Shave of the day 16th January

Pre-shave: Dr Bronners Peppermint Soap
Lather: “Mike’s Mixed”
Brush: Semogue “The Shave Nook 2012 Limited Edition” mixed boar-badger
Razor: BiC Sensitive SE disposable
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and BodyShop Maca Root Energetic Face Protection
Beard care: Big Red Beard Oil and Big Red No7 Beard Comb

Shave of the day 13th January

Pre-shave: Dr Bronners Peppermint Soap
Lather: “Mike’s Mixed”
Brush: TGR boar
Razor: TGR razor with a Green Astra
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Myrsol Agua De Limón
Beard care: Scotch Porter Beard Balm and Big Red No7 Beard Comb

TGR shaving kit review

A little while ago I bought a cheap – really cheap – shaving kit from TGR (aka Flying Tiger Copenhagen) after spotting it while window shopping.

I’ve been using it this week… and it has some good points and some bad points.

The razor is actually pretty good, if aggressive. It’s weighting in at 34 grams with a blade, evenly split between the head and handle. The blade is kept fairly flat, and despite my initial misgivings of the way the blade is secured it’s both easy to align and keeps it from shifting around. For a cheap razor I feel it’s actually a better way to keep the blade lined up than a raised bar in the middle or two undersized pins. The only real downside I can see of the razor apart from it being on the aggressive side is the finish of the wooden handle; the thin lacquer will probably flake off even faster than the chrome of the die cast head.

The brush is indeed boar – as proven by the splitting tips and the initial scent of pig the first time I soaked it. The scent went away after the first shave, and wasn’t really strong enough to put anyone of in my opinion. The knot has good backbone, but is not very dense… so the flow-though is higher than I would expect from a boar. Overall it would have been a decent brush if it hadn’t been for one minor problem…

…well, not all that minor, really.

It’s a shedder. Brush it against your palm, end up with three to five loose bristles. Lather up, then take a minute to pick a couple of bristles from the soap. A quick guestimate is a loss of fifteen to twenty bristles per shave, and I don’t think it’ll stop any time soon… which would be a let down if it wasn’t for the low, low price of the whole set.

The stand and cup is overall OK – not bad, not great, not much to say about it.

Picture time!

Should you get one, either from Flying Tiger Copenhagen or directly from China? Well… maybe. It can be a cheap introduction to traditional wetshaving, and the brush can be replaced with another one such as my BodyShop synthetic. It can make for a half decent travel kit, no one is going to loose sleep if it’s forgotten in a hotel or your luggage is lost with it inside. I wouldn’t get it if you’re into high end razors or want a daily driver in your den though; it’s simply isn’t good enough for that.

Shave of the day 11th January

Pre-shave: Dr Bronners Peppermint Soap
Lather: Prairie Creations Walter
Brush: TGR boar
Razor: TGR razor with a fresh Green Astra
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum Aftershave
Beard care: Scotch Porter Beard Balm and Big Red No7 Beard Comb

Shave of the day 9th January

Pre-shave: Dr Bronners Eucalyptus Soap
Lather: Brutalt Bra Barbersåpe TSN SE “Norwegian Wood”
Brush: TGR boar
Razor: TGR razor with a fresh Green Astra
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Proraso Liquid Cream After Shave
Beard care: Scotch Porter Beard Balm and Big Red No7 Beard Comb

Shave of the day 7th January

Pre-shave: Dr Bronners Peppermint Soap
Lather: Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol Soap
Brush: Vie-Long #14033 mixed horse-badger
Razor: German Bakelite Slant with a Treet Platinum
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum Aftershave
Beard care: Scotch Porter Beard Balm and Big Red No7 Beard Comb

The most important item in my shave gear

The most important “item” for me is the mindset of the shave. I got a fair selection of razors; new and vintage, SE and DE, open comb and safety bar. I got a decent selection of brushes; horse, boar, synth and entry-level badger. I got plenty of soap; factory and artisan, hard and soft, american and european. I got a small but decent selection of aftershaves; big names and artisan. And I can mix and match and get Damn Fine Shaves every time, provided I take the time to get into the mindset. The tool matters less than learning to use the tools.

Shaving time is – at least to me – a quiet, reflective moment. It’s me-time; the time when I can close the door and just enjoy myself without a worry in the world. It’s the time each morning I can ‘let go’ of everyday worries and simply enjoy the ‘now’ – a perfect moment caught between lather and blade as it were. It’s a moment that flushes the system, in a manner of speaking, and lets me put things in perspective. I think that traditional wetshaving have helped making me a better man, as well as a better looking man. In short shaving for me is less about the gear and more about that perfect moment caught between lather and blade – those precious minutes every time you shave that lets your worries and concerns simply drain away. The little breathing space where it’s you, your razor and perfection.

And as with everything regarding shavings; Your Mileage May Vary.

Shave of the day 4th January

Pre-shave: Dr Bronners Peppermint Soap
Lather: Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol Soap
Brush: Wilkinson Sword Badger
Razor: German Bakelite Slant with a Treet Platinum
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Myrsol After Shave Formula K
Beard care: Scotch Porter Beard Balm and Big Red No7 Beard Comb