A little while ago we looked at a Auto-Strop store display. A little before that, we looked at a wartime film talking about how to look after your blades and razors, including your Valet. During wartime it was extra important to look after your Valet, as it strops itself. And that is what today’s wartime little advertisement says too.

On the surface it is odd to advertise for a razor that isn’t manufactured. But the Gillette company, which at this time had merged with the AutoStrop company, was clearly looking forward to a time when manufacture would resume.

More specifically, the advertisement describes the importance of looking after the strop. The strop is essential to any AutoStrop razor, as it keeps the blade sharp for longer. Keep it clean, keep it supple, and – as the animated film told us – use it correctly.

Given that razors blades at the time were mostly uncoated carbon steel, careful stropping could prolong the useful life significantly. This would save the shaver money, and free up a small quantity of steel to the war industry.