Vidyut Supermax

 

I tried these blades out last week.  I've been in a rut as far as trying new things - I guess I really like what I've been using (lately it's been Nacet blades, Musgo Real cream, plus my other staples) so much that I haven't wanted to deviate from the norm.  But if we don't try new things, we can never have new favorites, right?

Well, that's not what happened here.  I wasn't impressed with the Vidyut's performance - I ended up with quite a few nicks and had to do an extra pass to get the shave I expect from my Nacets.  These were such a ho-hum experience, in fact, that there is little I even care to say about them.

I keep trying to find new blades that are as good as Nacets (if not better) but I'm not having much luck.  There was a type of Gillette that my pal Joe gave me to try... it was an absolutely superb shaver, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was.

Hopefully I will have a review of those up before long.  In the meantime, it's back to Nacets.

Blade disposal

I tend to use my blades maybe four to six times before they get too dull for an effective shave.  At this point they tug rather than cut the hairs and are uncomfortable.

Generally I remove the blade from my razor and drop it in the trash.  Recently I was out in the sticks, and didn't want to leave the blade lying around, so I put it in the front pocket of my Dopp kit to dispose of later.

Then I completely forgot about it.

A few weeks later, I was emptying out my Dopp kit and felt something in the front pocket (it turned out to be a pair of tweezers).  I reached in to pull them out and my finger nail caught the fabric, tearing it a little.  I jerked my hand out with a mental "WHAT THE HELL?!?" and stared dumbly at my split nail.  Being more careful this time, I reached in again, and cut nearly half of my finger nail off.  It was as painful as it sounds.

It wasn't the fabric catching my nial (duh); it was the used blade I had forgotten about.  It decided to remind me.

So I carefully removed it, tossed it, and examined my injuries.  My middle finger nail was cut about halfway across and halfway down.  It sucked.

So, I began looking into ways of safely getting rid of blades, when I found these:

I found a few on Amazon for three to six bucks.  There are vintage ones too, that look like lighthouses, barber poles, UPS trucks, snowmen, and who knows how many other things.  But you could always make one like the tin can example above.  The idea is to have a place to store them that they won't spill out of and won't cut through.

There are plenty of good reasons to do this; I will cover two. 

One, you can be sure what happened to my finger won't happen to yours, or anyone else's in your family - this is especially important if you have small children in the household.

Two, the blades are made of high quality steel.  Keeping them together like this makes it easy to recycle them.  You won't likely get any money out of it, but it's thre right thing to do.

Plus, if you get one of the vintage banks, think of the style and character you can add to your shave den!

Gilbert Henry Bay Rum

I received this bottle of Gilbert Henry Bay Rum from Chris Paczewitz, co-owner of the Gilbert Henry Company. I found it waiting for me at home and couldn't wait to give it a try. The company has the kind of start up story that I love to hear - he couldn't find what he was looking for, so he made it himself; some trial and error later, and we have the final product above.

This morning I went through my regular shave routine, but substituted the GHBR for my regular Art of Shaving Sandalwood Aftershave. The scent was perfect - not overpowering, not too sweet, just the right balance of bay rum and citrus.

The application was a surprise. It went on smoothly, but there was zero greasyness to it, and my skin felt very clean afterwards. It was almost a sort of powdery feel when I put it on.

My original attraction to theArt of Shaving was not only for the quality of their products, but the story of the companys creation, very similar to Gilbert Henry. The difference is that AoS was bought out by Proctor and Gamble. I don't have a problem with that, but I enjoy supporting a small business with a great product.

It looks to me like the Gilbert Henry Company is just that.

For more information on the company or their products, check them out at

http://www.gilbert-henry.com

Edwin Jagger Best Badger Shaving Brush

I had heard a lot of chatter about how much of a difference a good shaving brush makes. I didn't know first hand, since most of my shaving was done with a boar hair brush someone gave me.

I received an Edwin Jagger for Fathers Day. It's a Best Badger with a faux ivory handle, and it is all I have used since I took it out of the box.

Imagine the difference between driving a Maserati and a Pinto. That's about the feeling.

