I was wondering whether my new Semogue 2000 brush was going to lose its rank aroma, start making good lather and live up to the good reputation it’s built in the wet shaving community.

Wow.

This brush is awesome. It’s stiff enough to face lather soap, but the tips are very gentle. It’s now making mounds of lather.

I have adapted the way I make lather with it, to something more like Zach prescribes in the video below:

I’ve also been reading about how the terrific shaving soap Cella has no preservatives and might go bad. I’ve been using mine for over a year and it still has the bitter almond scent I love, but I’m taking no chances. I’m digging into my pot of Cella with the 2000 like there’s no tomorrow. I haven’t had so much fun since I was a kid. Also, I haven’t used a soap so exclusively since I started wet shaving. I think I will actually use up my Cella.

Then, I’ll order more.

Speaking of boar, the Razorbacks of my alma mater THE University of Arkansas got this football season off to a good start by crushing Missouri State. Looks like Ryan Mallett is gonna do well under Bobby-M*ther F#ckin’-Petrino. Go Hogs!

I have received my own Semogue 2000 boar brush from Portugal. I’ve shaved three times with it now and can report on my progress breaking it in.

It stinks.

Wait, I’m kidding! Sort of. This thing is made of boar hair for sure. It reeks of boar. Not that that’s such a bad thing; I’m from the country and have participated in the butchering of more than one hog. You ain’t gonna get barbecue without killing the pig first.

This brush smells just like Mr. Hog as he’s coming out of his barrel of boiling water, ready to have his bristles scraped off.

I understand there are a few things that can be done to cut the scent. Shampoo the brush, borax soak, and so on. I’m going to leave the scent as it is. See how long it takes to pick up the sweet aroma of Tabac or Palmolive Stick.

Actually, my first shave with the brush was with Arko, because I was ready for the boar smell and was feeling a little masochistic. Bring on all the bad funk at once, baby!

My real issue so far is the lathering capability of the brush. It’s not great. I’ve read reviews that said these brushes take a couple dozen shaves to break in and reach their full lathering potential. Other people have said their boar brush was a great lather-maker right out of the gate.

I’m going to give my 2000 thirty shaves. If it isn’t kicking out a mountain of lather by then, I’ll revert back to my treasured Badger&Blade Essential badger brush, which is a lathering beast.

Generally, badger hair brushes are considered the standard of quality.

Two forces seem lately to be igniting a trend toward boar brushes: The eroded economy, and a surge in shavers switching to soaps from creams and face lathering the soaps.

While a nice badger hair brush can set you back well over one hundred US dollars, really nice boar brushes are available for less than fifty.

The boar hair tends to be stiffer than badger, lending itself to the rigors of face lathering soap. There is a break in period while the brush offloads its native boar aroma. It also takes a month or so of shaves to split the bristles at the tip and soften the feel of the brush.

The heavy hitter of boar brushes is Omega. They offer a range of knot sizes and lofts. Lately a small outfit in Portugal called Semogue has been generating excitement. Yours truly has a model 2000 Semogue boar brush crossing the pond as I write. To, um, research the emerging trend, yeah, that’s it, that’s the ticket.

Boar brush users swear by their tools. Looks like more shavers are swinging to that side of the fence every day.

The Roberts Method relies on the use of products designed by Mr. Roberts and available through his shop, Enchante. The products stress natural ingredients minimizing the use of chemicals. All Method products are meant to keep the maximum amount of water on the face and beard, saturating the whiskers to their utmost potential.

Strict ‘forms’ of whisker cutting are observed, making Method Shaving almost a martial art in execution.

While devotees of Method Shaving are few, they are loyal and their numbers are growing.

I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on the Method, as I haven’t tried it. I do want to add information about Method Shaving to the Wet Shavers Blog for the record, and give you a handy jumping-off point to find out more about it.

Here’s a list of links to sources of details on the Roberts Method. First off is of course a video by Roberts’ fellow Texan, Mantic.

Mantic’s Concepts of Method Shaving Part One

Hydrolast products forum

Method shaving board at The Shave Den forum

Enchante shop online

The idea is to keep your lather warm by keeping hot water in the bottom portion of a ceramic dish, while your soap/brush rests up above.

