My shave of the day

DR Harris rose cream, lathered in a bowl and gently painted on.

Gillette Tech with long handle from a Lord razor. Cheap as chips and very effective with a red Personna blade which I now use for 7 days before replacing.

Wilkinsons balm - 2 for £5 and still plenty left.

And a New Forest 2031.

It's raining here!

12GENTS

New businesses are starting up regularly in the shaving world. I'm always happy to draw attention to new ventures and wish them well. Here's a link to 12GENTS who offer a small range of shaving related products. Worth taking a look.

Emails

Occasionally I open emails on my iPod and delete them by mistake before replying. I cannot then retrieve the email. Someone wrote today asking about the availability of Tubby brushes - I lost the email!

I reply to all emails promptly. So if ever you try to contact me and don't get a reply within 24 hours please write again! I may have used my iPod again!

And I do have Tubby brushes in stock.

New Forest - brushes back in stock.

The New Forest 2204 - successor to the first New Forest 2201 is now in stock. Details can be seen here:

New Forest Super Badger Two Band 2204

How much do you need to spend?

Many shaving enthusiasts spend a small fortune on the products they use. Including me. I have bought brushes that cost over £200, razors over £100 and creams and soaps up to about £45.

On the other hand I have a few things that cost very little. I used some today.

Palmolive soap sticks (I stuff them in a bowl) cost about 50p in the UK. The Lord L122 razor was £6. The old brush was a gift which I re knotted and the Hydro Balm was on offer at £2.50. My red Personna blade was 7.5p.

And a fine shave it was too.

Perhaps we all get carried away. And it can be fun, but if money is tight, you can have great shaves without the need to spend a lot of money. As any golfer will tell you, technique is more important than equipment. So too, with shaving.

Another piece in the jigsaw.

New Forest Super Badger 2031

This new brush completes a trio of three small brushes in the New Forest range. Details can be seen here:

New Forest 2031

DorcoUSA

I received this today. Very interesting!

Hello,

Due to the subjects you write about or feature, we thought you might be interested in the following press release.  We've also included a link to download related images at the end of this email for your convenience.  Thank you so much for your consideration.

________________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Internationally Renowned Shaving Brand, Dorco, Selects Tax Day To Launch The Great Shaving Rip-Off Campaign And Web Site.

Developed To Educate Consumers About Over-Priced Shaving Razors, TheGreatShavingRipOff.com Web Site Will Expose And Enlighten Through Humor, Facts And Consumer Engagement.

SAN DIEGO, California (April 17, 2012) – Dorco USA® announced today the successful launch of the company’s TheGreatShavingRipOff.com web site to broadly increase awareness of high-priced shaving systems and disposable razors in the U.S. marketplace.

Recently introduced to U.S. consumers, Dorco is widely recognized around the world for its cutting-edge shaving technology and superior quality razors and systems.  Currently, Dorco's shaving products are sold in over 97 countries.

The company’s decision to launch The Great Shaving Rip-Off campaign was founded on a high level of confidence that current economic conditions call for a technologically superior product that costs less.  Currently, name brands like Gillette® and Schick® collectively control approximately 97% percent of the shaving systems and razors market share in the U.S.  The web site will bring to light what the true cost of stadiums, celebrity endorsements, race cars and major television ad buys are to the typical consumers who are just looking for a quality shaving product at a reasonable price.

"When you check the prices of disposable razors, systems and cartridges from leading brands, the prices amount to what I would call the great shaving rip-off.  Their astronomical prices and profit margins leave open a very wide door for our Dorco Pace® and Dorco Shai® products.  It's time for consumers in the U.S. to Demand More For Less™ by refusing to be manipulated by advertising saturation.  Dorco's products feature patented technology and have been tested to be equal or better in quality when compared to the big brands.  Best of all, the products cost at a minimum, 30% less.  Why would you pay more?  Tax Day is the perfect day to start this conversation." stated Ken Hill, President of Dorco USA®. 

The campaign web site, www.TheGreatShavingRipOff.com, will highlight such feature sections like an on-going blog, satirical videos, actual consumer testimonials, head-to-head price comparisons, deals on Dorco’s leading products as well as a humorous look at outrageous claims made by leading brands.  And most importantly, the company expects the web site’s visitors to engage in the conversation to guide the future path of the site’s content and direction.  Initial visitors to the web site will be entertained by Joe Pace, a Dorco razor character, being horrified by what he discovers in one of the local drug store shopping aisles.

Since Dorco's introduction to the U.S. consumer via its ecommerce web site, www.DorcoUSA.com, the products have been widely praised as being superior in quality while offering huge savings when compared to leading brands.  In addition, Dorco prides itself on being open and transparent to its customers.  Unlike some start-ups making headlines, there are no subscriptions or term commitments required to save with Dorco.  Through constant innovation, proprietary technology and exceptional value, the company’s mission is to deliver an unparalleled experience to its new customers in the U.S.  This unique value-proposition message will be at the heart of the company's The Great Shaving Rip-Off campaign.  Change is coming to the U.S. shaving industry and Dorco is leading the way.

