Your most essential or consistently used shaving item

[rbscebu]

The more I see this brush the more it reminds me of the budget offering recently found at Colesworth which by all accounts does a good job.
Personally not for me as previously bad experiences using super cheapo brushes that fall apart way too easily but YMMV...

My under $5 brush has now been used for over 600 x 3-pass face-lathered shaves. The bush lost 2 or 3 "hairs" first use. Since then, no more losses and still looks like new.

I suppose that you give up on a brand of razor blades if you ever get just one dud. Each to their own.

 

[borked]

Hot water.
Unable to think of a shave that I've not used it.

 

[Mark1966]

Hot water.
Unable to think of a shave that I've not used it.

Summer time?

 

[borked]

Summer time?

Hot water first and foremost to cleanse the skin, soften the hair and open the pores.
Mentholated soap used to wash, menthol shaving soap and menthol aftershave equates to the perfect summer trifecta
Yet honestly, without water, our shaves would significantly suffer.

 

[possumbelly]

Hot water first and foremost to cleanse the skin, soften the hair and open the pores.
Mentholated soap used to wash, menthol shaving soap and menthol aftershave equates to the perfect summer trifecta
Yet honestly, without water, our shaves would significantly suffer.

Can’t argue with that. Best answer so far

 

[Razor Burn]

If I could have my time again post 3 years of traditional wet shaving (safety razor/blade, soap, brush) I would happily keep:
One boar brush - Troycraft Purple & Gold 28mm boar
One badger brush - Troycraft Clear/White/Blue 24mm 2 Band Finest
One synthetic brush - TF Customs Brushes Blue & Gold 30mm Tuxedo
One soap - any of the Australian made soaps or Cella Red
One DE razor - Rocca V4 R95
One SE razor - Vector Titanium
One blade - Wizamet SI (Minora Stainless superior but not as readably available) & Schick Proline P30
One AS/Balm - SpeedyPC home made splash & Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm
One fragrance - something Bay Rum or Old Spice themed (Blue Devil Lust scent is simply outstanding!!!) with APR winter scents by far my favourites by now unobtanium

Out of all the brushes that I own I'm yet to find the one complete badger brush that stands out as Alpha machine beautiful metallic handles but their knots are below par, whereas the hand turned wooden handle I received from the US with Maggard SHD fan knot is a delight, however I only use it on special occasions as delicate and a special gift.
That really just leaves the locally turned brushes and as luxurious as the Rhodium knot is its way too much to use daily leaving me to decide between my 2 Band Finest fitted brushes and in all honesty its a lottery with each a pleasure to use!
Similar with the synthetics as they all look/perform great but the P&C Charity Auction one is extra special and tuxedo knots feel and lather great!

 

[rbscebu]

....
Yet honestly, without water, our shaves would significantly suffer.

Real men shave dry with a safety razor .

 

[Rhinehoth]

I try to share equally among all products but a few that have stood out recently are:

Straight shaving:
Brush:- Vie-Long 22mm Brown Horse Hair
Soap:- GEO.F.Trumper's - Spanish Leather
The GFT has a similar scent to Tabac but so much slicker

Most often reached for:
Troycraft (@TroyTools) Kakadu Gold brush - customised 24mm fan

I don’t know, but when I read ”horse hair” anthrax comes to mind.

 

[Holiday]

I don’t know, but when I read ”horse hair” anthrax comes to mind.

Before pure and sterilized brushes maybe.
A thread here if you are interested in the history of it and dispelling myths

 

[Rhinehoth]

Before pure and sterilized brushes maybe.
A thread here if you are interested in the history of it and dispelling myths

I was joshing, kind of tongue in cheek remark. I have boar, badger and horse hair brushes.

 

[borked]

Real men shave dry with a safety razor .

...and then use every type of after shaver relief possible, only to still be wanting!
Ask me how I know
It was NOT plesant, yet demonstrated the importance of lubrication, let alone the right type.

 

[Straight up]

My Australian made strop.
I have had it since day 1 and without it I can't use a straight razor for too long.

 

[Mark1966]

My Australian made strop.
I have had it since day 1 and without it I can't use a straight razor for too long.

That is a real [black] beauty!

 

[JVS]

One of these: the only razors in my rotation that seem to cope with the flat-lying swirly bits under my jaw line:

https://imgur.com/a/CaIxHFe

L-R:

- Lupo 72
- Timeless 68 upgraded to OC
- Gamechanger 84

All with Timeless handles and stands (scratch & dent except the titanium handle).

the Timeless 68 was out of rotation (far too mild) until I bought the open comb plate. It’s transformed the shave.

My fav though is the Lupo 72 with Nacet blades. Effortless and the most efficient…even more so than my Nodachi.

 

[Holiday]

One of these: the only razors in my rotation that seem to cope with the flat-lying swirly bits under my jaw line:

https://imgur.com/a/CaIxHFe

L-R:

- Lupo 72
- Timeless 68 upgraded to OC
- Gamechanger 84

All with Timeless handles and stands (scratch & dent except the titanium handle).

the Timeless 68 was out of rotation (far too mild) until I bought the open comb plate. It’s transformed the shave.

My fav though is the Lupo 72 with Nacet blades. Effortless and the most efficient…even more so than my Nodachi.

+1 Some top end razors been moved on because they were not as efficient under the jawline.

 

[JVS]

+1 Some top end razors been moved on because they were not as efficient under the jawline.

I’ve a couple of patches that even buffing with the Nodachi wouldn’t clear up so i was kind of shocked when the Lupo easily shaved it all in 3 passes and zero buffing.

 

[Rhinehoth]

Real men shave dry with a safety razor .

I remember the drill sergeant making some unfortunates dry shave (including myself on one occasion) when the shave was not up to par.

 

[Rhinehoth]

One of these: the only razors in my rotation that seem to cope with the flat-lying swirly bits under my jaw line:

https://imgur.com/a/CaIxHFe

L-R:

- Lupo 72
- Timeless 68 upgraded to OC
- Gamechanger 84

All with Timeless handles and stands (scratch & dent except the titanium handle).

the Timeless 68 was out of rotation (far too mild) until I bought the open comb plate. It’s transformed the shave.

My fav though is the Lupo 72 with Nacet blades. Effortless and the most efficient…even more so than my Nodachi.

I am glad that these razors work so well for you. I found that the Lupo 72 to not be as good as the Lupo DLC, had the Timeless Ti and hated it (swapped it for a PILS) and the Gamechanger (.68 and .84) not to live up to its name. YMMV I guess. If you thought that the Timeless CC .68 was too mild for you, try the bronze Timeless; good lord, talk about blade feel and that was the closed comb. I can only imagine what the open comb bronze Timeless is like.

 

[TobyC]

Many of us like to change things up but I’ve been wondering if people have an item that they use extremely consistently - i.e. almost every single time they shave.

It may be a specific type of blade or a pre-shave or post-shave item, a razor, or something else. Maybe a specific brand of soap (if not the same fragrance).

For me, it’s definitely my Alum block. In the last 2-3 years, I’ve probably used it after just about every shave. Seems essential for me. This means I never reach for “astringent” items like Thayers or Myrsol Metilsol or Antesol any more, even though they are great too.

I've never owned alum, but there are two things that I almost always use,... water, and my face!

 

[TobyC]

Real men shave dry with a safety razor .

Real men shave dry with a knife!