It's great to receive a message like this!

"In March, I ordered a 24mm knot New Forest Super Badger Two Band brush. During the first shave, I thought "this is a very good brush." Within a week, I knew I had purchased a great brush. Two months later, I'm wondering how I lived all of these years without a Fido brush? This is the best darn brush I've ever used! 

For the past 15 years, I've been exclusively lathering with an inexpensive hard soap sold in the U.S. (Williams Mug Soap $1.57). I prefer this soap over more expensive soaps because it is very mild and leaves little residue on the face. I have tried more expensive creams, but I find that creams get caught up in the hairs of the brush, and I don't like the residue left on my face. In the winter, I apply a mild lotion (Molton Brown Ultra Light Bai Ji Hydrator) after shaving."

Simpsons Rover Manchurian

"The Rover"

(A thread I started on The Shaving Room forum)

Shaving brush hair

When running your fingers through the hair of a shaving brush when dry you will notice significant differences. Some may feel silky smooth, others may be a little prickly or "scritchy" - almost rough. This is rarely a guide to how the brush will feel when lathered up and applied to your face. Some of my most expensive top end brushes feel quite scritchy when dry, including my Plissons, Simpsons and Rooney - High Mountain White, Super, Two Band and Finest. Yet these most often have the softest tips and feel exceptionally comfortable on the face.

So when you first feel a brush, don't rush to judgement before you use it.

I did read an explanation for the cause of scritchiness in a brush when dry. I cannot recall it now. If anyone can come up with something post a comment!

Two new arrivals. Reviews will follow here and on Fido's Shaving Brush Blog.

A glorious day in the New Forest. After weeks of cool wet weather we will soon be complaining it's too hot. This is England!

In praise of floppy!

This is the floppiest brush I own. And I love it. It is a Vie Long Silvertip 16510. The hair is the softest, silkiest silvertip I have handled. The 23mm knot has a loft of 60mm. Lathering in a bowl and gently painting it on is just so luxurious. Short lofted brushes with a firm backbone have their place, but any collection of brushes really should include a floppy or two or more!

New Forest 2213

Another popular New Forest brush is back in stock. Details can be seen here:

New Forest Finest Silvertip 2213

Personna razor blades

This is my regular blade. Selected after trying endless samples. For a long time I have referred to them as red personna - after the colour of the wrapper. From now on it's their proper name: Personna Platinum Chrome. Just perfect for me, a smooth close shave every time. And the only blade I intend to use as long as I can get them.

I got mine on a visit to The Gentleman's Shop in Hungerford, England.

There's surely not a more delightful rose scent than the T&H. The brush is the Astor limited edition which marked the 90th anniversary of the Simpsons brand.

Another fine example of the photography to be seen on the shaving forums! Thank you Mikael, a Swedish member of The Shaving Room.

The imitation badger brush is a very good performer. Holds a lot of water, easy to create lather and comfortable on the face. Coates as good as ever. I'm really going to miss this when it's all used up. Hybrid Tech/Lord now in regular use. Suits me fine.

Geo Trumper genuine buffalo horn brush. Superb hair. Lathered in a bowl and gentle painting on of the DR Harris Arlington lather. So luxurious!

I paid £110 for the Plisson European Grey shaving brush to include in my Fido's Shaving Brush Blog. I haven't changed my opinion. The only way to use this brush in comfort is to paint on the lather in to and fro motions. And if that's all you want to do, you can pay much less to obtain similar results. The Bluebeard's Revenge shaving cream is a delight. Very soft, easy to lather, pleasant scent. It's claimed that it will limit beard growth. Difficult to judge how effective it is if, like me, you use it just occasionally in a rotation.
Barbershop Bay Rum rounded things off nicely. My Gillette Tech/Lord handle hybrid continues to deliver great results with red personna.

New Forest Tubby 1

Two Band and a few Finest Silvertip Tubby 1 brushes are now available with a variety of handle materials. All the details are here:

New Forest Tubby 1

In a rush

Needed to be out quickly this morning so back to what used to be my workday routine. Shower, rinse, smear on some goo, wave the razor around for a couple of minutes. And out.

And to be fair, while not as satisfying or as close as usual, a perfectly acceptable shave. Wife was shocked that she kept me waiting for a change.