A fine Friday shave gets me on the mood for the weekend. Just a shame I have a full workday ahead of me first…
The Great War – which gave us such things as the ComfyKit,1 the smooth shaven soldier, and body shaming the ladies – ended in November 1918. Interestingly enough, that almost immediately prompted a change in how razors were marketed. As an example, I have two advertisements for the GEM khaki kit for you today. One from 1918, and one from 1919.
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A wee Wednesday shave on a wet morning.
He could have done a better job on his neck…
Another week, another shave. Both the brush and the lather are Limited Edition items made for the sadly defunct Shave Nook forum, and the Mergress was a gift from Phil who ran the Nook.
The most important “item” for me is the mindset of the shave. I got a fair selection of razors; new and vintage, SE and DE, open comb and safety bar. I got a decent selection of brushes; horse, boar, synth and entry-level badger. I got plenty of soap; factory and artisan, hard and soft, american and european. I got a small but decent selection of aftershaves; big names and artisan. And I can mix and match and get Damn Fine Shaves every time, provided I take the time to get into the mindset. The tool matters less than learning to use the tools.
Shaving time is – at least to me – a quiet, reflective moment. It’s me-time; the time when I can close the door and just enjoy myself without a worry in the world. It’s the time each morning I can ‘let go’ of everyday worries and simply enjoy the ‘now’ – a perfect moment caught between lather and blade as it were. It’s a moment that flushes the system, in a manner of speaking, and lets me put things in perspective. I think that traditional wetshaving have helped making me a better man, as well as a better looking man. In short shaving for me is less about the gear and more about that perfect moment caught between lather and blade – those precious minutes every time you shave that lets your worries and concerns simply drain away. The little breathing space where it’s you, your razor and perfection.
And as with everything regarding shavings; Your Mileage May Vary.
A mighty midweek shave, and it’s just eleven months until Christmas Eve… time flies when mornings are enjoyable.
How are you fixed for blades? I linked to one commercial asking that question a little over ten years ago, but today i found that Gillette updated the ad after the rock and/or roll craze hit.
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A magnificent Monday shave, with lather, brush, and razor all coming from the Iberian Peninsula.