Razor: Yaqi Mini, red & black
Blade: Persona Platinum
Brush: X A
Lather: Nivea Mild
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block, Big Red Beard Balm, & Pereira Shavery Boomerang Beard Comb
Shave of the day 2nd January
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A head barber shave
According to Captain Charles of the Lusitania – greatest ship afloat – everyone can get a “head barber shave” from an Auto Strop razor… because while everyone can move a razor across the face, only a “head barber” can properly strop and hone a blade.
A few interesting titbits; the reference to Lusitania as the greatest ship afloat, as well as placing I T W Charles as the Captain, dates the advertisement to a narrow time frame. It must be from after 7th September 1907, which was the date of the maiden voyage for the Lusitania. It must be from before the Great War, since as far as I can tell her two wartime captains were Captain Dow and – off course – Captain William Thomas Turner.
Best guess places this advertisement around 1910 – before the Gillette’s with their disposable blades made the idea of stropping a safety razor obsolete.
As a side note, I’m really curious as to the “slaughter of the innocent” booklet they mention in the text – the only thing I find online about that is more recent than this advert, and has little to do with shaving.
Out with the old, in with the new…
…as long as the ‘new’ isn’t cartridge razors – they work for some, but not for me.
It is the time of year when most people gets a little introspective, wondering how they measured up to their own standards the last year and how they can improve their performance in the year ahead… the time when one is most likely to reexamine ones goals in life, and make resolutions that will be broken within a few weeks.
Unsurprisingly, it is much easier to say one is going to do something than to actually do it.
It is also – at least up here in Norway – the darkest time of the year.. the sun is coming back, but it will be weeks or even months before the sun comes back.. but as it was pointed out to me a few weeks back when I was even further north; you don’t really learn to enjoy the sun and summer until you lived through a dark winter.
So.. here I stand. The old year behind me, the new ahead of me. Looking forward to brighter times, and without any resolutions other than to keep on shaving, keep on enjoying it, and keep on telling you all about it.
Happy New Year everybody – take care of yourself and your loved ones.
No Shave of the day 31st December
Having the day of, sleeping in, etc. Or possible just being lazy.
Shave of the day 28th December
Razor: Yaqi Mini, red & black
Blade: Persona Platinum
Brush: Vie-Long #13051M
Lather: Mike’s Natural Soaps Orange, Cedarwood & Black Pepper
Aftershave: Myrsol Aqua De Limón
Additional Care: Alum Block, BullDog Original Beard Oil, & Pereira Shavery Boomerang Beard Comb
Turned boxes with lids
As a small Christmas present for two of the younger members of my family, I decided to turn a pair of small, lidded boxes – vaguely mushroom shaped. Very vaguely…
Norwegian spruce wood. construction lumber (4×4), sanded to 240 grit and finished with nothing more than mineral oil.
Shave of the day 26th December
Razor: Yaqi Mini, red & black
Blade: Persona Platinum
Brush: Omega #10048
Lather: Dalan d’men Energenic and a touch of Oway softening shaving cream
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block, BullDog Original Beard Balm, & Pereira Shavery Boomerang Beard Comb
Another Pereira Shavery crowdfunder
Pereira just finished – successfully I might add – a crowdfunder for their unbreakable shaving bowl, a crowdfunder I backed myself so I could have a second bowl in a lovely bright green.
This time Pereira is offering up a hone for cartridge razors and an optional leather sheet for storing your razor in while travelling or at home. The kit looks really nice, and looking at the size and mode of operation it should work just as well for DE and SE razors too.
Check out their video, and then check out their campaign.
Wonderful present
My beloved wife – who is the one who suggested I look into traditional wetshaving to begin with – got me a wonderful present for the holiday; a tiny, cutesy Proraso travel kit. It has the most adorable little boar bristle brush, a rebadged Omega 50068 (unless I’m mistaken – definitely an Omega though).
For comparisons sake, the last photo shows the diminutive brush next to my other Proraso branded Omega brush, my 10048. It’s sooooo tiny, and sooooo adorable!
Shave of the day 24th December – Christmas Eve
Razor: Yaqi Mini, red & black
Blade: Persona Platinum
Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012
Lather: Pereira Shavery Orange Blossom w/ activated charcoal
Aftershave: Proraso Liquid Cream After Shave
Additional Care: Alum Block, BullDog Original Beard Oil, & Pereira Shavery Boomerang Beard Comb
