How to Get a Close Shave, Pt. 2

Yesterday, in Part 1 of my series on shaving with a double-edge razor, I laid out for you why I decided to dedicate a week of posts to my daily grooming ritual. Yes, I was badgered into it. Today, I'm going to tell you about my experience in search of the best double-edge razor, blades, brushes and shaving soaps and which ones are the absolute best in each category. All of this comes after two years of in-depth research to minimize the extent of trial and error, which can become costly if you don't figure things out in advance. Again, the following isn't directed at men exclusively. Everyone I know who sells products in the "wet shave" space has talked about the rising interest by women, and there have long been double-edge razors for the female market. [Photo above of a 1959 Gillette Fatboy nickel revamp at Razor Emporium here]

So here we go:

Double-edge razors. I have 16 mint-condition double-edge razors that date back to the early 1920s. Each has a different personality in terms of how it shaves and how it must be handled to do its job efficiently without causing havoc. Twelve of them were made by Gillette. These include two "New Improved" models from 1921 and '22, a Sheraton open-comb razor with early twist-to-open butterfly doors from the mid-1930s, a gold Big Boy from the late 1930s, a "New Improved" bar handle razor from the late 1930s whose previous owner shared with me an amazing story about it, a 1956 Super Speed red tip, two Fatboy razors from 1958 and 1961, and a black-handle Super Adjustable 109 from 1969, the first production year. I enjoy them all. Most were purchased on eBay by waiting for the appearance of a desired model in perfect condition. Two of the Gillette razors were purchased at Razor Emporium. I also have a Japanese Feather razor and two new Maggard models that were bought at Maggard Razors.

My favorite: That would have to be the red tip Super Speed. In my opinion, the mid-1950s Super Speeds marked the pinnacle of Gillette's double-edge razor technology. The red tip delivers a perfect shave, time after time. My second favorite razor is the Gillette adjustable Fatboy. The design is visually perfect and the razor feels terrific in the hand. It also delivers a fantastic shave, giving you the ability to shift gears with a twist of a dial mid-shave. [Photo above of a Gillette red tip Super Speed]

The Super Speed line pre-dated the adjustable technology and came in three different color tips indicating the razor's level of aggressiveness in terms of blade exposure. In general, the red tip was the heaviest and most aggressive, the silver flare tip was moderate and the blue tip handle (pictured above) was lighter and least aggressive. It was marketed to first-time shavers and to women who wanted a gentler shaving experience on legs and underarms. Here's Matt Pisarcik of Razor Emporium to explain...

The best for new shavers: I'd recommend a new Maggard model. The handles of the two I own are solid stainless steel and deliver amazing shaves. I love open comb models because by "riding the head," meaning rolling the razor back onto the head slightly as you shave, you minimize the risk of nicks and cuts. I have the chrome MR5 handle paired with the V2 open-comb head. I also have chrome MR8 handle—one of the heaviest handles on the market—also with the V2 open-comb head. Either one is superb and forgiving, depending on how heavy you favor the hold. Both are relatively inexpensive, in the $30-$35 range complete. The beauty of Maggard is they let you choose the handle and then a head. The two screw together. [Pictured above is the family of Maggard-made razors; click to enlarge]

Women may want to explore the MRP or MRG handles, which are thinner and lighter. There's also the vintage Lady Gillette (a 1961 model pictured above), which dates back to the early 1960s.

Blades. Not all disposable double-edge razor blades are alike. Some are thinner and sharper than others, others are less aggressive. There is no best blade. Your choice is purely subjective, depending on your growth and your razor's level of aggressiveness. I've tried at least 30 different kinds. Probably the sharpest blades I've encountered are by Feather and Kai, both Japanese makers. The mildest are probably the Astra blades.

My favorites: I adore the Rapira Swedish Supersteel, followed by the Rapira Platinum Lux and Gillette Platinum. The best-kept secret of double-edge razor shaving is the absurd low price of the disposable blades. You can buy 100 Rapira Swedish Supersteel blades for $9.50 at Amazon in packs of five. Personally, I use a blade a week. Others use a new blade every other day. So if you're like me, you'll get two years of shaves for $9.50. Or just buy five packs and spread your low investment among different brands until your face falls in love.

Brushes. This is where the bristle meets the skin. All you really need to know about brushes are the type of bristles, the knot size and knot shape. That's it. There's no one best kind. Again, this is about personal preference and budget. [Pictured above, a Riva stabilized spalted beech tree and resin shaving brush; 26mm Manchurian knot; go here]

There are synthetic brushes, brushes made of boar hair, horse hair and badger. I'm a badger guy. The badger category divides neatly into several different levels of quality, starting with the least expensive with the basic "pure badger." Moving up the quality ladder, there's "best badger," "super badger," "silvertip badger," "Manchurian badger" and "high-mountain badger." Manchurian is a stiffer badger bristle so it's better at exfoliating the skin as you lather up. My 10 brushes fall into the last three categories.