For a comprehensive and enlightening look at The Great Shaving Rip-Off, consumers are invited to visit www.TheGreatShavingRipOff.com.

About Dorco USA®

Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Dorco USA® is a leading private label Manufacturer of technologically advanced and superior quality disposable razors, shaving systems and shaving cartridges for men and women.  Its product origins date back to 1955 when a small company named Dorco was founded in South Korea.  Today, Dorco is Asia’s market leader for disposable shaving products and is a household recognized brand in numerous countries around the world.  By strategically aligning with Dorco, Dorco USA® has been able to introduce the pinnacle of shaving innovation to the U.S. marketplace, including the world’s first 6 blade shaving systems, as well as the innovative and patented common docking feature.  For a comprehensive look at the premier line of Dorco's disposable razors, systems and cartridges, consumers are invited to visit www.DorcoUSA.com. 

Media Contact:

Mr. Ken Hill

PRES.

Dorco USA®

1-619-661-0307

ask@dorcousa.com

http://www.TheGreatShavingRipOff.com

http://www.DorcoUSA.com

Kent real ivory shaving brush

Well I finally got round to using the brush - made in 1919 but not used since re knotting in the 70s. Four shaves with it so far. Two with Palmolive soap and two with creams - Coates and Arlington. The brush has a 22mm knot with a loft of 53mm. The fan shape means the brush splays quite a lot when lathering with circular motions so I settled for mostly using swift but light to and fro painting motions, something I'm tending to do with most of my brushes. A bit floppy, but really not much as there is still a decent enough backbone. Tips are soft silvertip with no scritchiness dry or wet. The brush holds a lot of water and produced more than enough lather very effectively. The density was just right to ensure very satisfactory release of lather. All in all, a luxurious shaving experience. I'm pleased I used it and I will continue to do so from time to time.

Bob's Razor Works

I mentioned to a friend that I love my Gillette Tech but would have liked a longer handle. He suggested I contact Bob's Razor Works to get a custom made handle. I've got as far as taking a look at Bob's website. Looks interesting!

Brush collecting

And some readers think I'm a brush fanatic! Compared with this chap, I'm an amateur.

Manchurian Polos

That real ivory brush

I've cracked. I just shouldn't have left it here by my computer:

I've been thinking. The brush was made in 1919. It got a new knot much later. So the handle must have been well used. The knot is still unused. But I have no particular wish to preserve a new "old" knot. So I've decided I may as well bring the brush into use again - this weekend perhaps. I'll post pics of the brush once it's been in action. Everyone's entitled to change their mind.

Brush density

Shavers comment a lot about shaving brush density. Excessive density doesn't actually improve the performance of a brush - it makes it often become a lather hog making it difficult to release the lather on to the face. So reasonable density is fine, but beware too much!

Another new New Forest!

Over the next few months New Forest Brushes will be available within a price range of £20 to £50, including shipping, mainly with high end hair grades. This small brush launched today is the first New Forest brush made with a good quality Best Badger hair. Details can be seen here:

New Forest 2041 Best Badger

Manchurian Badger.

I love my Duke 3 Best Badger brush. A fine all rounder. It cost me £74. This Manchurian Badger version will cost £192. Do I want to pay another £118 for just the difference in the hair? I'm still thinking about it. I came across this thread on Badger & Blade started by someone thinking about it too:

Manchurian badger - a discussion.

Kent real ivory

Another interesting find.

Shown between a Kent BK 8 and Kent BK 4.

And with the other recent find, the Kent V16.

And some detail.

I asked Kent brushes for information. This was their reply:

Thank you for your interesting e-mail.

As far as we can determine this was a style of brush made in 1919 which came

in 4 sizes, model 1, 2, 3, 4, the brush illustrated is No.2.  However this

brush has been refilled (possibly in the 70's) with pure silvertip badger and the KENT shield was added, which was not available in 1919.

We trust the above information is of some interest and help.

Kind regards,

Consumer Service

Kent Brushes

2 April 2012

The brush came from the same source as my V16 - a former Kent Brushes employee, now deceased.

The brush has a 21mm knot with a loft of 52mm, very dense and unused. Handle height is 67mm and base diameter 37mm.

Today

The line up today included my Tech/Lord hybrid and Arko. Easy to use stuffed in a small casserole dish. Loaded lather on to the brush then continued in the bowl and applied with sweeping painting motions. Such a pleasant ritual. Looks like it will soon be time to get some more Proraso Balm, but might get something else to add to my Truefitt and Hill 1805 - the only other balm I have now.

Kent V16

I'm going to be a bit lazy with this. For what this is all about,scroll through this thread!

Kent V16