The brush lathers so much better than my boar brush that it isn't even possible to do a fair comparison. The lather these guys on the shaving vids on Youtube get? I can do that now. With far less effort, I get way better results. I can stir up a mountain of cream in no time, and it stays ready until my last pass. Plus, it's much softer and comfortable on my face.

One problem I have with this is that I need to reevaluate all my soaps with the new brush. So far I have only used Lavanda and Mikes.

Honestly, though, this isn't a problem I mind having. I'm looking forward to trying everything again and seeing how it all works under new circumstances.

Resources

There are a lot of sites on the internet that you can go to for information on wet shaving.

One site I really enjoy is Badger and Blade. The forums there are so full of good information, good links, good supplies and good people that I haven't been able to scratch the surface after more than a year.

If you have a question, it's likely been answered there. If not, ask! Someone (several someones, in all likelyhood) will be along shortly with some clarification.

If you want to get started in wet shaving, B&B has advice, tutorials, vendors, reviews, links, and a buy/sell/trade marketplace where you can find absolutley anything you'd need.

Check it out at http://badgerandblade.com/

There are plenty of other fine shaving forums that I haven't explored yet, so I can't give any recommendations for them. But you should be able to find one or several that suite you.

Another great site is Youtube. There are so many videos on wet shaving I don't even know where to begin. The subjects cover the entire range of knowledge, including face, bowl and palm lathering; shaving creams vs sticks vs soaps; badger (and grades thereof) vs boar vs horse vs synthetic; straight, single edge and double edge razors; blades and strops and hones and techniques and...

Well, you get the idea.

Once you have decided on what you want to get, some vendors I have used include BullGoose Shaving, The Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, and Mikes Natural Soaps. I have had great experiences with each of them, and I am affiliated with none. I get no kickback for guiding anyone to them, I'm just telling you how it went for me.

One thing there doesn't seem to be a lot of is brick and mortar stores (as opposed to internet storefronts). The area I live in is an absolute barren wasteland as far as B&M stores go. I did get to go to Merz Apothecary in Chicago, which has so much stuff geared toward wet shaving that it's almost overwhelming.

If you are in an area where you can find a shop like that, by all means check it out - the advantage of being able to see, touch and smell the things you are thinking of buying is incomparable. Especially if it's colognes, aftershaves, scented soaps, etc. There is no way to know how you will like a scent based on someone elses review.

Mikes Natural Soaps

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of my shave tins from Mikes Natural Soaps. Everything I've read about Mikes products have been positive. The ingredients are like a whos-who list of skin replenishment, including tallow, lanolin, shea butter and glycerin, among others.
His soaps are made the old fashioned way, and he makes them in his (limited) spare time.

To learn more about Mike or his products, go here:

http://www.mikesnaturalsoaps.com/Mikes_Natural_Soaps/Welcome.html

Obviously I have yet to try it. My Lime and Orange, Cedarwood & Black Pepper tins were waiting for me when I got home. Needless to say this will be part of tomorrows shave (sorry Musgo Real).

I am also looking forward to using this with both my boar hair brush as well as the badger brush that should be arriving soon. A soap like this should be a pretty good sounding board for how different the brushes themselves lather.

Astra Blades

A friend of mine and blog follower gave me one of these to try out. I heard good things about them, but I'd heard good things about Derbys too, and look how that went...

Anyway, I'm on my second shave with them, and I think I may have found a replacement for my beloved Nacets. This blade has, so far, been a smooth and consistent shaver; zero issues with excessive nicking (although I did catch my lower lip this morning - operator error, not equipment malfunction), no tugging or pulling, just a smooth easy shave. For a bluebeard like me, that's pretty important. I'm also experiencing zero irritation, something I had been battling for the last week or so. I managed to smooth down the left side of my jawline, which had been another consistent problem - but that's a technique issue for another post.

From my research, I've learned that these are nearly as sharp as Feather blades, which is a little scary, but last longer. I don't tend to try to get a long life out of my blades right now; partly because they are so inexpensive as it is, and partly because I want to try more types.

Produced by Proctor and Gamble (Gillette), they used to be made in the Czech Republic. Now they're made in Russia. You can pick up 100 of these for about $15.

