Settling down...

FrenchBlade

FrenchBlade

Messages
2,124
Location
South of France
I've now been shaving with a straight for 5 months, DE a few months more.

I've found that I've settled down more or less, I'm rotating the following:
  • 4 straights (2 Heljestrand framebacks + 1 square point and the Grelot frameback)
    3-4 soaps (Nanny's, MWF, Occitanie Cade)
    2 ASBs (T&H 1805, Nivea)
    2 AS (OS & Aqua Velva)
    2 brushes (both from Fido)[/list:u]

    Of course I have a lot more (and I have a sizeable/interesting DE collection), but this is what I use, and would be happy to to use forever.
    It's not that I don't wan't to try new stuff, it's just that I've found my "comfort zone".
    I'm of course still expecting a few straights, but I've sold quite a few. (5-6), so it's not getting out of hand anymore ;)

    So is anyone else "settling down", and on cruise control?

    Max
 
I've calmed alot useing just :-

2 DE's Mergress/New.
3 Soaps Mwf/Henks/Nannys.
3 Blades Yellows/feathers/Bleues.
2 As/Balm Burts Bees/Lime n Peppercorns.
1 Brush IKON Chubby.

Allthough lol i would like/will get a Feather AS/Simpson Chubby 1/2 2 band ;)
 
Hiya,

For the longest time I'd pretty much use one razor and a couple different blades. Occasionally I'd use a change of pace razor, but very seldom. Had a bunch of soaps I'd switch up, but that was about it.

This last year or so though, I've been using a hell of a lot of different razors. I still have my go to piece, but now it's used less than 40% of the time. I'll still use an occasional different blade, but mostly have stuck with the same two over the years.

An even bigger change has been with soaps/creams. Man, I have so many excellent choices in my arsenal, but now I use one soap about 90% of the time. It's nuts how this stuff has hooked me in.

Heh, aftershaves and EdTs are another thing that's changed quite a bit over the years. The selection here is pretty good by now, and I'll switch that around quite a bit. Weird, since I'd stopped wearing any EdTs years ago (before beginning this goofy 'hobby').

Sheeesh, it just never ends,

Martin
 
On razors I'm not too bad now.

More brushes at the moment.

Creams I'm pretty set for too. I definitely prefer creams over soaps.
 
No chance
But !!
Can tell the difference in kit now as my default blade is a yellow. So that is my control for any new razor.
My same type of default soap that I know is good on my skin is proraso White tub.
My outstanding shaves so far have been with
Diplomat
Late 40's superspeed
1930's fat handled tech
My first day of use today rocket HD
Fat Handled Tech
They'd be the ones I'd keep at the mo.
Cannot get on with red tip.
ASB profs yellow unction. Have ordered big tub. Great for me.
Cheers
Timslick.
 
All my razors I use now are vintage TTO's - I have a FHT somewhere, but I have never used it.

I use 1 blade - Astra SP's 90% of the time

I have soaps / creams for 12 day rotations, some of which will not be replaced like for like once used. I am looking at getting rid where I have a soap/cream of the same flavour - Proraso Green.

I don't bowl lather at all - cannot be arsed :|

I only have 4 brushes (inc. travel), however I may put a Duke 2 BB on the list, but deffo a CH2 2B by Xmas - probably :?

Are there still things I am after? Of course: '58 Aristocrat, TV Special UK/US & the perfect shave ;)
 
My signature says it all. I am not tempted by soaps and creams anymore but still want new blades and razors. Moving in with my girlfriend in a few months has made me think about how I will fit my stuff into her place. So I am trying to use up a few soaps and creams and avoid buying new razors... who knows, I may even put some stuff on BST (obviously such a life changing decision requires a few more months of careful thought though!)
 
Mohahahaha ... A year ago, or so, I swore I wouldn´t buy any more soaps ... Well, that didn´t pan out. Before I "met" Neil I was happy with a couple of razors (he had the good taste to point out this site for me though :D ). Framebacks are sweet Max, but there´s more out there :twisted: :lol:
 
Must admit after my initial enthusiasm I've started clearing out 'the drawer' :roll:

Have 6 Razors ATM :roll: Merkur 34c 34g Edwin Jaggers EJ86 EJ87 EJ89 and a Parker 96
A selection of 6 brushes as well :roll:
there's a large and varied collection of blades :!:
as for soaps/creams and aftershaves :shave

I remember one of my earliest posts and the comment from one member about gathering shaving items and them multiplying, how right he was :lol:

In fact, going to have a bit of a sort out this morning, might put some in the BST section :idea:
 
For me, I've settled down in some ways.

For starters, my razor and blade is 100% settled, I use my Gillette Fatboy with Feather blade every day. I also own a Superspeed and an Edwin Jagger (I also owned a couple of others, which I have sold on here) but they're really not being used and I may put them up for sale at some point. The Fatboy/Feather combo works for me, so I don't use anything else.

