Tag Archives: Gear

Review of The Lavish Gentleman’s Natural Strength Oil Cleanser

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TL:DR?
It works as advertised. It smells nice. It’s dead simple to use. Should come in larger bottles, but compromises must be made I guess. Get some.

The longer version?


A few weeks ago I noticed that The Lavish Gentleman was tweeting about the opportunity to try their oil cleanser for free, and since I enjoy trying new products and ways to improve my shave I reached out and asked for a sample. I was honestly expecting a sample-sized sample, but what I received a little over two weeks ago was a 30ml (1 fl.oz) pump bottle along with a post card sized instruction sheet and ingredient list. So thumbs up right away for providing something I could read without putting my glasses on in the morning.

The active ingredients are marula oil – harvested from the nuts of a tree native to Sudano-Sahelian range of West Africa, or so Wikipedia tells me – and rosehip oil. While I had to look up the former, rosehips are near and dear to me; there are several wild rosehip bushes where I live, and they make the most wonderful flowers – although I’m not sure if The Lavish Gentleman uses oil from the dog rose, which is what grows wild here. The cleanser also contains a number of other oils, detailed on the ingredient card.

The scent is a little hard to describe… sort of a cross between some of my wife’s makeup cleansers and the cooking oil in my kitchen, with a hint of citrus. A rather pleasant smell to be sure, and one that don’t linger particularly long on my skin – which is good since that means it won’t conflict with my aftershaves

Going back to Wikipedia, marula oil traditionally used as a moisturiser, massage oil and cleanser in parts of sub-saharan Africa while rosehip oil allegedly helps combat damage – anecdotal evidence suggests it assists in the healing of scar tissue according to Wikipedia – and is commonly used in skin care products.

Directions for use couldn’t be simpler: Apply to dry skin, massage gently, rinse off using a wash cloth and warm water. It slotted itself right into my morning routine, replacing the various soaps I’ve rotated between in my preshave wash. It left my skin feeling noticeable cleaner and smoother than most soaps I’ve tried so far, and despite this being the cold season my skin haven’t dried out during the days I’ve used it. As an added bonus some of the problem pores on my nosewings seems to have cleaned up too, an area that always give me trouble in winter.

 Before
After

My only real gripe is the small bottle it comes in; I checked The Lavish Gentleman’s website, and so far at least they don’t seem to sell larger bottles. Given my current rate of use, I guesstimate the current bottle will “only” last five or six weeks total… a 100ml (approximately 3 fl.oz) bottle would been a very handy size for me – alongside a small one to bring in my carry-on when I have to go flying or in my GoBag. I can totally see giving myself a cleanup before landing using this cleansing oil, or a quick cleanup in the field even if I don’t have time to wash or shave.

To summarise: For me, it works great. Washing my face before my shaves are easier than with soap, since I don’t risk soapy water running down my chest. My skin feels smoother and cleaner, and some of the pores that normally give me trouble in winter have cleaned up. The scent is pleasant, and the instructions for use are straightforward enough to follow even before the morning coffee. I will certainly keep up with the daily use of it, and most likely order some more before I run out – despite the risk of having to pay import customs.

Would I recommend it? Yes. It might not work for every face out there, but it’s assuredly worth trying.

Added bonus; the charcoal mask offered by The Lavish Gentleman looks interesting as well… as much as I like Pereira Shavery’s shaving soap with activated charcoal, I can definitely see the appeal.

Another trio of old Norwegian razor blades

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There was more razor blade manufacturers than I ever suspected in Norway back in the day – “Knut A Rasmussen” from 1928 was one of the larger ones, able to make 6 million blades a year in 1938, which was not bad in a country that had about 2.8 million inhabitants at the time. Like most other Norwegian razor blade manufacturers they was gone by 1956, killed off by cheaper imported blades.

Manufactured blades under three different brands; Lyn (lightning), Nordenvind (Northern Wind) and Skarphedin (Son of Njål, from the old norse Njål’s Saga). Like the Nordkapp I mentioned last week, the labelling on the various blades speak volumes of the political and military situation at the time; i.e.: Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany, and a puppet regime was at least trying to pass themselves of as having the trappings of power.

A simple, no nonsense early wrapper. I like how the N is a lightning bolt, a visual reference to the name of the blade.

“The Northern Wind” factory employs only Norwegian workers, and is the only factory in Norway which uses the old – but for razor blades new – grinding method “obliquely on the edge”. For raw materials is used the best quality special-steel, 15% thinner than normal. Each blade controlled”
The reference to using only Norwegians cuts both ways, interestingly enough. The German occupiers and the Quisling collaborators tended to come down heavily on anything that hinted at the western allies, while the public tended to boycott any industry that had overt connections to Germany.

Same text as above, except not mentioning the thinner blade. I assume that means this wrapper hid one of the old style thicker blades.

