Received my samples of B&M Reserve Waves and Vespers this week. Haven't used them yet, just quickly smelled them. Now waiting for a full jar of each to arrive next week. Vespers is somewhere in between "ok" and "good" for me right now scent-wise, but I hope it'll grow on me. I find it hard to describe the scent, but I notice a rose scent in there and probably a bit of spice. Some people call it a Christmas scent and I can understand that description. However Reserve Waves is my favourite scent in the Reserve line-up. It reminds me of a shower gel I used to use when I still went to the gym. It's a clean and fresh aquatic scent. Out of the 6 Reserve soaps I've tried (Classic, Cool, Spice, Lavender, Fern and Waves, mostly samples), Waves is the closest to Cool which to me is another clean and fresh scent. It definitely doesn't smell the same as Reserve Cool, but it's in the same genre for me. Since you like Reserve Cool so much, I think there's a good chance you might really like Reserve Waves too.
Cris, if you feel like the brush is still eating lather, try a brief soak in a light white vinegar solution. A tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup, put the brush in, and then add water, just as if you were soaking the brush normally. Leave the brush soaking in the solution for five minutes, rinse thoroughly, and do a test lather. If necessary, repeat, but do not leave the brush soaking...you just need a few minutes really. Good luck, the SOC is a great brush!
Christopher Clayton sometimes the knot has a bit of a greasy feel to it, and it just seems hell bent on preventing the lather from building. Michael Ham describes this as "lathercidal", and the vinegar rinse helps to clean the knot and remove whatever it is that is preventing the knot from reaching it's true glory.
I'm gonna have to pull out my reserve cool very soon. I have the SOC boar too and I actually had it replaced under warranty. The knot sucked up lather and the bristles bunched up and separated. I'm just not too crazy for it. Like I said in my video you commented on the Paragon boar brush is one of my favorites. Doesn't act like a typical boar at all but has some light backbone, gel tips and isn't a lather hog like the SOC boar. I agree with you saying everything has its place. Great shave man and enjoy your day!
Shaved with this brush and soap this morning and had similar issues. I was able to achieve a somewhat thick lather for the first pass but the second pass the brush decided to eat the lather and I had to reload. I love the handle of the Semogue but the Paragon boar puts the SOC to shame.
Cris, with that ending, I hope whatever it is, things improve. I like the Reserve Cool aftershave. To me it is a nice barbershop scent. I'm really not sure if that's what they were going for, but thats what it reminds me of. Finally, wet shaving has to be one of the only things where people (artisans) actively try to imitate other artisans and use the original in the advertising. Executive Man and Captains Choice smell just like Aventus...and no one says hey come up with your own scent. Such an amazing group of people.
Hi mate new subscriber, how much better is the owners club over the semogue 610 ? I use Rockwell 6s and I change blades soaps every shave but my brother reckons the owners club is phenomenal after the first month of breaking in
I think the problem is that you used your original method instead of the freedberg method where you drip water down the center of the knot. I think you got better lathers using the freedberg method from what I can tell. I tried it and I found I lost less soap to the dipping. And that's with all my brushes. I find boar brushes are less dense compared to synth and badger and so the flow through is massive. It almost gives up too much lather per pass so by third pass it really thins out cuz you've essentially used it all already. Same goes for the dipping, when you dip the boar, the soap just leaks out of the knot more than other brushes. Also rather than using you hands to rub in the proto lather, just use the brush. Because you're gonna use it anyway. When you rinse what's on you hands off, that's soap you could have lathered down the sink. So ultimately, your lathers aren't as big because your losing soap to the water. Yes you have to really load the boar brushes, but that's the nature of them I guess. Sorry for the novel mate, but I wanted to try my best to explain what might be causing the lower volume lathers and how to remedy that. Cheers and best of luck. I'm a big fan 👍
Received my samples of B&M Reserve Waves and Vespers this week. Haven't used them yet, just quickly smelled them. Now waiting for a full jar of each to arrive next week. Vespers is somewhere in between "ok" and "good" for me right now scent-wise, but I hope it'll grow on me. I find it hard to describe the scent, but I notice a rose scent in there and probably a bit of spice. Some people call it a Christmas scent and I can understand that description.
