Finding the "Best"

I initially began collecting these old razors to have something to pass on to one of my grandsons. It soon turned into a search for my personal "best"...best razor, best blade, best brush, best soap. I think I can honestly say I've found them.

Soap. Call me an anachronistic old fool, but I like Williams. They've been around since 1840, so they've got to be doing something right. It's not the same formula now as it was then, but I like it. Liked it so much I bought a case.  

Now, what do I use to lather up this fine puck of heavenly goodness? Lots of folks swear by the almighty badger, but I found my brush of choice to be a humble, vintage boar. Specifically, a Strong Set pure boar.

I stumbled upon the brush and equally vintage Old Spice (second model) mug in an antique shop in South Carolina. Paid a little more than I really wanted to, but turns out they were worth the money. I kept one of my badgers, an Ever-ready, that runs a close second. I'll use it for a back-up.

Blades are a highly personal part of shaving; there are great blades, good blades, bad blades, and horrible blades. After more than two years, +/- 90 razors, and 50 or so different blades, my go-to is the Teflon-coated Voskhod from Russia.

These work in every razor I own, better in some than others, and always give me a close, irritation-free shave.

Finally...the razor of choice...at first, it was the humble post-war ball-end Tech. Simple in design, mild, bomb-proof.

This was one of my first razors, and it always did me right. My only real issue was having to take it apart to insert/remove the blade, and to clean it. The solution? The 1941 Ranger Tech.

A truly wonderful razor. Mild like the Tech, but with the convenience of twist-to-open ease of blade changing and cleaning. The only other razor that comes close is my last purchase...

...a 1937 Sheraton. I wasn't too sure about the open comb, but I've been using it almost exclusively for the past few weeks, and found it to be the equal of the Ranger (with the added cool factor of the teeth). These two will accompany me on my adventures when I retire next year.

Finding your personal "best" will take some doing. Time and patience (and a little money), and working on technique, are essential. Knowledge of what you're looking for is just as important. Closely examine what you've found, then dig a little deeper, and you'll find some good deals. You'll also find that "best" combination that will last the rest of your life.