Testing the Slurry Lather method with a Horse brush, and the excellent classic hard puck from Fine Accoutrements. Spoiler: an excellent shave.
䷀ Razor and Blade Notes
(Timeless - Titanium .68 - Solid Bar ::: Wilkinson Sword - India ‹1 uses›)
This was a great use, because the WS blade is a really cheap one, and the Timeless head design grips so well, that it makes sure I get a great shave, even on a budget blade.
Barely any blade feel, and super close result!
Razor and Blade Performance/Comfort Rating: 4 out of 5 (Very Good)
䷀ Soap Notes
(Fine Accoutrements - Aquamarine)
Them: “an exceptionally relaxing green-aquatic fragrance developed in collaboration with West Coast Shaving”
“Aquamarine evokes the carefree feeling of relaxing sea-side, under a warm sun, accompanied only by the rhythmic sound of the surf.”
Scent (Me): citrus, rosemary, wood, musk. fresh green aquatic.
Scent Strength: 4/10, lightly present during shaving.
Lather… Yes, the horse and Fine Accoutrements classic hard puck soap work very well with the Slurry Lather method.
Slurry on pass one, then pass two was almost a mature lather, and then pass 3 needed a bit more water, since I don’t think I started out with quite enough.
Super slick lather at each stage, providing the excellent glide that the Fine base always gives me. Just the kind of slickness that I love.
I did have to dip the tips in pass 1 because I don’t think I started out with enough water in the brush.
Hydration: Perfect (for me)
13 sec load with a Very Wet brush
= 5 passes of lather
Bowl: No Bowl
䷀ Brush Notes
(Zenith - Horse Extra Soft - 507N XS ‹15 uses›)
So, today I learned that the Slurry lather is going to tell you the brutal truth about your brush… at least in terms of the tip feel.
Lather with any kind of viscosity will hide exactly how firm your tips are by a certain degree. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But I felt a little prickle with this horse brush, that I only felt before at the very start. So I added that little note to my growing data for the Slurry Lather method.
This horse, and probably most horse brushes, are more regular density, and it performed similarly as my regular density badgers, which is to say that it worked with the slurry method very well.
But on average, it seems that horses don’t have as many tips as badgers, so the water wasn’t as concentrated toward the tips, so a quick dip in water was needed during the first pass. Maybe not shaking out as much water would have the same result.
But the brush had plenty of lather for three passes, probably four or more.
A more mature lathering method is going to be more comfy with the horse, but at least now we know that if you need to whip up a slurry lather for a speedy shave, a horse is a quick option, pun intended.
During the Shave Feel: Cheeks: Almost Smooth Neck: Felt blade but comfortable After the Shave Closeness: Cheeks: Near BBS - About as close as I’ll ever get Neck: Near BBS - About as close as I’ll ever get
Prep: Splash of Cool Water
Razor: Timeless - Titanium .68 Solid Bar
Blade: Wilkinson Sword (India) (1)
Lather: Fine Accoutrements - Aquamarine
Brush: Zenith - Horse Extra Soft (507N XS) (15 uses)
Post Shave: Stirling - Dunshire
Gear Pic :: Video
䷀ General Notes
Testing the Slurry Lather method with a Horse brush, and the excellent classic hard puck from Fine Accoutrements. Spoiler: an excellent shave.
䷀ Razor and Blade Notes
(Timeless - Titanium .68 - Solid Bar ::: Wilkinson Sword - India ‹1 uses›)
This was a great use, because the WS blade is a really cheap one, and the Timeless head design grips so well, that it makes sure I get a great shave, even on a budget blade.
Barely any blade feel, and super close result!
Razor and Blade Performance/Comfort Rating: 4 out of 5 (Very Good)
䷀ Soap Notes
(Fine Accoutrements - Aquamarine)
Them: “an exceptionally relaxing green-aquatic fragrance developed in collaboration with West Coast Shaving”
“Aquamarine evokes the carefree feeling of relaxing sea-side, under a warm sun, accompanied only by the rhythmic sound of the surf.”
“Notes: lemon, sweet orange, rosemary, algae, oakmoss, driftwood, amber, musk”
Scent (Me): citrus, rosemary, wood, musk. fresh green aquatic.
Scent Strength: 4/10, lightly present during shaving.
Lather… Yes, the horse and Fine Accoutrements classic hard puck soap work very well with the Slurry Lather method.
Slurry on pass one, then pass two was almost a mature lather, and then pass 3 needed a bit more water, since I don’t think I started out with quite enough.
Super slick lather at each stage, providing the excellent glide that the Fine base always gives me. Just the kind of slickness that I love.
I did have to dip the tips in pass 1 because I don’t think I started out with enough water in the brush.
Hydration: Perfect (for me)
Bowl: No Bowl
䷀ Brush Notes
(Zenith - Horse Extra Soft - 507N XS ‹15 uses›)
So, today I learned that the Slurry lather is going to tell you the brutal truth about your brush… at least in terms of the tip feel.
Lather with any kind of viscosity will hide exactly how firm your tips are by a certain degree. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But I felt a little prickle with this horse brush, that I only felt before at the very start. So I added that little note to my growing data for the Slurry Lather method.
This horse, and probably most horse brushes, are more regular density, and it performed similarly as my regular density badgers, which is to say that it worked with the slurry method very well.
But on average, it seems that horses don’t have as many tips as badgers, so the water wasn’t as concentrated toward the tips, so a quick dip in water was needed during the first pass. Maybe not shaking out as much water would have the same result.
But the brush had plenty of lather for three passes, probably four or more.
A more mature lathering method is going to be more comfy with the horse, but at least now we know that if you need to whip up a slurry lather for a speedy shave, a horse is a quick option, pun intended.
During the Shave Feel:
Cheeks: Almost Smooth
Neck: Felt blade but comfortable
After the Shave Closeness:
Cheeks: Near BBS - About as close as I’ll ever get
Neck: Near BBS - About as close as I’ll ever get
Ending of Blades Ledger - entry form and the data spreadsheet