Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Artesania Romera Manchurian Badger, imitation horn
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: CRSW Glide Morning Ghost
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block

Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Artesania Romera Manchurian Badger, imitation horn
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: CRSW Glide Morning Ghost
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Razor: Gillette 1958 TV Special
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Brush Experimental Alpha
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Pereira Shaving Soap Stick w/ activated charcoal
Aftershave: Epsilon for Men Scottish Spirit
Additional Care: Alum Block
A little while ago I conducted a little experiment. Today there is a second take on that experiment, building on feedback I got the first time around.
Continue readingRazor: Gillette 1958 TV Special
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Vie-Long #12705B
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Pereira Shavery Baron’s Choice
Aftershave: Epsilon for Men Scottish Spirit
Additional Care: Alum Block
While a razor that can fit in a pocket – a pocket razor, if you like – is all well and good, there have to be compromises made when you want to have a razor the size of a fountain pen. The pen style shavette, the pen with a razor, and Bowlin’s patent all shared one drawback; they used proprietary, narrow blades. The compact razor we looked at a little while back avoids that issue, by being chunkier. But what if you want to retain that pen like sleekness, yet still use a full sized razor blade? Then you end up with C J Garritson’s all-flex pocket razor.
Continue readingRazor: Gillette 1958 TV Special
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Vie-Long #14033
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Asylum Shave Works Flying Mango
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Razor: Parker 22R
Blade: “Normal”
Brush: N/A
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: La Toja canned goo
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Halfway on a whim, I decided to try the canned goo I got in Gifts&Care’s advent calendar. Not as horrible as I recall canned goo being, so I guess improved prep is alpha and omega if you’re reduced to aerosol cans for your shave. Made a mess though; uneven coverage, and had to wash my hands before I could pick up the razor.
But I tried it…
The history of the shaving industry can be described – in part – as being a fight over control. As long as a company controls the patent, they control the manufacture – and thus the cash flow. A very good example of this is the blade. As long as Gillette’s patent for the three hole blade was in force, no one else could legally make three hole blades. Once the patent got close to expiration, Gillette started to innovate again. One constrain was that a new blade should fit old razors too – but new razors shouldn’t be able to use the old style blade. The result was a new slotted blade – but not quite the blade we know today.
Continue readingRazor: Parker 22R
Blade: “Normal”
Brush: Wilkinson Sword Badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: B&M Latha Oceana
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
We can all agree that hygiene is important, even when we are not at home. And it was for those times that Raymond J. Gotto filed a patent for a hygiene implement in 1982. A vaguely pen-like implement that contained a tooth brush, and a razor, the device would been easy to bring along. Or buy from a vending machine, for that matter.
The form factor and overall compactness puts Mr Gotto’s invention in the same class as the pen style shavette from 1921, the compact razor from 1927, the combination writing instrument and shaver’s kit from 1936, and of course Bowlin’s shaving kit from 1947.
Continue reading