Clean Fighters

As we all know, Gillette got the opportunity to equip the US Armed Forces with razors as our American friends geared up to join the Great War – a few years after everyone else had gotten in on the action.

This not only gave Gillette a few million razors out there – and thus significantly increased the user base – but also gave Gillette a new thing to talk about in their advertisements.

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Shave of the day 30th May 2022

Razor: “Normal”

Blade: Wilkinson Sword

Brush: Vie-Long #12705B

Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream

Lather: Taylor of Old Bond Street Peppermint

Aftershave: BullDog Oil Control Moisturiser

Additional Care: Alum Block

Minty SOTD 2022-05-30
SOTD 2022-05-30

Shave of the day 27th May 2022

Razor: “Normal”

Blade: Wilkinson Sword

Brush: Vie-Long #14033

Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream

Lather: B&M Latha Oceana

Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara

Additional Care: Alum Block

Shaving aid stored in the razor handle

Several of the patents we’ve looked at lately took the form of pen-shapedmore or lessshaving and hygiene kits, some with additional functions. Most of them stored some form of shaving aid in the handle – a tiny brush, soap powder or pellets. But what if I told you there was a patent for doing just that? One that covered just having a shaving aid stored in the razor handle?

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Shave of the day 25th May 2022

Razor: “Normal”

Blade: Wilkinson Sword

Brush: Wilkinson Sword Badger

Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream

Lather: Asylum Shave Works Flying Mango

Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara

Additional Care: Alum Block

Great British Patent 1902-28763

1902-28763. Or, for those who can’t quite recall the patent numbers of the top of their heads, one of King Gillette’s earliest patents for the classic three piece Old Type Razor.

It wasn’t King Gillette’s earliest patent, nor his last. It is, as far as I am aware, the earliest of his patents showing the classic Old Style razor with the bottom knob. Both his early US patents – US 775,134 and US 775,135 – required the user to either unscrew the handle or use the whole handle as a knob.

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Shave of the day 23rd May 2022

Razor: “Normal”

Blade: Wilkinson Sword

Brush: Vie-Long #13051M

Pre-Shave: Prep Original

Lather: Proraso Menthol & Eucalyptus

Aftershave: Myrsol Formula K

Additional Care: Alum Block

SOTD 2022-05-24
SOTD 2022-05-23

Shave of the day 20th May 2022

Razor: Gillette Slim

Blade: Wilkinson Sword

Brush: Omega #10048

Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream

Lather: Asylum Shave Works Colonia

Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara Additional

Care: Alum Block

Letters to Gillette Blade from the Gillette Boys

Gillette used to – back in the olden days – to have an internal magazine called the Gillette Blade. As far as I can tell, the Gillette Blade was aimed at Gillette’s employees, sales people, and share holders. Today one would have a company website, but this was a wee bit before the modern internet came along.

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Shave of the day 18th May 2022

Razor: Gillette Slim

Blade: Wilkinson Sword

Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012

Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream

Lather: Cold River Soap Works Olfactory Hue

Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara

Additional Care: Alum Block

SOTD 2022-05-18
SOTD 2022-05-18