This was originally going to be titled: Best Shave Kit, but after writing the previous post, it seemed somehow inappropriate .  Besides, “My favorite” has a more personal feel to it and emphasizes that it’s strictly an opinion based on personal preferences rather than some definitive discussion of relative merits.

Every few months I write a piece about my “desert island” shave kit, i.e. what would I like to have if I were stranded on a desert island for the rest of my life. This kit has changed substantially over the months as I sampled various new and exotic concoctions and paraphernalia. It is perhaps ironic then that I arrive at this point with a new favorite that is really made up of some of pretty budget-friendly items…just in time for the recession/depression.

I find myself consistently going back to the same few things day after day, despite a vast armamentarium of exotica enough for several lifetimes. Here is my favorite shaving kit:

• J.M. Fraser shave cream. Consistently great lather at an unbeatable price (around $10 for a one pound jar). Its so good that it makes me wonder what’s in it and if its going to kill me (like most great pleasures in life).
• Dan Capshaw hand-made brush (perhaps the greatest brush of all time and an incredible value-for-money). I’m so glad to hear that Dan is once again accepting orders. I gave a Dan Capshaw brush to my friend The Sasquatch on his 60th birthday last year, and during dinner last week he told me that he has stopped using all his other brushes.
• Edwin Jagger Chatsworth razor. Incredibly beautiful and with outstanding ergonomics, this razor, based on the venerable and ubiquitous Merkur shave head, is an absolute pleasure to use.
• Treet Blue Special carbon-steel blade from Pakistan. At about a dime this blade not only delivers an amazingly smooth shave every time, but it is a thing of beauty to behold with its shiny black coating. Leisureguy nicknamed it the Black Beauty or Batman Blade.