Razor: GEM Micromatic Clug Pruf
Blade: GEM Single Edge Stainless
Brush: Vie-Long #13051M
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Taylor of Old Bond Street Peppermint
Aftershave: Myrsol Formula K
Additional Care: Alum Block
Razor: GEM Heavy Flat Top
Blade: GEM Single Edge Stainless
Brush: Omega #10048
Pre-Shave: Prep Original
Lather: Proraso Menthol & Eucalyptus
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
So while I was probing around for all things Auto-Strop, I found pictures of a rather interesting store display. Similar in concept to the animated GEM advertisement I mentioned a little while1 back, the Auto-Strop store display takes it one step further. It not only draws the eye with motion, but uses the motion to explain what makes the Auto-Strop unique.
Continue readingRazor: GEM Heavy Flat Top
Blade: GEM Single Edge Stainless
Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Asylum Shave Works Flying Mango
Aftershave: Epsilon for Men Scottish Spirit
Additional Care: Alum Block
Old advertisements can be a fun read. For starters, they actually contains text you can read, as opposed to giant pictures and an empty slogan. You could almost go through an old ad like the leaf of a book, reading and learning about the item advertised.
Like this 1920 advertisement for the Auto-Strop Safety Razor. Originally published in Volume LXVI of the Literary Digest, it fills two full pages. Text and images meant to educate as well as sell a product. Made to inform about a product, instead of a full colour photo and a blurb about being the best a man can get.1
Continue readingRazor: GEM Heavy Flat Top
Blade: GEM Single Edge Stainless
Brush: Artesania Romera Manchurian Badger, imitation horn
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Asylum Shave Works Colonia
Aftershave: Epsilon for Men Scottish Spirit
Additional Care: Alum Block
Razor: Schick E2
Blade: Schick Injector
Brush: Brush Experimental Alpha
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Pereira Shaving Soap Stick w/ activated charcoal
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Be it known that I, FRANK H. ANDERSON, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Razor- Strop Hangers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification
From US patent 721,654
There is more to a shave than a razor. And before cheap, replaceable razor blades were a thing, you needed a razor strop and a way to hang it. And it is the way to hang it that Frank H Anderson1 filed a patent for in 1902.
Continue readingRazor: Schick E2
Blade: Schick Injector
Brush: Vie-Long #12705B
Pre-Shave: Prep Original
Lather: Mike’s Natural Soaps Lemongrass & Eucalyptus
Aftershave: Myrsol Aqua De Limón
Additional Care: Alum Block
We all know what we mean when we say “safety razor”. It is a razor with a a protective device positioned between the edge of the blade and the skin. On the traditional hoe razors we all know and love, this can be a comb, a bar, or a scalloped bar. But back in 1890’s the standard for razors were the straight. And of course someone tried to invent a straight edge safety razor.
The earliest one I am aware of Perret, in 1762. But after that there were several attempts, including Zammet in 1881. But in 1897 Richard Sherman Bradley came up with something slightly new – a straight razor that could either be used as a safety razor or as a regular striaght.
Continue reading