I noticed that when I opened this blade there were two little glue spots on the blade that held it inside the wax paper. I haven't seen this on any other blade I've tried, but it doesn't seem to be an issue. I haven't heard of any quality control problems either, like I've been hearing about my Nacets, so I'm pretty sure this will be on my "to buy" list.

Merkur Trimming Razor Pt 2

I got one of these yesterday as a birthday gift. It came with a small pack of razorsmade by, of course, Merkur.

I couldn't wait to try it out. So, this morning, I did.

I prepared myself in the usual manner (see The Routine) and went to work with my '67 and an Astra blade over Musgo Real shave cream. I used the trimming razor on the first and third passes. It worked brilliantly, making easy work of the small, hard to get to areas right under my nose. The wider side seemed to work a little better, while the smaller side was a little difficult to get proper placement with.

The blade wasn't the best - there was a lot of tugging and it almost felt like dry shaving. I think this might have had to do with my technique though. I will be using this daily so I will have plenty of time to refine my methods.

It is also easy to misjudge the angle with this because the head is sort of oddly sloped. Once I get used to it I don't think it will be an issue.

If there were competing blade manufacturers for this razor I'd jump at the chance to try them out, but I'm pretty sure Merkur is the only company making them (it is their product after all).

So, minor blade dissatisfaction aside, the Merkur Trimming Razor is everything I hoped it would be.

Trimming Razor - day 2

Still a bit of pull and tug, but it seems to be limited to the initail pass with this tool. It's still a little hard to figure its nuances as far as blade angle and such, but it does an admirable job of clearing the moustache area.

Musgo Real

My tube of CO Bigelow was running low, and I figured it was time to try some new products. This made my list based on rave reviews from multiple sources.

Musgo Real is a product of Portugal, and has been around for over a century. It's made with lanolin and glycerin, which helps the razor glide over your skin, and keeps your face moisturized afterwards.

I noticed right off how quickly it lathers - I had to work a bit for Proraso/CO Bigelow. Musgo Real lathers fast and it lathers big. It's a little difficult for me to gauge the necessary water requirements for this stuff, but so far the shaves have been really nice. 

The scent is unusual - not perfumed, but sort of earthy. I don't mind it at all; it's a nice break from the usual.

I'd like to try this product with a badger hair brush; from what I've seen it makes a massive difference in the amount of lather you get and how well the brush applies it to your face.

Anyway, this is a good product, and has my full recommendation. It's fighting tooth and nail for a spot on my list above Proraso, and it might just win.

Feather, Day 2

Today I was able to shave without distraction. With my once used Feather blade in hand and The Routine completed, I lathered up some Col Conks and CO Bigelow and went to town. I ended up with a nick or two but nothing major, and nothing that really bled. My neck isn't as raw this time either. I'm not sure how to quantify the amount of sharpness lost on a blade, and I have no idea how much less sharp the once-used Feather blade was, but it was a better shave today. In the interest of utilizing the scientific method, I will have to have a situation that I can reproduce in order to compare results. Therefore, I am considering this my first test shave with a Feather blade, and will have to have at least two more tries with a fresh blade to know how this product works for me.

So aside from the tiny nicks, my face feels pretty raw. I had to go over a few rough patches after my third against the grain pass, and didn't relather for that. I think the problem is the angle that I'm holding the razor. It isn't consistent, causing me to miss spots and have to redo them. I've been working on this by changing my grip and trying to focus on the blade angle but I haven't eliminated the problem yet.

I'll be shaving with the Feather blades the rest of the week, at least, so I will publish the results in following posts.

Feather Blades

Feather blades. Made in Japan, a place known for many a legendary blade. It is accepted that they are the sharpest Double Edge blades available, the only product on par being Iridium blades - which are no longer in production.

Surely you could understand my reasons for putting off a test shave with one of these.

Well, this morning I had no time obligations. I slept in, ate breakfast at 10 a.m., and took a shower around 10:30. As I prepared my '67 Gillette, I considered dropping in a brand new tired and true Nacet Platinum. Then I thought about my blog. Not much to write about if I never try new things.

