Razor: Asylum Shave Works Evolution
Blade: Personna Super
Brush: Brush Experimental Alpha
Lather: Pereira Sample
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Shave of the day 23rd October
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Dave Shaves on the old European Vending Machine Razor
A couple of years ago, I wrote up a short piece on a vintage European Vending Machine Razor. As a quick recap, it is a razor with stamped sheet metal head and a handle that some shavers like a lot. It was verifiable sold in Germany, and perhaps elsewhere.
Shave of the day 21st October
Razor: Asylum Shave Works Evolution
Blade: Personna Super
Brush: Brush Experimental Alpha
Lather: Pereira Sample
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Gillette’s Army-Navy “E” Award
History time!
During the Second World War, aka “The War” for us Norwegian, the US Army and US Navy created the E-award. E stands for – according to my sources – Excellence in Production of war equipment. In other words, a company had to not only produce for the war effort, but do so while: Overcoming obstacles, maintaining quality and quantity, avoiding stoppages, training additional laborers without lowering labor standards. On top of that they had to demonstrate good record keeping on the subject of health and safety. About one in twenty companies – government and private – which delivered war materials got the E-award.
And yes… Gillette got one of the E-awards, in 1943.
The high accomplishment of you men and women of the Gillette Safety Razor Company is inspiring. Your record will be difficult to surpass, yet the Army and Navy have every confidence that it was made only to be broken.
From the official citation
Shave of the day 19th October
Razor: Asylum Shave Works Evolution
Blade: Personna Super
Brush: Brush Experimental Alpha Lather: Pereira Samle
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Shave of the day 16th October
Razor: Asylum Shave Works Evolution
Blade: Personna Super
Brush: Brush Experimental Alpha
Lather: Pereira Samle
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Gillette Meteor?
So while I was poking around online, I found this advertisement for the Gillette Meteor:
Before I saw it, I had never heard about a razor called the Gillette Meteor. The google is of no help either… so I’m reduced to resort to guesswork.
Looking at the date – the 17th week of ’57 – and the photo of the razor. A one piece razor, late ’50s, in a plastic case and three rings around the unflaired knob… hmm… solid safety bar…
Doubtless we’re looking at one of the Super-Speed or Rocket razors. Most likely the later, based on the shape of the knob. Case reminiscent of the No66 set produced in the UK. The razor must have been rebranded for the Norwegian marked to give it a name that Norwegians could more easily pronounce.
As a side note; Basse Hveem was a well known Norwegian speedway and longtrack motorcyclist. He wont the US longtrack championship in 1957.
Shave of the night 13th October
Razor: Yaqi Mini, red & black
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Omega #50014 Travel
Lather: Pereira Shavery Shaving Cream w/ Activated Charcoal
Additional Care: Alum Travel Stick
Rockwell Razor Patent
The Rockwell razor made a bit of a stir when it was released a few years ago. Ever since adjustable razors were introduced, they have been mechanically more complex than a three piece razor. The Rockwell Razor bucked that trend, and bucked it hard. The Rockwell razor is as simple as a three piece razor because it is a three piece razor. It is as simple as that.
I was a little surprised that such a simple concept was patentable. After all, it is over a century since the original three piece King Gillette razor was patented. I guess it just shows that simple ideas can be hard to come up with.
The patent is quite interesting reading too, less obtuse than many older patents. The text also goes into the background for the invention, which I think is a major improvement over some patents I’ve read. To give an example:
The most popular modern shaving implement uses cartridge based razors that include a number of single-edged razors in a disposable cartridges. The consumer cost of these disposable cartridges is quite high and has been an impetus for the return to traditional wet shaving using double-edged safety razors. Refilling a traditional safety razor can cost under 10 cents whereas modern cartridges can cost well over $2 to replace. Today’s modern razor cartridges can also irritate the skin more than needed due to the multiple blades..
US patent
Remarkable clear and concise, just like the patent drawings.
Full patent can be read at Google Patents, as usual. If you enjoy patents for razors and shaving related accoutrements, I got a page full of them.
Shave of the day 12th October
Razor: Asylum Shave Works Evolution
Blade: Personna Super
Brush: Vie-Long #12705B
Lather: Pereira Samle
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block