Alright...thanks to the generosity of @wristwatchb edwin jagger is on the way! (among some other things! Thanks again!) What are the top 5 blades I should try in the jagger? Right now I have a AoS Black acrylic handled pure badger travel brush. Is there something better that I can get for $15? Is a standard ceramic bowl from the kitchen okay to build a lather in?
️Brush, try an Omega 10066 around $10, great brush. Blades, I'd go with a sampler pack. Check out TryABlade.com You can face lather, or use the bowl from the kitchen.
Face lathering is the way to go. Good for the skin, quicker, less to clean up... You might also try...
Would you look at that...the generocity of the den always amazes me. Good on you wristwatchb. I agree that a blade sampler is the best way to go. I have been impressed with some of the Rapira blades recently.
Not only is a blade sampler a great way to start out, I am finding it is rewarding to try out sampler further down the road to reassess blades with more experienced eyes. I have been working through a sampler I got as a gift over the holidays, and I am surprised how different my response to some blades is. I am liking blades I hated and hating blades I liked. Plus it's fun. I may make it a yearly tradition!
You definitely want to have at least one (if not all ) of the following blades in your sampler. This is obviously not an exclusive list and reflects my bias towards Russian blades. Astra SP Rapira ( I prefer PL) Voskhod Gillette (I prefer black, Silver blue is great, Yellow) Super Iridium Bolzano Tryablade.com would be a great place to sample some of these. YMMV
A sampler is a good idea. Of the blades I've tried and love, though, not all of them are in samplers. Astra SP Crystal or Israeli Red SuperMax Platinum Of these, only the Astra comes up in samplers regularly. But most of the sampler packs contain enough variation that you should find something that works well for you. You can try the others, and any more you might want to, later. I would second a good boar brush. Omega is a solid choice, but I'd recommend Semogue for consideration as well.
Semogue makes great boar brushes. All brushes in the photo are around $20 with the exception of the Owners Club which is around $45. I just use regular bowls and mugs for lather. You'll pay 10x the price if something is made specifically as a shaving item. Definitely an area where you can get creative to save some money
I believe you can still get the SOC boar brush for $26 shipped from vintages cents with the 10% discount code that expires in 2018
I own the 1438, 1460 and 1470. They are awesome brushes. If I had to pick just one, the 1460 would get the nod, because I like the painted handle. But the 1470 is the same knot in a slightly different handle. Both of mine are well broken in, and softer than my softest badger. The 1438 has a slightly lesser grade knot, but not so different as to be inferior in any way. And the handle colors and styling are just classic. Lovely brushes, Semogue.
