choices of brush fiber; Boar (stiff until broken in), Horse (floppy and prone to tangles), or Badger (expensive, best available by some folks standards). Then Synthetics appeared. Synths have gone through several generations of changes and gotten much better. With the "natural" fiber brushes there's lots of variation from very scratchy to pillow soft, and cheap like $10/new to outrageous prices because of the materials or producers reputation. If you view the SoS thread you'll see examples of the full range. When one catches your eye, ask the member what they think about it. As to face lathering VS. a scuttle - until you decide to invest in a piece of ceramic hardware you can use most any bowl, cup or mug to try making lather. Scuttles are still being made, but they harken back to the days when hot water didn't come straight from the tap. I guess you figured out there's not much investment to face lathering. Soaps? Well that's a huge field. You may find Van der Hagen, Cremo, Kiss My Face, and several other brands at WalMart, grocery, or pharmacies. Your local Ladies Beauty Supply store may carry something, but I've mostly been disappointed by Sally's and the like. Two broad categories there; hard soaps, or creams. there's lots of inbetweens called croaps - soft soaps. Varieties run from Vegan (plant based oils) to Tallow (animal fat based) and again there's many that cross the line having a bit of both plant and animal base. As a straight razor shaver you need a slick soap. You current product is serving you well. No hurry needed to change, but ask question of the other straight shavers. The other thing about soaps is scent. From unscented to custom blends, it's all about what makes you happy.
Welcome to the den from Minnesota. With everything you say about expedience, I highly recommend a synthetic brush. In terms of basic performance, they work as well or better than anything, are the fastest to use, and require the least amount of cleaning and drying time. What is also great is that they can be acquired for just a few bucks. Stirling Soap Company, Maggard Razors, and Italian Barber all sell basically the same brush, it is mostly a matter of picking a handle you like the look of.
I accidentally dated a 2nd cousin thrice removed...But it killed the relationship when family started teasing us about it. We wasn't serious...Just hanging out. Nobody knew we was distant kin till Grandpa started talking to her father about all of his family. Besides I had a string of girls going on in my hometown and this cousin was just an out of town date. But it was unnerving. I'd been itenerant , never staying anywhere long. Family was something you had to hunt down to find. Just never occurred to me (at the ripe old age of 20) to check. Nowadays all that is behind me. Got a nice SWMBO and son... Which reminds me I probably should mention to him not to date anyone with family from a particular county here in TN.
