Razor: Gillette 1958 TV Special
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Vie-Long #13051M
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Pereira Oud
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Another week, another great shave.
Razor: Parker 22R
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Omega #10048
Pre-Shave: O Way Softening Shaving Cream
Lather: Prairie creations Walter
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
A throback shave; featuring my first safety razor, my first proper shave brush, and one of the first artisan soaps I bought.
Ever so often I find a patent that makes me shake my head and wonder what the inventor was thinking. Although sometimes I wonder what he was smoking. The skin stretching and lather spreading attachment devised by Vance Fulenwider1 is one of the later. Like several other inventions I’ve discussed, I am struggling to figure out what problem he was trying to solve.
So what was he trying to achieve, in his own words?
Continue readingRazor: Parker 22R
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012
Pre-Shave: O Way Softening Shaving Cream
Lather: B&M Latha Oceana
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Found a tube of O Way in the back of my drawer. From what I recall not a great lather, but it is good as a pre-shave cream.
Leopold Morris may not have been the only person to patent a revolver razor – we’ve looked at one or two before. But he was fairly early, and his razor is also an early example of a cartridge razor. Arguable a multiblade cartridge too, but not in the manner we think of today.
Continue readingRazor: Parker 22R
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Artesania Romera Manchurian Badger, imitation horn
Pre-Shave: Prep Original
Lather: Asylum Shave Works Flying Mango
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
First week after Sample September, and I’m looking forward to picking and choosing soaps and aftershaves again.
Razor: Gillette Single Ring
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Vie-Long #12705B
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Sample – Geo F Trumper Rose Shaving Cream
Aftershave: B&M Reserve Classic
Additional Care: Alum Block
Last day pf my Sample September, and my stock of aamples have been severly reduced. Which is great, considering that was one of my goals with this exercise.
Over the years I’ve showcased quite a few razor blade sharpeners.1 One I have not showed yet is the Sharpex patent from 1930. I do actually own a surviving example, but it is in rough shape.
As for the why of sharpeners, I have touched upon it before. It boils down to the carbon steel blades of yesteryear not staying sharp as long as modern blades, and blades were relatively costly to replace. Keeping your blade sharp for longer meant saving money as well as getting a better shave.
Continue readingRazor: Gillette Single Ring
Blade: Astra Green
Brush: Vie-Long #14033
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Sample Dr Harris & Co Ltd Almond Shaving Cream
Aftershave: Sample – B&M Reserve Cool
Additional Care: Alum Block
Nearing the end of my Sample September, and nearing the end of my lather samples too. Todays aftershave sample was blue enough to leave stains in the sink.
From time to time I wonder what the ideal razor would be.
Ideal for me. that is. I harbour no illusions that I know what is the best razor for every shaver. Quite to the contrary, I do believe that there is no such thing as a razor that fits everyone – so I am very wary of any company, Kickstarter, or person who claim to have come up with the One True Razor.
Tangent aside, let us consider what m ideal razor would be like. To do that, we need to look about what I like. and why.
Continue reading