Thread: Do I really need a brush?

Hi!

I read everything I could find on the net about straight razors, and I'm convinced: I'm buying a razor (pre-honed) and strope today!

The only thing I'm not sure is the brush... I travel A LOT, for work and for pleasure. When I work, I sometimes move every few days, so a wet brush in my luggage would not be the best.

Also, I currently use high quality shaving cream with my safety razor. The foam it makes stays there a really long time, and lubrification is much better thanany other cream i've used. And it smells good

So my question is, is a brush mandatory for straight shaving??


Thanks a lot, and sorry for my poor english!

No its not. If you're using a high quality cream and you're happy with it. Keep using it.

Jordan

Originally Posted by vitriol

Hi!

I read everything I could find on the net about straight razors, and I'm convinced: I'm buying a razor (pre-honed) and strope today!

The only thing I'm not sure is the brush... I travel A LOT, for work and for pleasure. When I work, I sometimes move every few days, so a wet brush in my luggage would not be the best.

Also, I currently use high quality shaving cream with my safety razor. The foam it makes stays there a really long time, and lubrification is much better thanany other cream i've used. And it smells good

So my question is, is a brush mandatory for straight shaving??


Thanks a lot, and sorry for my poor english!

It's not mandatory, but it does warm the lather, which a lot of people (myself included) like. As far as you worrying about the wet brush, a brush will usually dry in less than 12 hours, boar will do so even faster. But like the last poster said, no it is not neccesary

By High Quality Gream he does not mean edge gel. He means more like Lewis Black which is moisturizing.

My point would be though that is you look around, the greams, and soaps, and aftershaves and so on are what really make this fun. If you don't use a brush and some decent soap or cream then you are robbing yourself of a good portion of the ritual that makes this routine chore into a celebration of being a man.

Originally Posted by The Topher

By High Quality Gream he does not mean edge gel. He means more like Lewis Black which is moisturizing.

My point would be though that is you look around, the greams, and soaps, and aftershaves and so on are what really make this fun. If you don't use a brush and some decent soap or cream then you are robbing yourself of a good portion of the ritual that makes this routine chore into a celebration of being a man.

For me, the fun is in sharpening the razors and learning the high art of getting a good shave out of them without slicing your cheek off, not all that girly goop. ;-) Good old unscented soap and some witch hazel afterwards (and a styptic pencil now and then) are all I use.

But more to the point, a good brush helps saturate the whiskers with lather to soften them. The old manuals I've seen recommend a "rotary" movement of the brush to get it well in among the whiskers. If that really makes a difference, I doubt one could get it with just the fingers. On the other hand, if you're satisfied shaving without a brush, why spend the money?

BTW, anybody who's thinking of settling for a boar brush instead of badger, let me make a suggestion: don't! A boar brush came with a razor I bought, and it's too stiff to work up a good lather. Back to Dad's old badger brush for me!

Regards,

Crutch

Originally Posted by The Topher

If you don't use a brush and some decent soap or cream then you are robbing yourself of a good portion of the ritual that makes this routine chore into a celebration of being a man.

I agree with The Topher! I've used a straight razor for almost a year now, but I've not been away from home for more than a night at a time during the last year. And I've used a brush and shaving soap for almost 20 years and never have traveled with a brush. When I've been away in the past, I use the stuff in the can to make things simple. Not sure what I will do the first time I am away for any length of time now, but it's likely to be what you are proposing.

So I can understand not wanting to travel with a brush, but at home you are indeed losing part of the charm of straight razor shaving. Not to say your shave will be worse, but part of the ritual and fun, as others have said, revolve around swirling a brush in a mug filled with good shaving soap or cream. Warning, though--you may like it enough to get hooked and start traveling with it!

Dan

Well, I for one have a boar hair brush. Mostly cause it's cheap, and its the only thing I could really get nearby. I've never tried a badger brush, so I can't attest for whether or not its that much better, but damnit if I don't enjoy the boar brush.
Now of course its not necessary, but a brush makes the whole damn shave that much better, and they don't stay all that wet, just somewhat damp, which I think you could help along with a little blow drying. I haven't tried it though, so I cant attest to that personally. Someone may want to correct me here.

Wow!

Thanks for all the fast ang good replys!

So, I guess It's really pleasant to use a brush, but not mandatory.... I guess I'll have to buy one for when I'm at home, and use only the shaving cream when I'm travelling.

Maybe because I won't use the brush as often it will be even more pleasant when I do!

I have another question about brushes, dunno if I should make another thread or not... feel free to tell me if I should.

I shave about once a week, and was wondering if the brush is more important when shaving long or short beard, or it makes no difference?

Thanks again!

Others' experience is different, I guess, but I also have a cheap-ass badger brash (Vulfix bottom-of-the-line, soon to be upgraded) but since I switched from canned to brush-and-soap, I can't ever go back. I have a little tube I put my brush in when I go travelling. I dry it out with a blow-dryer. In my experience, using a brush REALLY makes a difference.

Something I didn't mention. I always travel with a brush. I have a dovo strop, travel brush, tub of Mama Bear soap in the screw top container, and a travel razor. I use these to travel all the time. SO you might want to consider a basic ugly razor with the following items.

http://www.vintagebladesllc.com/vsho...9&cat=0&page=1
with whatever soap you want OR
http://www.bear-haven.com/ShaveSticks.html

http://www.vintagebladesllc.com/vsho...5&cat=0&page=1

http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.c...&productId=155
but preferably in latigo though I hear the vegan stuff works.
Or get his
http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.c...&productId=114


and to protect the razor get
http://www.sentrysolutions.com/TufClothkew.shtml

Did I forget anything?