Well, the damned things live up to their reputation. They are sharp. I had one good cut that bled steadily for a good while. My neck was irritated and a bit bumpy at the end of the shave. I had high rough patches on my face. But this isn't entirely the fault of the worlds sharpest DE. I had company in the bathroom.

My bathroom is pretty little. One pedastal sink is all we get. On weekends my little boy likes to "shave" with me, using some lather and a Spongebob toy razor. So he and I shared the sink and went about trimming our beards.

Then my Dad showed up, and wanted to watch the bonding. Then my woman came in, and wanted to know what was taking so long. I began to hurry. Soon after, I began bleeding. The obvious lesson here is, respect these blades. They bite.

So my first Feather shave was a bit of a disappointment. But I've only been wet shaving for a few months now, and Feathers are recommended for advanced shavers only. Maybe I jumped the gun.

I will reattempt a shave with the Feather blades tomorrow without the distractions, but to be honest I'm looking forward to switching back to my Nacets.

Ogallala Bay Rum

Well, my sampler pack from Ogallala came in.

While there were several varieties of scents to choose from (see my previous post), I only liked this one. But I like it a lot.

It has a nice strong Bay Rum scent without being overpowering. Its like Clubman BR without the kick you in the face first impression.

The sampler is pretty small, so I'm going to have to order the regular bottle soon.

That is another thing I like about it - the bottle. A lot of companies don't take any pride in packaging anymore. Ogalllala does, and it shows. The cobalt blue bottle looks good, and it may be enough to get me to switch to that over the tried and true but plastic bottled Clubman.

Prorasso Red

I finally recieved this in the mail. I have been looking forward to using it - Proraso shave cream and sandalwood: two of my favorite things in one! It had to be a win-win.

So use it I have; 1.5 times now, actually.

The first time I brought it to work with me so I could shave after my morning workout. They let us shower and shave after, so its not like I was ducking work. I went ahead and started taking out my supplies: Razor, check. Proraso Red, check. Aftershave, toner, face wash, moisturizer, check check check check. Brush and lather bowl, check che- aww hell.

Yes, I forgot my lather bowl at home, and had to improvise. There was nothing there I could find to use, so I ended up lathering up in the palm of my hand. No the most ideal situation, but what could I do?

The lather was a little too dry, as I expected, and seemed a little 'heavy' on my razor. But the shave went off just fine. No nicks, no burn.

The scent was great - I was not dissapointed in the sandalwood; I must admit though, I missed the menthol in the Proraso Green.

It wasn't the best shave I've done, but it wasn't bad. I figured I'd just chalk it up to the missing gear.

So this morning I tried again, at home, with my lather bowl. I performed The Routine as always, and broke out the Red. One thing I've noticed is that Red is a little runnier than green. I have to squeeze thre Green out of the tube; the Red almost falls out on its own. I don't know why this is, or what is so different about the formulas. I think I will order a bonefide Proraso Green next time, and see if maybe the difference is CO Bigelow vs. Proraso (although from my understanding the only thing that changed is the packaging).

So anyway, back to this a.m.'s shave: I got a nice lather out of the Red, and set myself to smoothing out my face.  I made sure not to over/under hydrate the soap this time. I applied it to my face about three times (once per pass). Again, it seemed that it was a little 'heavy'; by that I mean it thickened up and sort of gummed up my razor a little. Overall it wasn't bad, but it didn't seem as smooth as the Green.

Post shave I was a little bit raw, perhaps because I don't have the menthol as a buffer. The shave was decent, and I like the smell of the product.

I'm going to continue to work with it and see if I can get the kinks out. So far though, Proraso Green keeps the crown.

Tabac

I heard a lot about this as a classic shaving scent (Google it and you can find all kinds of opinions on it). I decided to try it out and ordered a small tube like the one above.  It cost me about $10.

I don't know how to decipher a scent into its high, midrange and bass notes; I can only tell you if I like it or not. I like this.

It's a little strong at first, but fades away after a while. It's a nice, masculine scent but maybe a bit too floral for me.