Knot size will give you a sense of the diameter of the brush. If you like a large, full brush, you'll want a knot size between 30mm to 35mm. If you want a less robust brush but still large, 28mm is ideal. Then comes the 26mm, which is good. In my experience, brushes that are smaller may tend to require more work to lather up and will cover less area of your face. The only drawback to the larger brushes other than the expense is the large amount of soap it loads up and extended period required to wash the excess soap from the bristles once you've finished.

Shape divides into two categories—bulb and fan. In general, the bulb shape flares round and then comes in on top, like a tulip. The fan has a V shape and tends to be a bit floppier when lathered up. Both are terrific for different reasons.

Favorites: I own brushes made of super badger, silvertip, Manchurian and high-mountain of varying sizes, but most are 28mm. I did extensive research before purchasing each one, so all of my brushes are wonderful. They are made by Italy's Riva, England's Simpson, Germany's Thater and Shavemac, and France's Plisson, which still operates the world's oldest shave-brush factory.

Visually, Riva makes the most beautiful brushes. The handles are gorgeous works of art, and the brushes are dense and strong. But I also love my other brushes for different reasons. I'll post an interview with Walter Riva of Riva Brushes later this week. He makes each one by hand, so you're buying from a true artisan.

Soaps. I'm a soap-a-holic, always in search of the very best lather experience. How "holic?" Let's put it this way: I have different soaps for different seasons of the year. Spring tends to be fern, floral and wet stone scents; summer is beachy and citrus; fall is pine, musk and cedar; and winter is bay rum, spearmint, juniper and cologne. I'm a big believer that shaving soap should transport you to places far away. This turns shaving into a 15-minute mini vacation. For me, shaving soap is all about a sophisticated and intriguing scent and the quality of the soap and its protective quality when applied. Always remember, with a double-edge razor, you're dragging steel. Soap is first and foremost about laying down a slick surface.

My favorites: Since I rotate soaps seasonally, I'll give you my list of favorites that I'm using now. All deliver a slam-bang lather. My current favorites include:

Dr. Jon's Rose of Phyrgia vegan soap—a complex dark rose scent with sweet spices. The way a rose bush would smell in a heavy rain toward dusk.
Dr. Jon's 8th Dimension—also a complex scent that smells like a new-car glove compartment, stereo packaging from the 1980s and the first day of public school after the halls have been freshly painted.
The Sudsy Soapery's Pine & Cedar—delivers a true pine (not Pinesol) scent with musky cedar notes. Topping it off is menthol that leaves your face frosty cool.
Turtleship Shave Co.'s Pine—will make you feel you're on a terrific mountain hike in a dense fir forest.
Scapicchio's Shaving Cream—from Italy's family of straight razor shavers, Scapicchio's is a singular, fresh barber-shop scent that tells you immediately you are in Bovino, Italy, without a care in the world and about to have a hot towel applied to your face.
Le Pere Lucien's Cedre-Patchouli—a sophisticated leathery, suede scent from France that smells like fresh wood chippings and high-end incense.
Noble Otter's Lonestar—a warm scent reminiscent of hay bales, week-old cut grass and horse saddles warmed by the early autumn sun.

Other tips: Getting your beard (or for women, your legs and underarms) prepped for a double-edge shave, you need to be sure your hair is soft and pliable. Otherwise, you'll wind up with ingrown hair, razor burns, scraping or nicks. Ugly stuff.

My prep: I apply Palmolive Renfrescante shaving cream that comes in a tube from Italy for starters, aggressively working that into my beard. After applying hot water and working the green paste to moisten the whiskers, I apply Italian Proraso menthol pre-shave and work it in. Finally, I add a light coat of Germany's Speick tube shave cream as a base before working up a lather with my brush and applying. After thoroughly soaking the brush, I give it a couple of gentle snaps to flick off the excess water and work the brush on the product to load up the soap. Then I work the soapy brush in a heavy coarse-textured marble bowl to produce a thick lather. I love the feel of heavy stone and so do my brushes.

Palmolive Menthol, go here.
Proraso pre-shave, go here.
Speick tube shave cream, go here.
Marble bowl, go here.

Tomorrow, an interview with Walter Riva of Riva Brushes, followed by Brad Maggard of Maggard Razors on Thursday and Matt Pisarcik of Razor Emporium on Friday.

JazzWax clips: A good way to pick up tips on shaving techniques and shaving supplies is via YouTube videos. There are hundreds of different shavers hard at work worldwide. Many, however, tend to be a bit much for one reason or another. In addition to loving Matt Pisarcik's highly educational, easy-going clips, I rather enjoy Kevy Shaves. I love his soothing Scottish accent and his banter, and he seems like an all-around good guy. In other words, a gentleman shaver. Here's his latest...