This tub is from the time back when Trumper made its own shaving soap — and did a good job of it. A very nice triple-milled soap that produces a fine and fragrant lather. I didn’t shake out the brush quite enough, so it was slightly wet instead of barely damp, and thus I didn’t have the chance today to replicate the slow loading of the brush and gradual development of the lather. Instead, the process was rushed and I had more water than I wanted in the mix. Tomorrow you can be sure that the brush will be well shaken. It’s easy to add a driblet of water, but once the loading begins it’s hard to take water away (though I suppose I could have rinsed the brush, shaken the be-jesus out of it, and begun again).
Still the lather I finally got, after extending the loading somewhat, was quite good, and again I am amazed at the excellent of the Baili BR171 is an astonishingly good razor: not only extremely comfortable and extremely efficient, it also feels good in the head, is well made, and to my eye has a definite aesthetic appeal. All that, and it currently is available for $4. It’s an excellent first razor for novices (because of the comfort and efficiency), so I might stock up for giveaways.
After 3 passes, no trace of stubble remained. A splash of Ogallala Bay Rum + Sandalwood aftershave, with a squirt of Grooming Dept Hydrating Gel carefully added (I learned my lesson yesterday) finished the shave and started the day on a good note.