According to the misinformation superhighway, the scent is not the same as it used to be. The old formula was more of a tobacco scent (Tabac is french for tobacco) and the new stuff is completely different. The same argument is out there for a lot of "classic" scents, Old Spice for example.

If these "classics" are indeed new formulas in old packaging, then it really isn't a classic at all. The principal of this annoys me, but if the cologne/aftershave/whatever works for you, I guess it doesn't matter.

Col Conks Redux

I gave the Col another try this morning. After a practice run last night, I realized my lather was too hydrated; to fix this I made sure my brush was shaken as free of water as possible, and the lathering bowl was empty and dry. I got a really good lather going pretty quickly, but it was still a little to "wet" when I first applied it. I hit the soap again for about 20 - 30 seconds, then back to the lathering bowl, and then my face.

The difference was night and day.

The lather was thick (whereas before it was thin and very bubbly - a sign of over hydration), slick, and of course, smelled great.

The shave took me longer than usual, and I had to make three passes total. That surprised me since I had shaved the day before, and growth was minimal.

Overall I think I was right for not giving up on the good Colonel. It might be a bit much for someone just starting out, but once you learn how to lather its a great product.

Col Conks Shave Soap

This was a writeup that I messed up in the first few days of this blog. I meant to repost it but forgot, so here you go.

This was given to me by a generous member of Badger and Blade, a web forum that discusses the finer points of wet shaving, among a few other subjects.

I was told to put it in a small dish and microwave it for a short time. That way the soap melts into the dish and doesn't slide all around when you try to lather it up with your brush. I used a little wood bowl that we had sitting in the cupboard. It was a perfect fit.

Now bear in mind that I haven't used this since my first few wet shaves. I had a devil of a time getting it to lather up properly, and still haven't figured out what I was doing wrong. I have heard others swear by it, but they were far more experienced than I and really knew what they were doing.

So, my issue was the lather. I couldn't get it going. I watched youtube vids, read instructionals, practiced ad nauseum, all to no avail. I may have better luck now; I can't say I'm ready to give up on it yet.

The thing I love about the Col's soap is the fantastic Bay Rum scent. I am very hard to please when it comes to Bay Rums (see previous post) and this one was nothing short of magnificent (to me, anyway; you might hate it). Thats another reason I don't want to give up on it. I would love to have it in rotation with my C.O. Bigelow.

Aw, hell, now I've talked myself into it... I'll give it a shot on Wednesday, and let you know how it goes. Hopefully we will see some improvement.

Ogallala Bay Rum

I ordered a small sampling of Bay Rum aftershaves and colognes from the Ogallala Bay Rum web site. I have yet to be sold on anything other than Clubman (I've tried Dominica, and sampled Captains Choice, Royall, and several others that I can't quite recall). I'm not the best at describing scents, so all I can tell you is I like Clubman, didn't care for the others. They weren't exactly flowery, but too much... bay leaves? Cinnamon? I don't know. I need someone who can "read" scents better to pinpoint it for me.

I haven't tried Ogallala yet. They have several different styles, including regular Bay Rum (cologne and an aftershave - separate products), Bay Rum Limes and Peppercorn, Bay Rum and Sandalwood, and Bay Rum, Sage and Cedar (all aftershaves).

I don't actually have high hopes for this; mostly because of past experience. But I will give it a shot. I'm not sure what the Limes and Peppercorns will be like (or any of the others for that matter), but the Bay Rum and Sandalwood is piquing my curiosity. This is due to the fact that I love both of those scents (albeit from only one manufacturer apiece), and am looking forward to checking out a combined scent. The Sage and Cedar sounds promising as well.

Unfortunately, my olfactory tastes are so complex that I don't even understand them, so this may be a total bust.

If you'd like to check it out for yourself, here's the link:

http://www.ogallalabayrum.mybigcommerce.com/ogallala-bay-rum-bonanza/

My stuff

It occured to me that the things I use are pretty under represented on this site. I aim to correct that.

Lets start with the Razors.

I have three Gillettes - a Fatboy, a 40's era Super Speed, and a '67 Super Speed.

