Morning ClothesLineTony, NewDryerDave and SleeplessInSeattleManscapingRaz.
#2 Son gave me a brick of Cella shaving soap for Christmas. That's really good stuff, though a bit high-maintenance. You have to freeze the surplus or it goes rancid. But it works really well. So I ordered in some of their after shave balm. I'm not so enthusiastic about that. It has a bit of a garden smell to it - that weeds and dirt smell.
The new Rockwell 6s stainless-steel razor was also excellent. I'm not sure it was worth $60 more than my old Parker 96R, but it fits the hand nicely.
Since I was up early and had lots of time, I was tempted to use the very old straight razor. But had to try out the new safety razor.
Mine isn't a true straight razor, but the same style with replaceable blades. Many moons ago, they had a tent at CF where you could get a straight razor shave. After that, I was hooked. For the shaving cream, I use Hirsh Luxury Shaving Cream, which I have in both lavender and lemon.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01IE3FAOK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_Y59ZARPWKVXNE135EXEF
Looks like they also have a Sandalwood, that'll be the next one I have to get. But these containers last forever.
Tell me. I have soaps and creams likely to last until I retire.
Sandalwood is classic, but it's tricky, since nobody is actually using Santalum Album oil anymore in shaving soap. It's too damned expensive. My first venture into it was Taylor of Old Bond Street, which works great and is lovely at first, but the heavy floral scent eventually becomes cloying.
I'll have to see what you say about the Hirsch.
Hirsh stuff is fantastic. It's already a cream in the jar so there's no mixing with water to generate a lather, which I think makes for a better lather. The smell is fantastic, and since I'm a yooge fan of lavender, I have yet to tire of it. Plus, I'm cloy by nature.
Sure, it's just more expensive because it doesn't last as long.
The TOBS Sandalwood I have is a cream, and I also have tubes of Proraso, Palmolive, and Vi-John for travel purposes and because they are classics. But having learned how to work the harder soaps from an Italian barber, I've come to prefer those. The trick is to use a Boar-bristle brush rather than Badger, and to put some water into the tub of soap to let it "bloom" for a few minutes...especially if like me you have really hard water.
Shaving is one of those rare cases where I prefer Italian style over Brit. ;-)