I have only owned one brush for a good while now, but that's on the way out and I am awaiting delivery of a Semogue 1305, and am considering purchase of a New Forest badger at some point in the near future, but I won't have any more than two brushes.

I've got a group of soaps which I have just now and will always be part of my rotation (Proraso, Tabac, Sunbury, Nanny Henk, Prof Blighty, Ogalalla, Provence Sante). C&S #88 will also always be something I use, but rarely as SWMBO hates the scent. So, these are the musts and soaps which I will always have. In the next few weeks, I want to try Cella, Fitjar and Calani soaps, with Tabula Rasa also on the list for the future. I pretty much exclusively use soaps nowadays.

Aftershaves and Colognes. Again, I like Prof Blighty's aftershave, and use that quite a lot. I'm also a big fan of his Yellow Unction, and will be ordering a proper tub of that soon. I'm also keeping an eye out for Sunbury's Bay Rum, and will be ordering that when his next batch is ready. I always keep Tabac and Old Spice aftershave available for a reliable day to day splash on. I have fancier colognes which I use for really special occasions. I'm also thinking of doing my own Bay Rum aftershave (don't worry everyone, I won't inflict it on you all, hehe). I also want to try one or two others, especially the Pashana aftershaves and colognes.
 
I'm thinking about it and in some cases I'm already almost settled now.

Soaps: I'm pretty much settled on Martin de Candre. I've hardly used anything else since I got it, I find it that good. Also Provence Sante as the scent has really grown on me and a La Toja stick for when I travel. I think I'll probably end up trying one of DR Harris' offerings at some point though as I'm yet to try them.

Balms: Decided they don't really work for me, should probably stick the ones that I do have on the BST.

AS: A few I've tried that I probably wont pick up again and several that I still have earmarked to try.

Razors: Too many to choose from, although I seem to keep going back to the Fatboy. I need to thin them out really.

Blades: Gillette Bleues NOS, 7 o'clock Yellows, Sharks, Superthins.

Brushes: I'm settled on the Semogue custom blue boar that I have, cracking little brush. Can't really see me trying another boar whilst this one is performing the way it is. Badgers, not yet found the right one.
 
Have I ever settled down!

      • I only have a few dozen razors and if they don't fit into the rotation I find a way to get in a shave so as to not let them go. beejay is working on a razor handle for me - simply marvelous so far, too. I'm having another custom set made by neocaligatio so that I have one by each of our board artisan. Just got my refund for my eBay, half-price-or-less Black-satin-finish Goodfella which seems to be stuck in the post (about a fortnight without the message on the tracking board changing even once. Plus the EJ barley finish is very very tempting (along with safety-razors.co.uk's own HD razor). So it's obvious that I have cut down on consumption of razors.[/list:u]
            • Neo's set will include a 27mm Omega cream-coloured, non-banded boar knot in lacewood, and will likely be quite a spectacular homage to an olde-time-e Canadian brush (manufactured by Simm's Brushes). I have another job lot of 5 old/orphaned brushes to pack off for clean-ups/re-furbs/assessments. There is a wonderful,, non-faux-badger-natural horsehair brush by Vie Long on its way to me, as I type. I really really want a SOC Cherry wood boar brush and I'm thinking about getting a specific Omega (that I think is so ugly it's lovely), that I can't find on any UK/Euro site, ordered from Shoebox in Miami. So again, obviously brush consumption is well down too.[/list:u][/list:u][/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]
                        • On the soaps & creams front I have a handful of different tubes en route from Turkey, and have recently acquired a soap from New Zealand, one from Kansas, and I'm wondering if the Canadian team at O' Canada Soapworks has actually processed my order as they have been kinda quiet the last few days (but that could be them white water rafting home for a holiday (we don't have real roads in Canadialand you know... I still, semi-patiently, await my creams and ASLs from Fendrihan's (JMFraser / Booster products) being relayed via my sister; as well as Nanny's latest new products (as far as I am aware ... plus, Sharon's is still working on my Spearmint & Menthol Blast cream/soap/soft soap thingie).[/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]

                          ... and, as I'm not a huge proponent of ASL smellies, please see above for the Booster/JMFraser products' sit-reps... as each of the four JMF creams has an ASL to match it basically (now looking for the sources carrying Jake's Sport cream & ASLs, as Fendrihan doesn't any more).[/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]

                          So! - any and everyone can easily see that I've settled down an amazing amount.
                            • ... and I might even start flooding the pages of B/S/T, any - time - now, with goodies* to clear out for new faves and wannabes...[/list:u][/list:u]




                              * NOTE: meaning of course, my old nasty tat, poorly thought-out buys, and FreeBAYtes.
 
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