Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
Occam’s razor – also known as lex parsimoniae – is a problem solving principle stating that among competing hypotheses that predict equally well, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected. Ockham stated the principle in various ways, but the most popular version, “Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity” (Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate) was formulated by the Irish Franciscan philosopher John Punch. Today it’s commonly taken to mean that the simplest solution to a problem is the best or most correct one.
Okay… so is the simplest solution to the problem of shaving a semi-disposable piece of plastic and metal that requires a lot of machinery to assemble, or is it a single steel blade securely held in a solid metal razor that lasts several lifetimes?
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
When a wetshaver is traveling, the choice of souvenirs is… different. I’m very happy with a shave stick and a cheap badger brush, and even more by the fact that I found something useful to bring home with me.
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
Pre-shave: Arko shave stick
Lather: Arko shave stick
Brush: Turkish No7 ‘horse hair’
Razor: Wilkinson Sword Classic with a Green Astra
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Factory Oil and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
From a thread at my favourite shave forum:
The percentage is around 35% mane and 65% tail but it is not always used in the exact same percentage in every production – it depends on the raw material received each time. The softness is obtained thanks to the mane and the backbone thanks to the tail.
So, speaking logically, a 50-50 mix as some of the Vie Long brushes have will be softer and with less backbone. Good information for those who find Vie Long’s regular brushes to be too stiff and scratchy.