Back to the past - almost.

This is an old Shavex razor - look very cheap but very effective in providing a close comfortable shave. I'm still working my way through some pots of the old Coates Shaving cream - it's lovely stuff. And that's a New Forest 2213 Finest Silvertip - I do enjoy my own brushes!

Back to the future

An interesting shave today. I soon relearnt that you don't need a thick creamy lather with a 5 blade cartridge. So a quick swirl over the Cade and a thin coating of lather was quite enough for the Wilkinson Hydro to do its job. Three really quick passes without feeling anything was coming off gave me a very close smooth and comfortable shave rounded off with a low cost Wilkinson Balm. Shave over in half the usual time and off out for an early breakfast. I still prefer my more leisurely DE shave with a thick creamy lather but if time is a bit short the Hydro is an excellent alternative. The brush is a real buffalo horn silvertip from Trumpers.

Open comb razors.

The razor is a 1918 Gillette Single Ring originally bought by the father of an old friend. Used with a feather light touch it gives a superb shave still. In the Le Creuset dish I have stuffed palmolive soap sticks and it works well as a soap lathered up with a New Forest 24mm 2 Band. Treated with respect, open comb razors are fine. Apply too much pressure and you are in trouble!

Lathering

Face lathering seems to be the preferred method among wet shaving enthusiasts. I quite enjoy it from time to time. But for a relaxed luxurious shave it doesn't beat lathering in a bowl and then painting the lather on in long sweeping motions with the tips of a soft tipped silvertip or two band brush with a medium to high loft. Today it was with a 20mm Plisson High Mountain White with a 51mm loft. Perfect!

The Soap Bar

Another interesting blog I came across:

The Soap Bar

A guide to buying and caring for vintage razors

This is an example of a great post on a shaving forum which will be of interest to anyone considering the purchase of a vintage razor. Well worth a look.

Buying and caring for vintage razors.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all my most welcome visitors. I've taken a break over the festive season. Three daughters and their families stayed with us for over a week - from Dallas, Guildford and Bournemouth. With laptops, mobile phones and other devices, my broadband usage rocketed!

I'm looking forward to this year. Particularly my visit to the London Olympics on the last night of the athletics for which I have a great seat.

My shaving stash continues quite large so I don't have any need to add to it - but like many others I'm still tempted to try new things.

New Forest Brushes continues to thrive despite my attempts to keep it low key by declining offers to expand through selling through on line retailers and manufacturing for other brands. I will be introducing more brushes - some smaller, some larger. My next new brush will be a little Super Badger Two Band for just £25 delivered worldwide - I'm taking no advance orders and will post details here and on my New Forest Brushes Blog when they are ready. I also plan to make a Tubby 3 with a 28mm fan shaped knot, perhaps in the spring.

Meanwhile, I'm now off to my local Apple Store to attend workshops on iCloud and OSX Lion. So much happening in the world of technology!