However Reserve Waves is my favourite scent in the Reserve line-up. It reminds me of a shower gel I used to use when I still went to the gym. It's a clean and fresh aquatic scent. Out of the 6 Reserve soaps I've tried (Classic, Cool, Spice, Lavender, Fern and Waves, mostly samples), Waves is the closest to Cool which to me is another clean and fresh scent. It definitely doesn't smell the same as Reserve Cool, but it's in the same genre for me. Since you like Reserve Cool so much, I think there's a good chance you might really like Reserve Waves too.
Cris, if you feel like the brush is still eating lather, try a brief soak in a light white vinegar solution. A tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup, put the brush in, and then add water, just as if you were soaking the brush normally. Leave the brush soaking in the solution for five minutes, rinse thoroughly, and do a test lather. If necessary, repeat, but do not leave the brush soaking...you just need a few minutes really. Good luck, the SOC is a great brush!
Thanks man! Great info!
What does this do for the brush to remedy the problem Michael?
Christopher Clayton sometimes the knot has a bit of a greasy feel to it, and it just seems hell bent on preventing the lather from building. Michael Ham describes this as "lathercidal", and the vinegar rinse helps to clean the knot and remove whatever it is that is preventing the knot from reaching it's true glory.
Interesting! I'd never heard of this before but I'm absolutely going to give it a go on my SoC Boar. Thank you. Big fan of yours, by the way!
I'm gonna have to pull out my reserve cool very soon. I have the SOC boar too and I actually had it replaced under warranty. The knot sucked up lather and the bristles bunched up and separated. I'm just not too crazy for it.
Like I said in my video you commented on the Paragon boar brush is one of my favorites. Doesn't act like a typical boar at all but has some light backbone, gel tips and isn't a lather hog like the SOC boar.
I agree with you saying everything has its place.
Great shave man and enjoy your day!
Shaved with this brush and soap this morning and had similar issues. I was able to achieve a somewhat thick lather for the first pass but the second pass the brush decided to eat the lather and I had to reload.
I love the handle of the Semogue but the Paragon boar puts the SOC to shame.
Yes that brush looked amazing yesterday. Goodnight to me, good morning to you!👋
Cris, with that ending, I hope whatever it is, things improve. I like the Reserve Cool aftershave. To me it is a nice barbershop scent. I'm really not sure if that's what they were going for, but thats what it reminds me of. Finally, wet shaving has to be one of the only things where people (artisans) actively try to imitate other artisans and use the original in the advertising. Executive Man and Captains Choice smell just like Aventus...and no one says hey come up with your own scent. Such an amazing group of people.
Hi mate new subscriber, how much better is the owners club over the semogue 610 ? I use Rockwell 6s and I change blades soaps every shave but my brother reckons the owners club is phenomenal after the first month of breaking in
💈👍
I think the problem is that you used your original method instead of the freedberg method where you drip water down the center of the knot. I think you got better lathers using the freedberg method from what I can tell. I tried it and I found I lost less soap to the dipping. And that's with all my brushes. I find boar brushes are less dense compared to synth and badger and so the flow through is massive. It almost gives up too much lather per pass so by third pass it really thins out cuz you've essentially used it all already. Same goes for the dipping, when you dip the boar, the soap just leaks out of the knot more than other brushes. Also rather than using you hands to rub in the proto lather, just use the brush. Because you're gonna use it anyway. When you rinse what's on you hands off, that's soap you could have lathered down the sink. So ultimately, your lathers aren't as big because your losing soap to the water. Yes you have to really load the boar brushes, but that's the nature of them I guess. Sorry for the novel mate, but I wanted to try my best to explain what might be causing the lower volume lathers and how to remedy that. Cheers and best of luck. I'm a big fan 👍
Hmmmmm I shall revert back and see what happens.
Wow. Weapers withe a Karve. See what happens, you use a cartridge for a while and you lose your mojo ;)
If I use a cart 2 shaves in a row I feel the difference with my de hahah
Nice shave bro. I enjoy Cool. Awesome scent!
I bought a pack of the Gillette Super Thin blades from razorbladesclub.com and I really enjoy them. Sharp and smooth.