Just seeing what shaving brush handles I can find inside Norwegian spruce wood. I’m sure I’ll find even more and different ones inside my other blanks.
Experimenting with handle shapes
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Tag Archives: Thoughts while shaving
The Great Dictator – The Shaving Scene
No real blog post today
My desktop isn’t my friend today… so have a video instead:
Free ebook – shaving made easy
I’ve mentioned this a few years back, but it bears repeating:
Over at Project Gutenberg – which is an awesome site for free books, by the way – I found a gem from 1905:
Available of reading online, or to download to a Kindle or other ebook reader, it’s a keeper. A little thin on the subject of DE- razors for some strange reason*, but covering the straight edge well as well as touching upon the strop, the brush, the soap, and other supplies. Has some sage advice too, that has not changed in over a century, such as:
Next to the razor, the most important article of the shaving outfit is the soap. In its proper use lies the real secret of easy shaving.
And:
If you desire a really clean shave, you must go over the face the second time.
It’s a highly enjoyable read, and I urge you to take a few minutes to grab a copy.
*) The first DE Gillettes went on sale in 1903 – so when this booklet was written they were very much the new kid on the block.
As the pigeon says…
A razor is a clever shaving instrument using the cutting edge of a blade…
No shave of the day 26th September
Because someone – ie me – forgot to restock the GoBag with DE-blades.. still, a vigorous lathering, a throughout rinse and some aftershaves makes one feel like a new man!
…as you like it!
Thoughts on shaving while travelling
Once again my job have made me go places to do stuff, and once again I have been shaving out of my GoBag… and once again I’m reminded by what I miss most when not shaving in my own den.
Not quality razors; I actually have two of those in my kit, a vintage Gillette and a more modern Merkur.
Not a good brush; the Omega travel boar is a great performer and a good trooper.
Not good lather; the BEA shave stick I picked up in Spain a few years ago is all that and more.
Not my alum; I got a handy dandy travel sized one in a push up container.
Not a nice aftershave; I got a small bottle of Krampert’s Finest, and it’s fine indeed.
Not a beard oil; I keep a small bottle of Wet Shaving Products Matterhorn in with the rest of my gear.
No.. what I miss is what I don’t have… choice. Apart from the option of picking one of two razors, every single shave when Im on a trip is the same gear. Same brush. Same lather. Same aftershave. Same, same, same.
I do realise that some guys find their perfect setup and stick to it – one razor, one brush, one soap. I can’t do that. I cannot imagine going back to the dark age of always shaving with the same gear when there is choices available. I relish on rotating my razors and brushes. I enjoy agonising over what soap to use any given day, and which of my aftershaves I can pair it with.
Choice.
I miss that when travelling…
How to choose a brush
Brushes can be confusing at times, and complicated too. Selection of material and sizes vary wildly.
Broadly speaking, a larger brush offers more coverage while a smaller brush offers more control. If you opt for small knots (under 22 mm) you should go for short lofts, and conversely if you want to use a big knot (over 22mm) you should choose a tall loft.
Personally I like my brushes on the small side, with a knot around 19-20 mm across and 55-60 mm tall loft. However, in my opinion this size is best suited for horsehair and badger with a lot of backbone. A softer badger should be larger, say a 22-25mm knot with a loft between 60 and 65 mm tall. Boar brushes also work well in large sizes, but I have used small boars that work just fine.
As far as the hair go, that is complicated too.
Avoid the so called “pure” badger if you want a high end brush; this is in fact the lowest grade. Opt for “fine” or “silvertip” if you can, since they are both softer, retains water more easily and also lathers much faster – but be aware that thee is no set standard for what constitutes “pure”, “fine”, “silvertip”, or any other grade. Ask around or check the manufacturers website to work it out.
Boar hair are not graded, but I would avoid boar that is dyed to look like badger; this is often perceived as wearing faster due to the dye. A good boar will have tips that split during use and softens with age.
Horsehair is somewhat of an acquired taste, people either love or loath it. I’m a fan of a good horse brush myself, but I do admit that I’m a minority in that regard. Horsehair brushes are made from a mix of mane and tail hair, collected during normal grooming. More tail means a stiffer brush with more backbone and more scritch. For those who care, it’s the only animal hair I know of used for shave brushes that is collected in an animal-friendly way.
Synthetics varies wildly, so it’s hard to generalise about those. My experience with them is also limited to cheap ones from a decade or two back… and synths have come a long way since then.
Turned a brush handle simulator
