Shaving notes of the MaineYooper

Mini review of the Calyx brush from Wald Shaving



I am taking a short break from DecemBoar to spend the weekend with this new to me brush. It felt wonderful when I took it out of its box yesterday and this morning it felt better than I'd imagined! I have to admit, I was a little worried as it loaded differently than what I expected. With many knots, I start with damp bristles and load up. With the A1 knot, damp almost seemed dry, and I dipped the tips at least twice, right at the beginning of loading, in order to see something similar to a brush with soap! Seems to need more water than a SynBad or Cashmere knot.



The above is after loading and face lathering for the first pass. A different look, compared to the mixed badger/boar knot shown in a post above. The lather was creamy and perfect for me. The brush felt so soft and had excellent splay for my liking. This will be a winner, as several of you noted yesterday!

Because I was curious to see for myself what I had read and seen in the Calyx when I had it in hand, I took some side by side photos of my favorite SynBad, a 26mm, and the Calyx, which sports a 27mm Wald A1 knot. Now the SynBad shown is a bulb, and the Calyx has a fan, but you can still see that the comments made and the description from the website are true, the A1 has finer fibers that are more densely packed.



I just realized that while the knot is 24mm, I do have a SynBad fan. I should compare it as well, but I was focused this morning on my favorite SynBad brush which happens to be a 26mm bulb.

Have a great weekend!

Nice Eric. That looks like good lather, to me. The two comparison pics really do show a big difference in thickness of 'hairs' and density. Wald definitely packed them in there.

Glad to hear the first run was a good one. Hope it continues to impress you shave after shave.

Have a good weekend

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That's a great review Eric MaineYooper , and I agree with mrdoug about how effectively the pictures showed the difference in fiber thickness and density. But the main thing is that the Calyx worked so well for you. -- Glad to hear it!

Last shave with the Wald Calyx until January, as it is back to the pig pen for DecemBoar! 

BRG replated pre-War Tech
Statum Platinum Chrome (2)
(the never ending) Mike's unscented

First time since Saturday, October 28, that I used something other than Mike's Natural Soaps Unscented! Today was Stirling Sheep, another 2021 purchase. My goal, way back in the summer, was to use only my 2021 soaps until they were gone. Sometime in the fall, I went to only using one until it was finished. Eight soaps were purchased in 2021, and now only three have been used up! For variety, I am thinking of going back to some sort of rotation. I know, some of you are thinking, "But Eric, all are unscented, so what does it matter?!" I get it, but don't know how to best explain it. Probably just changing and seeing a different container!

What is interesting has been noting how long the tubs last now. Now, as compared to my first few years. My notes show that 4 ounces of most soaps lasted me about 40-50 shaves, using mostly synthetics and mostly three lather applications per shave. This last tub of Mike's unscented gave 123 shaves, according to my count! At this rate, I will never use up the 2021 soaps until the end of 2025!! And then all the soaps purchased since 2021 will be waiting. Probably best not to think on it and just enjoy the bounty in my soap drawer!!

Makes sense to me Eric. They may not smell differently, but they'll all have subtle nuances that are unique. Variety still exists, just maybe not for the nose.

Though, after typing that reply, I guess I basically said what Dave managed to post in a single picture. Ooh well. I'm long winded, and I admit it.

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In thinking about it more, I originally wanted to decrease my soaps. Then I started using only one. And then I got stuck in a mindset of "I can only use one," which is frustrating and not at all helpful. But I didn't realize it until thinking on this now (instead of doing more productive things, like laundry or dishes!!).

This is my third year of trying to work through my tub of Nocturne during the Fall. "Just finish it. Don't use anything else until it is gone." Maybe Fall 2024

All this talk reminds me that it's the 12th of December, and I have yet to use B&M Vespers this fall. How did this happen, I wonder?