I wanted to time loading the brush, and it seemed the most legible way was simply to start the stopwatch: that is, with my watch in stop-watch function, the seconds are displayed in large (easy-to-read) numerals. So I ended up timing the shave.

Time to wash my beard with MR GLO: 19 seconds.

Time to load the Ecotools with soap: 11 seconds

This was interesting, because some had commented on Wicked_Edge that it took minutes to work up a lather because the brush was so soft. Of course, I do have relatively soft water and Mystic Water soaps lather well and easily.

I then took my time working the lather up and into the stubble. (I am a face latherer.) When I was done, I saw that I had spent 50 seconds doing that. So at 1 minute 20 second elapsed time into the shave, I picked up the Silvertone with a Kai blade and began the shave. I stopped timing at that point because I didn’t think I would remember the per-pass time, plus I was enjoying the shave. The Kai is a sharp blade, and I seemed to have learned the Silvertone because it felt quite comfortable.

I do a three-pass shave: with, across, and against the grain, lathering prior to each pass. I end with a rinse but no alum block and, in this case, no need to seal a nick: nick-free and irritation free result.

When I applied the aftershave, I checked the total elapsed time: 5 min 19 seconds. The last time I timed myself it was 8 minutes, so I guess improvement continues.

This was not a rushed shave, by any means. OTOH, I didn’t tarry: no peering at my hairline in the mirror, no getting lost in thought. But also no sense of haste or hurry.

By the time I replaced the cap on the aftershave, sponged around the sink, washed out brush, etc., I was at 5 min 50 seconds, comfortably under 6 minutes. And the shave truly is a perfect BBS. I attribute that to the lather and the good fit of Kai blade and Silvertone razor—plus, of course, a certain amount of daily practice. I should note that my beard is average: not light and not heavy.

Important addendum: Woods aftershave is again available at Saint Charles Shave (scroll down at the link).