Almost dropped $40 on a straight edge shave, there...

...on a trip to North Park with my better half's family a few months ago, they tried to convince me to try it out. Problem was, I had already shaved a few hours earlier.

AOS, as it's known in the shaving forums, is considered "okay" by the serious crowd, who tend to embrace all things English...creams, brushes, soaps, blades, etc. I've been very happy with the "lesser quality" stuff...like Proraso, an Italian menthol cream that can be bought at any Bath and Body Works under the re-branded "C.O. Bigelow" name. It comes in a green, metal tube and it is very refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. I've also been happy with a triple milled shave soap, Sienna, which is sold at Crabtree & Evelyn (yes, they stock men's stuff, too). I also bought a reasonably priced badger shaving brush there, too. I'm still using the same puck I bought last Thanksgiving...and at $4 bucks on sale, it's a tremendous bargain. All the C&E men's products are made in England, but, - again - considered a notch below the top of the line English made stuff. I may one day decide to try one of those products, but there's really no good reason to other than curiosity. Now, if the lovely wants to pay for me to get an AOS shave, I'll be happy to indulge....