Some entrepreneurial potters out there are making very cool scuttles aimed at the modern wet shaver market. I like them, but at an average price tag of 45 bucks American, I can’t justify a purchase with three mouths to feed and an uncertain employment future.

I do like warm lather, though. What to do?

Fill a ceramic dog bowl with hot water. Set a free promotional latte mug in water, let brush stay warm in there.

Total cost of scuttle: about two Fusion cartridges worth.

Poor wet shaver's scuttle.

When I was a kid, I used to like the commercial for Norelco featuring Santa riding one of their razors down a slope as though it were a sled. The brand name at the end would morph into the spelling “Noel co”. Fun.

This year, we have the Braun Series 7 with ‘pulse-a-riffic’ technology. This thing sends out some kind of pulse that makes the skin ripple, thus providing a closer shave. Somehow.

I checked this little number out on Amazon. While it lists for $269.95, you can get it now for a mere $225, though that price is so low they aren’t allowed to show it unless you click a special link.

Two Hundred Twenty-Five Dollars for an electric shaver. Just wow.

Ladies, Wet Shavers Blog would like to provide you a service if shaving is your goal for your man’s gift this year.

On the right sidebar, you’ll see selections pulled out of Amazon and gathered in one handy stop, all related to old-style wet shaving.

Nip in there and pick out:

• Razor. I’d go Merkur brand. The HD (Heavy Duty) is probably the best choice for a beginner.
• Blades. The razor will likely come with a couple of Merkur blades. Grab another pack just in case.
• Brush. Go wild here. A wet shaver’s first brush is a starting point. You needn’t put too much thought into this. Somewhere between $50 and $100 would secure a high-quality shaving brush that will last a lifetime.
• Cream or soap. For the $225 that Braun is going for, we have enough room left in our budget for a top-shelf shaving cream. Check out the George F Trumper’s or Taylor of Old Bond Street classic English shaving creams and see what scent you’d like, or think he’d like. These are among the finest shaving creams in the world.

If you like, grab some cologne or maybe a nice thick stoneware bowl or mug that he can make lather in. The bullet points alone will get enough gear to allow your man to have a shave Christmas morning; and start him down the path to a lifetime of enjoyment.

I’m sure ‘sonic-pulsing-gizmonics’ electric shavers are nifty items. I’m not sure guys love them the way they do wet shaving.

Take a chance and be a little different this year. I’m virtually certain you and he will be glad you did.

"Mmmmm, nice shave."

I’ve mentioned that lots of guys get into wet shaving initially because they’re sick of paying through the nose for overpriced cartridge blade shaving systems, a la the Gillette Fusion.

Yeah, you come for the money savings. Then, you get used to the sheer pleasure of warm lather being worked into your face with a soft, silvertip badger shave brush. Before you know it, you’ve got Wet Shaving Acquisition Disorder and you’re all over the Net bidding on Fat Boy adjustable Super Speeds, looking at the fine English soaps and creams, checking out the Rooney and Vulfix brushes, ordering blades by the gross and wondering how you’re going to explain all this stuff coming into the house to your wife.

Been there. It happens to us all.

Wet shaving is such a pleasurable hobby, it’s hard not to go a little overboard when you get into it. Yes, I said hobby. It’s strange how a routine that used to be a dreaded chore becomes an anticipated ritual. You put a lot of thought, time, and money into it. Shaving becomes a hobby.

That’s because it feels so damn good.

So good, that I’ve seen more than one stogie-chomping, Marine Corps serving, muscle car-driving, deer hunting, bar brawling tough guy turn into a Nancy Boy-shopping metro after taking up wet shaving. OK, maybe I exaggerate a bit. But not by much. Pampering oneself a bit is enjoyable. Nothing wrong with it.

You start taking better care of your skin and grooming overall. Maybe you invest in some real bathing soap when you learn that deodorant bar you’ve been using for years isn’t really soap at all, it’s detergent. You might get serious about losing some weight (happened to me) and keeping your hair a little better barbered than you used to. You invest in some nice cologne or aftershave and finally put on those clothes she bought for you that you wouldn’t have been caught dead in.

