The Shaving Mug and Brush

     

So many of the "guys" that contribute to this wonderful website have written to voice their personal preferences about shaving that I decided that even just an avid reader such as myself could contribute at least an opinion about shaving.

So:

Omega 63167 Stripey 10... Buy New $20.89 (as of 10:55 UTC - Details)

For the past 30+ years I have been a staunch user of the system of shaving mug and brush together with a razor.

My razor of choice for every day use is normally a Gillette Sensor. I like the "Sensor Excel" blades best.

I think that like most guys that have a mustache or beard I find that any razor with more than two blades is a bit difficult to maneuver around with on my face. And yes, I do remember that old Saturday Night Live skit years ago where they showed the then fictitious 3-blade razor "Because You'll Believe Anything" skit. Actually, I think that they got it about right. At what point does it become nonsense? 5-blades? 6-blades? 10-blades?

Although I don't have a beard to work around I do sport what my friends call a "Wyatt Earp Mustache" that is just too cumbersome for anything more than two blades.

I also like the pivoting Atra and non-pivoting Trac 2 systems. The razors that I have for these twin blades all have nice heavy handles and I can find replacement blades and even new razors for them very reasonably priced at Amazon.com.

You can get 50 Persona blades complete with the lubricating strip for both the Atra and the Trac 2 razors for under $24. Yes, that's less than 50 a blade. Buy something else for a buck and they even pay the freight. Compare that with the replacement blades for those 5-bladed Fusion things. They practically give those razors away in order to get the repeat sales for the blades. What does that tell you?

I do NOT like the disposable razors. They are just too light for me. Personally I like to have a shaving instrument with a little weight in my hand when I'm shaving. Also being a mechanical sort I can appreciate the fine craftsmanship of some of the better razors.

Personna Twin Pivot Pl... Buy New $16.07 (as of 08:30 UTC - Details)

Speaking of fine craftsmanship, I also use a double-edge safety razor if I need to shave a more than one-day-old scruff. Even a two-day beard will clog any of my twin blades. Again I favor one with some weight to it (3+ oz.) and a long handle (about 4 inches) although I do admit that I use the butterfly type for this razor.

The "butterfly" mechanism means that I can replace the blades by simply twisting the bottom portion of the razor handle until the blade compartment opens up. Remove the old blade and drop in a new one, twist the bottom portion again to close it and you're done – simple.

On what are called "traditional" double-edge razors you replace the blade by unscrewing the entire top portion and pulling the pieces apart.

To the double-edge safety razor purist it might seem almost sinful to use a butterfly razor, but I find that it works fine and holds the blade perfectly snug. Just like it's supposed to.

The important thing though is that the shave is great with either type and replacement blades for double-edge razors are even cheaper than the twin blades. I can get them at Amazon for about 16 each. 100 blades for less than sixteen bucks! How about that 5-blade aficionados?

Gillette AtraPlus Cart... Buy New $37.09 ($1.85 / Count) (as of 01:45 UTC - Details)

As to the lather I have used a shaving mug for decades – they are one of the best-kept secrets around. A round soap bar lasts for 6 months and the brush gives a nice massage to my face. I like a good quality badger brush.

Parker 91R Super Heavy... Buy New $28.99 (as of 08:15 UTC - Details)

For mugs you can use just about anything. Even an old coffee mug will do if it's wide enough. Personally I favor the tall "Old Spice" Grand Turk mugs that are still readily available on eBay. They are inexpensive, heavy, and just to my liking.

The best shaving soap that I have ever found was from a guy that made his own and was selling it on eBay. It was supposed to be particularly good for people with sensitive skin. I bought a couple of his sampler sets of 2.5 oz. bars in an assortment of fragrances and they have lasted me for years. In fact, I haven't bought a can of Barbasol or Foamy since the 1970s.

Alas my eBay home soap maker is no longer selling his shaving soap. When my supply runs low I guess I'll have to find someone else on one of the Internet "Homemade Soap" Blogs…

I tried all of the other suggestions that have been listed here like shaving in the shower, not using any soap, etc, but this is what works for me. I shave after I shower and I use my shaving mug, brush and razor.

Hey – it's a guy thing, and it's a personal guy thing.

So for me the man's daily ritual is: The shaving mug, the badger brush, and the twin blade.

August 6, 2010