Very fine shave today. As the demand for DE razors increases—that is, as the market grows—new products start to show up: new soaps, new brushes, and new razors. I’m using one of each today.
Brushguy.com is a new maker of brushes. They have an unusual handle, very comfortable and available in many patterns, with knots that tend toward the short and firm—men who like the Simpson Chubby will like these. I like them, and the pure badger knot shown feels good on my face (unlike the Omega pure badger brush I once had, which was quite prickly). Though the knot is relatively short-lofted, it holds plenty of lather for a three- or four-pass shave
Mike’s Natural is one of a growing number of artisanal soaps, and his are excellent. They are thirsty, and as I load the damp brush, I add a small amount of water to the brush, work it in as I load, and repeat. Then, as I work up the lather on my beard, I add another little bit of water. The lather is plentiful, slick, and excellent, and the Vetiver fragrance hit the spot.
Western Razor is a new company that offers a substantial razor—the hefty handle is the same diameter as the iKon or Weber Bulldog, but somewhat longer—with a more or less standard head: like the Maggard or Edwin Jagger, it is comfortable and efficient. It costs a very reasonable $33 and came with the 5-pack of Gillette 7 O’Clock SharpEdge blades, and with those blades I had no trouble at all in getting a BBS result.
Because of the handle—stainless steel, good diameter, good length—it feels quite good in the hand, and if you maintain light pressure—this is another razor whose weight you might want to support in your hand rather than having the full weight on your face—it does a terrific job.
A splash of Guerlain Vetiver to finish the shave, and the La-Z-Boy guy showed up and fixed my chair: the back was off the rails was the only problem. Still, I think that should I replace it some day years hence, I will avoid La-Z-Boy: the waits are too long and the product clearly is not so well made as it once was.
Filed under: Shaving