Next thing you know, your partner gets that gleam in her eye again when she looks at you and you’re getting some of the best sexing up you’ve had since you started dating.

All because you got fed up with paying Gillette too much money for a shave you hated doing anyway.

Yes, yes. Come for the savings. Stay because it feels good.

Photo credit: Mark J. Sebastian

Regardless, the fact that they feel they have to stress the cost-effectiveness of the Fusion cartridges shows that Gillette knows people think these things are ridiculously overpriced. The reason many wet shavers got started with the habit was the high cost of cartridges.

So, how much do you figure your shave costs per week?

In the previous post, I mentioned about forty-five cents max. That would include fixed costs of the DE razor and brush, premium blade like a Feather, cream or soap and water/water heating cost. The average wet shaver gets about a week out of a DE blade and they are available at far less than a Feather would run. A quarter a week total cost would be easy to achieve. Straight or ‘cut-throat’ razor shaving would be even less.

Come on over to the Dark Side, Fusion users. You’ll save a hell of a lot of money and we have cookies.

A dollar a week? Lol.

Using the most premium blade available, like the Feather, and including the fixed costs of making soap or cream lather, shaving brush wear (almost none), DE razor (Merkur x about $40 spread over a lifetime), water and energy, you’re looking at maybe 45 cents a week for a far superior shave.

The mighty Proctor and Gamble could have embraced wet shaving. Instead, they are taking a pot shot at it. Their call.

Interesting that the trend seems to have finally officially hit the radar screens on Madison Avenue.

A new badger hair brush will sometimes smell a bit like, well, animal hair. Some people are more opposed to that than others. You might wrinkle your nose; an outdoorsy guy might inhale deeply: Ahhh! Nature!

Being hair, a good way to freshen up a new brush is to wash it with a gentle shampoo, baby shampoo would do fine. Rinse thoroughly and let dry.

“Let dry”. There’s another can of worms in the wet shaving community. No one will argue that a brush should be allowed to dry completely after use. The controversy comes in at: should the brush be stood on end, resting on its handle, or hung up with the bristles pointing down?

Extensive experimentation has been done (wet shavers are an analytical bunch when it comes to their grooming hobby). To date, no real difference has been noticed between standing the brush and hanging it. Yours truly hangs his brush facing downward; the thought being that moisture will travel away from the knot toward the bristle tips. Purely a personal preference; guys who have stood fine brushes on the handle for years report no ill effects.

What if a brush has been allowed to mildew, or soap and cream have collected on the bristles and they aren’t picking up water like they used to? Perhaps you’ve scored a vintage brush and want to clean it up before using it.

A shaving brush that has soap or cream residue can be cleaned with a solution of dish soap or baby shampoo. Using an old toothbrush to get at the base is a good idea. After rinsing, the bristles should be immersed in a vinegar and water solution for 30 seconds to a minute. Agitate during this time to get the bristles well soaked. A good rinse afterward and drying and the brush is good as new!

An alternative method that’s been around for a long time is to immerse the brush in a mild borax solution for a minute or so. Agitate as with the vinegar method. Rinse and allow to dry.

Either of these methods will break down the soap buildup and bring your brush back to its full water-retaining capability.

To disinfect an older or suspect brush, Barbicide is a good cleaner. A mild solution water and Barbicide will kill the baddies. It’s important to soak just the bristles and not let the knot in the handle get soaked; it might fall apart.

Barbicide is of course, that blue solution we’ve all seen in barbershops that combs are soaking in. You can pick this up at beauty supply stores (Sally’s has a store brand that’s a good price).

Cared for properly, a good badger brush can last long enough to be passed down to your son; whom of course you’ve instructed in the fine art of wet shaving.

Bay Lime Shaving Cream

1. Type of bristle.

Shaving brushes come in three main types of bristles: boar, badger, and synthetic (usually nylon).

