The Phoenix Bakelite slant has also been on the back rack due to nicking, but since a Derby blade solved the Fine Superlite problem, I gave it a go this morning with the Bakelite slant.
First, of course, the prep: H.L. Thäter brush, a very nice little compact brush. I loaded it will with Van Yulay’s Puros de Habana shaving soap, which has a very pleasant cigar aroma and makes a dynamite lather. Oddly, although the brush was well loaded, I had no lather for the third pass. I reloaded, finished the shave, and then rinsed the brush well. As I felt the wet bristles, the brush felt oddly oily, and oil might account for the early lather-death. So I used a shampoo to wash out the brush well, rinsed it thoroughly, and then shampooed it again. I will see how it works now on the same soap. (I think I did identify the problem, and I have no idea how the brush became oily—perhaps when I was experimenting with a shaving oil.)
The Phoenix Bakelite performed like a champ. It’s still not so comfortable for me as some of my other slants, but it did not feel as if it was about to nick, and it did not in fact nick me. I got a very smooth result with no nicks. Now I want to try a Derby in the Maggard slant.
A good splash of Phoenix Artisan’s Cavendish to carry on the tobacco theme, though this is clearly a pipe tobacco fragrance and not a cigar. I really like this aftershave.
The weekend begins.
Filed under: Shaving