The Fatty:

Note the numbers near the head of the razor - this is the adjustment dial.The lower knob twists to open the butterfly doors.

The '67:

This isn't mine, just a picture of a similar razor.

And the 40's (Gillette didn't mark specific years of manufacture until the 60's I believe. Correct me if you have better info):

This is also not mine. Just a picture of the same type. This one is much cleaner than mine.

The brush I will have to take an actual photo of - more on that later.

The lathering bowl:

I picked this Cappuccino mug up at Target for $4. It does a decent job.

C.O. Bigelow Shave Cream:

This has been the most successful cream for me so far. I really like the Menthol in it.

AoS Peppermint Face Wash:

The peppermint really helps give you a kickstart in the morning. I love waking up to this scent.

AoS Toner:

Toner is a vital part of keeping your skin healthy. Google it now, thank me later.

AoS Sandalwood Aftershave Balm:

This is the stuff that kicked off my personal shaving revolution. Once I tried it there was no going back.

Lucky Tiger Moisturizer (that's right, I kick it old school.):

Good stuff - been around since the '30s I think...

And of course the Bay Rum:

This is what your Grand Dad's barbers shop smelled like. I told you - old school.

So apart from the things I can't add photos of yet, that is my set up. The razor blades will be added on an as used basis.

So there you have it. Add a bathroom sink, a washcloth, and my face, and you have my complete morning ritual.

The Routine

This is how I prepare for my shave. I like to make sure I have enough time to get it done without rushing.

First and foremost, I heat the soap and brush by placing them in hot water while I shower. I use conditioner on my face to soften the beard, then wash it with Art of Shaving Peppermint Face Wash.

Getting out of the shower, I dry off (not my face) and reheat the soap dish/brush. Then I apply a hot washcloth to my face and soak it for a few minutes.

Not my mirror. Not me in the mirror. I don't have a decent camera or camera skillls at the moment, so this will have to do.

After that I begin lathering the soap and apply it to my face.

Now the shaving begins.

I learned quickly not to use hot water to rinse the razor, since it's all metal head heats up fast. Warm water is good.

First I shave with the grain, then re-lather and go across the grain, then re-lather and go against the grain.

Afterwords I rinse my face thoroughly, splash it with cold water to close the pores, and use a toner, after shave balm (on areas I shave), moisturizer (on areas I don't shave), then apply a styptic pencil to any nicks I have. If I think of it (I should more often), I apply a little bit of lip balm at this point. Usually I forget.

A little splash of Clubman Bay Rum, if I'm in the mood, or maybe some Michael Jordan, and I'm done.

My Stuff

I am using a 1940's vintage Gillette Super Speed double edged safety razor. I have another Gillette Super Speed from 1967. I bought the razors for about $12 including shipping on Ebay.

My brush is a Boar bristle of unknown make that was given to me by a generous member of a forum I belong to.
I bought a stand for my razor and brush for $40. For my Col Conk's soap I use a small wooden bowl I found in the pantry, and lather up in a cappucino mug I picked up at Target for $4.
Some C.O. Bigelow (aka Prorasso) shave cream cost me $10, a can of Prorasso cost me $9, and I was given a puck of Col Conk's Bay Rum shave soap.

I ordered a sampler pack of razor blades, too numerous to list here. I will name them off as I use them. The cost was around $30.

And of course the scents and skin care:

Clubman Bay Rum. Very inexpensive and smells like an old fashioned barber shop.

Art of Shaving Peppermint Face Wash. Awesomesauce.

Art of Shaving toner. Unscented, good for the skin. Tightens the pores.

Art of Shaving After Shave Balm, Sandalwood. One of my favorite scents and a fantastic after shave. Very soothing.

Lucky Tiger Moisturizer. Old school goodness.

Michael Jordan cologne. Smells as good as he plays.

Once a week I use french green clay mask to clean my face thoroughly. Its inexpensive and very effective.

So I'm off and shaving. Bear in mind that I have several soaps and blades to experiment with. Once I figure out what works best for me I'll cut the recurring costs down substantially. Especially when the occasional after shave or brush pops up for a birthday or Christmas ;)