Boar hair brushes are an inexpensive entry point. The hair is fairly hard and stiff. It’s usually white or pale yellow. Sometimes it will have a black band dyed around the outside of the bristle pack at about the center of the hairs to make it look like badger hair. Boar hair brushes work well with soaps as their stiffness allows them to dig into a puck of soap. The low-priced models are often badly made and will degrade relatively quickly. They feel scratchy on the face; if you don’t mind that you’ll get great exfoliation using these.

Badger hair brushes are at the high end of the quality and price scale. They are by far the most common type on the market. The hair is softer than boar; quality badger brushes feel soft and luxurious on the face. Badger hair also holds much more water than boar hair, making the lathering process quicker.
Badger hair brushes come in three grades of quality which we’ll get into further down the list.

A more recent entry into the shaving brush market is the synthetic brush. These bristles are usually made of nylon. They combine the stiffness of boar hair brushes with the water retention of badger brushes. They are great for shavers who may be sensitive to the harvesting of animals. Technology of synthetic brushes is progressing rapidly and synthetics are being offered by the top companies in shaving products.

I say three ‘main’ types of bristle; there is also a company in Spain offering horsehair shaving brushes.

2. Grade of badger hair.

Badger hair brushes are sorted into three grades. The low end is known as ‘pure’. They are made to an inexpensive price point and tend to feel more scratchy than higher grades as they are trimmed into shape. They are usually packed less densely than higher grades and hold less water.

The midrange badger brushes are called ‘best’ or ‘super’ depending on the brand. These are the ‘workhorses’ of shaving brushes. The hair is untrimmed so they feel softer on the face. They are somewhat stiffer than pure brushes and work well with soaps. Due to their denser pack compared to the pure grade they hold more water and heat.

The luxury badger brushes are called ‘finest’ or more commonly ‘silvertip’. Silvertip brushes are what lesser grades are dyed to look like. They are naturally light at the tips, the hair coming from the soft area of the pelt at the badger’s neck. This also gives them their legendary softness. These brushes will have the highest bristle density, holding an incredible amount of water. Expect to spend well over one hundred dollars on a true silvertip brush.

3. Knot size.

The diameter of the bloom of the brush is a factor of the size of the knot hidden in the handle. Knot size ranges from about 17 millimeters at the small end to 30 or more millimeters at the large. Shavers with larger and smaller faces are served by the range; also some guys like a larger bloom than others.

4. Bristle loft.

The length of the bristle extending above the handle is known as the ‘loft’. Higher loft brushes are ‘floppier’ than shorter ones. As a result, you will often see cream users who make lather in a bowl or mug choosing high loft brushes while soap users who face lather will go with a shorter loft.

5. Bloom shape.

Badger brushes tend to fall into two shapes of the ‘bloom’ of hair: fan or bulb shaped. Frankly, I don’t even have a preference here. My main daily brush is bulb shaped, but my first brush had more of a fan look and I like them both. However, there are camps on both sides of this issue with varying opinion on which is better.

6. Handle style.

The feel of the shaving brush in one’s hand is a very personal choice. Some men like to hold the brush in a fist, others prefer to pinch the handle between fingertips, still others place their fingertips at the base of the bristles keeping the end of the handle in the palm. Thus, shaving brushes come with a wide variety of handle styles. This is an easily overlooked aspect of choosing a first brush. You should take some time to get a feel for how you might hold your brush and experiment with various handles before putting your money down.

7. Price.

While you might lust for the opulent luxury of a dense, soft, floppy silvertip shaving brush, your partner might object to such extravagance and frankly, the midrange ‘best’ or ‘super’ brushes do a great job. At the higher end you start paying a premium for rarity as well. Does it really matter if your brush is made from ‘High White Mountain’ hair? It might to you; I wouldn’t pay 500 bucks for a bottle of wine but there are plenty of people who do. On the other hand, buying a cheap low-end brush is a waste of money as it will quickly fall apart and the shave experience just won’t be that good.

