Razor: Gillette Single Ring
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Vie-Long #12705B
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Sample – Geo F Trumper Rose Shaving Cream
Aftershave: B&M Reserve Classic
Additional Care: Alum Block
Last day pf my Sample September, and my stock of aamples have been severly reduced. Which is great, considering that was one of my goals with this exercise.
Over the years I’ve showcased quite a few razor blade sharpeners.1 One I have not showed yet is the Sharpex patent from 1930. I do actually own a surviving example, but it is in rough shape.
As for the why of sharpeners, I have touched upon it before. It boils down to the carbon steel blades of yesteryear not staying sharp as long as modern blades, and blades were relatively costly to replace. Keeping your blade sharp for longer meant saving money as well as getting a better shave.
Continue readingRazor: Gillette Single Ring
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Vie-Long #14033
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Sample Dr Harris & Co Ltd Almond Shaving Cream
Aftershave: Sample – B&M Reserve Cool
Additional Care: Alum Block
Nearing the end of my Sample September, and nearing the end of my lather samples too. Todays aftershave sample was blue enough to leave stains in the sink.
From time to time I wonder what the ideal razor would be.
Ideal for me. that is. I harbour no illusions that I know what is the best razor for every shaver. Quite to the contrary, I do believe that there is no such thing as a razor that fits everyone – so I am very wary of any company, Kickstarter, or person who claim to have come up with the One True Razor.
Tangent aside, let us consider what m ideal razor would be like. To do that, we need to look about what I like. and why.
Continue readingRazor: Gillette Single Ring
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Wilkinson Sword Badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Sample – Geo F Trumper Rose Shaving Cream
Aftershave: Sample – Saponificio Varesino Manna Di Sicilia
Additional Care: Alum Block
The home stretch of my Sample September. Been enjoying it a lot so far.
Razor: Merkur 39C Slant
Blade: Shark Super Chrome
Brush: Vie-Long #13051M
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Sample – Dr Harris Almond Shaving Cream
Aftershave: Sample – Saponficio Varesino Felce Aromatica
Additional Care: Alum Block
Sample September keep on. Starting to see the end of my lather samples at least 😉
Or as we know this patent today; the genesis of the Schick Injector type D and onwards. And unlike a lot of the patents I riff on, this one not only made it into production, but is alive and well. And expired, so anyone can copy the razor and loading device therefor found in this patent. The patent relates to:
…a combined razor and magazine which are separable to enable the razor to be used for shaving apart from the magazine.
From US patrent 1,969,945
Or, in simpler terms, an injector as we know and love them1 today. And in contrast to the older type A, B and C razors,2 which had the magazine in the handle.
Continue readingRazor: Merkur 39C Slant
Blade: Shark Super Chrome
Brush: Omega #10048
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Sample – Truefitt & Hill Sandalwood Shaving Cream
Aftershave: Sample – Saponficio Varesino Felce Aromatica
Additional Care: Alum Block
Keeping the Sample September going. The pile of samples are getting noticeable smaller at this stage.
Some of you may recall the King Oscillator and the Rotary King razors I wrote about a while back. But King wasn’t the first – or the last – to propose a reciprocating razor. Almost a decade before King got his patents, Robert Taylor got a patent for a safety razor. A safety razor where the act of shaving made the blade reciprocate. Or as the US patent office helpfully classify it:
B26B21/36 Safety razors with one or more blades arranged transversely to the handle of the type carrying rollers with provision for reciprocating the blade
As a side note the blade moving sideways or vibrating is an idea that just won’t die, even if it ought to be well known that a razor is not a saw. To me the idea of sawing the blade is pointless – it would be better to keep the blade sharp.
Continue readingRazor: Merkur 39C Slant
Blade: Shark Super Chrome
Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012
Pre-Shave: Prep Original
Lather: Sample – Dr Harris Almond Shaving Cream
Aftershave: Sample – Saponificio Varesino Cubebe
Additional Care: Alum Block
About two thirds in on Sample September. Still loving it.