Shave of the Day Jan. 8, 2011

Razor: 7/8 Frederick Reynolds
Brush: No-name super badger
Cream/Soap: Williams Mug Soap + Kiss My Face Unscented
Aftershave: Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue

Used my favorite straight this morning. This is a 7/8 Frederick Reynolds made in Sheffield England some time in the late 1800's. I stumble across this item online just by accident and couldn't believe my eyes when I found it. First the blade had minimal tarnish on it, just a patina but luckily no rust. Second and what was most amazing to me was the fact that it still had the original scales which were light colored horn and in fantastic shape right down to the original lead spacer. But the ultimate was the price I paid for it; only $22 shipped!

The brush I purchased off Ebay and had it restored by Tony and Penworks with a nice super badger knot. I finished up my week of local-product shaves with the Williams mug soap enhanced with a bit of Kiss My Face unscented shaving cream to create what some refer to as "super lather" and finished off with a splash of Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue aftershave.

Shave of the Day Jan. 7, 2011

Razor: 11/16 Joh. Engstrom Frameback
Cream: C.O. Bigelow
Brush: Vulfix 2234
Aftershave: Heritage Products Rosewater & Glycerin



C.O. Bigelow cream is the single best shaving product available in the north Alabama area. It can be found at any area Bath & Body Works and is a great bargain, costing $5 for the 1.7 oz. tube and $10 for the giant 5.1oz. tube. Add to this the fact that B&BW regularly runs buy 1 get 1 free deals and for just $10 you could be set for a year or more of fantastic shaves!

The scent of the Bigelow cream is slightly medicinal and has a substantial cooling effect due to the eucalyptus oil it contains. The cream produces a very slick and cushioning lather that provides a great shaving base. In addition to the shaving cream, B&BW also carries the full line of Bigelow products for men including aftershaves, colognes, shampoos and soaps.

I stopped into Earth Fare again last night to pick up a few things and also purchased the bottle of Heritage Rosewater and Glycerin lotion. Used it this morning and it works great as a sting-free aftershave splash!

Shave of the Day Jan. 6, 2011

Razor: 6/8 Wacker
Cream: Crabtree & Evelyn Sienna
Brush: Shavemac 177
Aftershave: Nivea Sensitive Balm
Cologne: Crabtree & Evelyn Sienna



Once upon a time, shaving in the north Alabama area looked to be on the upswing with the introduction of a Crabtree & Evelyn store in the Bridge Street Town Center shopping plaza. Unfortunately, the company fell on hard times and eventually the store closed. The closest one is in Nashville, TN. A bad loss for the area because it was the only shop where one could get truly high end shave gear and their Best Badger brush at only $35 was one of the best bargains available. I hope we eventually get something similar in one day.

Sienna (and all Crabtree & Evelyn creams I've used) is a great shaving cream in both performance and scent. The website describes it as "A masculine blend of leather, citrus and spice - with just a hint of fire and herbs" and they're exactly right! It smells warm and spicy! The cream is thick in the jar with a consistency similar to Noxema cleansing cream and a little definitely goes a long way.

New razor on the way.

Just snagged this nice old 5/8 George Wostenholm & Sons straight.

Shave of the Day Jan. 5, 2011

Razor: 7/8 Henckels Friodur
Cream: Kiss My Face Peaceful Patchouli
Brush: Badger & Blade Essential
Aftershave: Thayers Witch Hazel & Nivea Balm

I began the new year with shaves featuring soaps, creams, aftershaves & colognes that I purchased locally. Although Huntsville doesn't have much, there are some good things to be found out there. Kiss My Face is marketed as a brushless cream but I've found that it does indeed work nicely with a brush. I picked it up at the new Earth Fare market on University Dr. (Kroger also carries the line although I've not seen this scent in any of them) and it's very slick and moisturizing. I picked up the bottle of Thayers witch hazel at Earth Fare as well. Witch hazel has long been a go-to of traditional barbers due to it's toning and antiseptic properties. This particular bottle contains a slight bit of alcohol and is unscented but there are others available that are alcohol free and scented (rose petal, lavender).

Introduction to Traditional Wetshaving, Part 1: Concepts

Here's a GREAT video to introduce you to the concept of traditional wetshaving!

Traditional wet shaving

I thought I'd start off the new year by blogging about one of the unlikeliest activities you'd ever believe could be enjoyable... Shaving! Up until two and a half years ago, I did what most of you probably do. I'd wake up in the morning and after a hot shower I'd grab a metal can of goo and a horribly over-priced cartridge razor and go at it. I can remember back then that I would only shave three or four times a week at the most because it was such a hassle where redness, irritation and ingrown hairs were a common occurrence.. Basically it was a chore that I did only because I had to.

Then I began searching the internet for a better way to go about it and in due course came across the concept of traditional wet shaving. Now it's a given that any shaving in which water is involved can be considered "wet shaving". Traditional wet shaving on the other hand incorporates tools and techniques that haven't been commonly practiced since the introduction of the Trac II razor by Gillette in the early 70's (and earlier considering that canned foam was introduced in the 1950's). Traditional wet shaving requires the use of items such as a shaving brush, a mug or shave scuttle and some form of shaving soap or cream. In a very short time I had acquired myself a Merkur safety razor, some blades and cream and never looked back.

Two-and-a-half years on I'm still enjoying a wonderful shave every morning. In that time my tools have changed somewhat but the core elements are still there; a razor (straight razor), creams, soaps and a brush and I am now getting the best shaves of my life! So from now on I'll post my daily shaves and comment a little about them, the equipment that I use and why I like them so much.