Shaving brushes are a topic that provokes much discussion among shaving enthusiasts. With all these choices, the best shaving brush is truly the one you like best. Unfortunately, there is no way to know what brush style will work best for you without jumping in and gaining some experience. The brush being such a large part of the wet shaving experience, its importance can’t be understated. Lots of shavers have large collections of brushes. One brush works great for a workaday shave; the silvertip for Sunday morning when you can relax and enjoy a shave without watching the clock. A smaller brush for traveling is a common item in a wet shavers cabinet. It’s easy to amass lots of brushes if you’re not careful!

With the dizzying array of choices, there is one bright spot for new wetshavers looking for a first brush.

As it happens, there is a single brush commonly agreed upon as a good starter: the Crabtree and Evelyn Best Badger currently selling for $35 USD. This was my first brush and now serves as my travel brush. It’s a relatively small knot, middle-of-the-road shaving brush at a minimal price for its quality. You could easily stay with it as your only brush; or, it’s a great starting point to develop your preference for what you want in a next brush.

During my shave today, the thought occurred that without world peace and free trade, we wet shavers would really be over a barrel.

Consider the global representation involved in the shave:

• Russian blade.
• German razor.
• Lather made with Turkish soap and Italian cream.
• British brush with badger hair from China.
• Towel from Vietnam… or was it the Philippines? I need to double check that.
• Finished off with French cologne (mmmm…. Guerlain Vetiver)
• and oh yeah, I did splash some American witch hazel as a toner.

So yeah, I think it would be worthwhile to pursue this. ‘Wet shaving for World Peace’, or ‘Shave Aid’, or ‘Global Shave-in for Peace’.

Anybody know Bob Geldof’s email address?

Bay Lime Shaving Cream

So how do you make lather?

Using a bowl or large mug (a latte mug is great for this), start by soaking your brush for five minutes or so in warm water. Lots of guys set the brush soaking before they get in the shower.

When the brush is well-soaked, dump the water from your bowl. Shake most of the water from your brush. It wouldn’t even hurt to give the brush a gentle squeeze to rid it of excess water. It seems counter-intuitive, but there’s plenty of water stored in the bristles of the brush after a good soaking.

If you’re using cream, drop an almond-sized dollop into the bowl. Start whipping the cream using circular motions of the brush. When you’ve got a paste going, it’s now time to start adding water. This should be done carefully, as lather that’s too wet runs off the face and is pretty useless. Add water a half-teaspoon at a time, and keep whipping with the tips of the brush.

After a couple of minutes, you should get the result you’re looking for: a meringue-like lather with nice pointed peaks coming out of the brush. This is a perfect lather; not too dry, not too wet. Spread the lather on your beard. Once the beard is coated, it’s a good idea to ‘paint’ the lather over the beard area to get an even coating.

Some cream makers advise leaving the lather in place for a couple of minutes to aid in softening the beard. You can certainly do this; but it’s still a good idea to do a thorough prep first.

Making lather with soap isn’t too much different from making it with cream. A soap puck will be in a mug or bowl (lots of soaps can be purchased in their own fancy wooden or ceramic bowls). Some guys put a few drops of water on the puck while the brush is soaking to soften the top layer.

Once again, take the brush and shake and/or squeeze it to rid it of excess water. Swirl the brush tips around the soap puck until you get a good coating on the bristles.

Here’s where paths diverge on the best way to lather with soap: some men make the lather in a bowl or mug just like a cream, others like to start whipping the lather right on the face. Either way, keep whipping and adding water bit by bit until you achieve the ‘peaks’ on the brush indicating it’s ready.

Which is better: soap or cream? This is a point that can be discussed endlessly. It’s really a personal preference. If you’re into a variety of scents, cream is probably the way to go. There are many, many scents to choose from, giving you an olfactory kick while you’re enjoying the warm lather goodness.

Soaps are probably a bit more economical as they will tend to last longer.

Most wet shavers will start out with cream. I did. Proraso cream from Italy, sold in the U.S. at Bath and Body Works under the C.O. Bigelow brand, was the starter lather base for myself and hundreds of other wet shavers. It’s hard to go wrong using this as your wet shaving lathering kickoff.

I’ve now swung to the other side of the fence: I like soaps, and lather on my face. I like the exfoliating scrub I get from the brush while the lather is building.

Face lathering gives prep an extra boost. You get that couple of minutes with lather on the beard while you make it. Also, to keep the lather warm, a few drops of hot water on the bristles does the job nicely.

One can even combine the best of both worlds. ‘Superlather’ is the term for a lather made with a mix of soap and cream.

Let your imagination run wild, enjoy the luxury of warm lather you made, and get the shave of your life.

Bay Lime Shaving Cream

That’s not done just because it looks cool in the movies, or so the shavee can’t see the hit man who’s coming in the barbershop to ‘whack’ him.

Attention to preparation before wet shaving pays off great dividends in the comfort and quality of the shave.

As we’ve seen, hot water is the basis of wet shaving. Why is this?

A hair (whisker) shaft is made mostly of protein. The inner portion of the shaft is called the cortex. The outer layer, which concerns us shavers, is the cuticle.

The cuticle can be thought of as a fish’s scales, or maybe a stack of styrofoam cups. Each hard ‘plate’ covers part of its neighbor, protecting the soft cortex and giving the whisker its strength or armor.

As heat and moisture are applied to the whisker, the protein chains that hold the ‘scales’ in the cuticle together are broken. Water gets into the shaft of the whisker, swelling it and breaking the bonds of the cuticle further.

The result is a saturated, swollen, soft and damaged whisker that is ready to be mown down by our razor!

If you don’t mind taking a couple extra minutes to prep your beard for a great shave, here’s how it’s best done:

• Don’t wash your face beforehand (unless you’re covered in engine grease or something).
• Apply hot water to the beard.
• Using your shaving brush, coat the beard with the soap or cream of your choice. Rub it in well with your fingers.
• Apply a hot, not enough to burn, but noticeably hot, wet washcloth or hand towel to the beard area. Let this sit for a couple of minutes.
• When removing the towel, wipe off the soap residue. Along with this will come the facial oil that’s combined with the warm moisture and soap to soften the whiskers.

You are now ready to lather up using circular motions with your shaving brush and your favorite soap or cream.

Last step: enjoy the smoothest, closest, most comfortable shave you’ve ever had.

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee enjoys a wet shave while on the Presidential campaign trail. SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

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Bay Lime Shaving Cream

OK, that sounds a little flip. That is, however, the simple definition of wet shaving. Shaving, using copious amounts of hot water which helps lubricate the skin and breaks down and softens the whiskers.

Lather for wet shaving is made from shaving cream or soap. The lather is whipped to proper moisture and consistency using a shave brush, the bristles being made of either boar or badger hair. Badger is usually considered the better material for a shave brush as it is somewhat softer than boar hair and holds more water.

While using a Mach III or Fusion cartridge razor technically fits within the definition of wet shaving, the tool most often used to remove the whiskers is either a straight razor of the traditional barbershop shave, or a double-edge (DE) safety razor.

Almost pushed to the forgotten margin of history by the shaving Powers That Be (I’m looking at you, Gillette and Schick), wet shaving staged a roaring comeback after a segment on the Today Show done in 2005 by its tech editor and wet shaving aficionado Corey Greenberg.

Overnight, sales of shaving creams, soaps, and brushes skyrocketed and sellers of old DE razors on Ebay were seeing bidding wars erupt over items that before had expired with nary a look.

Why would one bother? Why not slap some canned goo on the cheeks and scrape it off with a disposable plastic cartridge razor, getting the shaving chore over with as quickly as possible?

There lies the rub.

Once you have relived the process that men practiced for generations, scrubbing warm, rich lather into your mug, skillfully removing the stubble and then admiring your baby’s bottom smooth cheeks, it is difficult to go back.

The side effects of straight or DE wet shaving: smoother shave than you thought possible, reduction or elimination of acne, the disappearance of that red irritation under your jaw you had accepted would be there forever, are fringe benefits.

It’s the feeling of pampering yourself a bit, regaining a lost connection to your forefathers, reveling in the skill of gliding the edge through the stubble at just the right angle and pressure, that keeps you hooked.

It’s that feeling that just might turn what had been a daily chore grudgingly performed, into a ritual looked forward to, or even a hobby.