“The Northern Wind” razor blade is manufactured by Norwegian workers in accordance with a particular technique that is the result of long experience and thorough experimentation. Only the highest quality Swedish special-steel – 15% thinner than normal blades – is used as raw material, and the manufacture is carried out as precision work. Each blade is controlled. It has an edge that lasts longer, and that will give a better and more comfortable shave.

Not much to say, apart from enjoying the logo and how it’s used on both sides of the wrapper.

Remove the blade carefully from the wrapper. Don’t destroy the fine edges by tearing of the paper.
Good advise today as well… Have to wonder what made this blade “New” though… other than the wrapper.

NOR VA is not a new brand, but a “no brand” – it is short for Norsk Vare (Norwegian Goods). During the War (aka WW2), there was a move to remove the brand name on certain items – soap was the most well known – in order to aid rationing and prevent black marked trading of more popular brands. I suspect this is caused by some of the same logic, but since the back of the wrapper is unchanged, it’s still easy to identify the blade.
Rustfritt means stainless by the way – a direct translation would be “free from rust”.

Another simple wrapper, with less text than many. Skarphedin is an old norse name from the sagas – skarp means sharp, and I’ve not found exactly what Hedin means, even if the name is not died out yet. One source claims it comes from Heðinn, meaning ‘fur jacket’, and that sounds reasonable.

An evolution of the previous wrapper? The logo have been replaced by a viking style head, and the encouragement to unwrap carefully is back on the wrapper.

I suspect this is a post-war blade, due to the more fancy print. The back gives some interesting information;
Blue wrapper: Stainless, luxury quality
Red wrapper: extra thin, not stainless

Box arrived from BullGoose

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My box of goodies arrived from Phil at BullGoose, all items packed safe and arrived in good shape – despite the Norwegian Postal Service doing what they do best and scuffed the box up good.

The fit and finish of the aluminium soap bowl and the Asylum Evolution is better than I expected, and I was expecting a lot after reading other peoples review of the two items. The BullGoose Bowl has an almost perfect seal; I have to push the lid down against the internal air pressure, and taking the lid off results in a satisfying pop as the air rushes back in…

While I’m not a machinist per see, I do have a passing knowledge of working steel and aluminium. The level of skill and attention to detail evident in both the razor and the bowl easily justify the asking price of both in my opinion, and if the razor shaves half as good as it looks and feels in my hand, I’m in for a treat!

Nordkapp – yet another vintage Norwegian blade

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So I was puttering around the internet… again.

Sort of poking for information on vintage shaving gear… again.

Stumbled over a now defunct Norwegian manufacturer of razor blades… again.

Nordkapp (the North Cape) was one of two trademarks used by “Nye Norske Barberbladfabrikk” (New Norwegian Razor Blade Factory) in Oslo. Company founded in 1940, likely after the German invasion severly reduced the import of blades from the UK and US. Folded sometime between 1949 and 1951, likely killed off by imported blades.

Back of the sleeve states that the price was 17 øre per blade, and that each blade was controlled for quality. To compare; adjusted for inflation, that would be almost 5 Norwegian kroner today, or roughly 60 US cents. Listing the price per blade can also be an indication that blades were sold as singles… something that makes the mind boggle a bit today.

Fram – meaning Forward, but obviously named for the well known polar ship – was the other trademark used. Front of the sleeve states the blade is made from “first class Swedish steel”, while the backside states – in addition to the quality control statement – that it’s made with Norwegian money and Norwegian work. Portraying the factory as wholly Norwegian was probably a smart thing to do both to the public and the occupiers; the Germans and the Quisling collaborators tended to come down heavily on anything that hinted at the western allies, while the public tended to boycott any industry that had overt connections to Germany.

All in all a fun little excursion into Norwegian razor blade history.

A seven razor PIF

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PIF is short for Pay It Forward; an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying it to others instead of to the original benefactor.

Over the years I’ve benefited greatly from friends and acquaintances online paying it forward… soaps, razors, some aftershaves and even a very nice brush once. I’ve also payed forward to friends and acquainted both in the flesh and online, and have converted at least two of my offline friends to traditional wetshaving.

After going through my razor rotation in conjunction with splurging on a stainless steel razor, I’ve decided to focus my rotation a bit more… retaining my vintage razors, a couple of higher end razors, as well as my first DE razor. And that means that I have some razors left over… I could have put them in a drawer, but I believe that razors are made to be used so I decided to offer them up as a PIF on the Shavenook instead (link to the PIF thread)


Up for grab is three Cadets, two Merkurs, a Lord and a Wilkinson Sword.

The Cadets are made in India, and was sold via Shave-a-Buck among others a few years back. Chrome over brass as far as I know, although the three piece razor might have a zamak head – sources differs. All should last a lifetime with proper care though.

Merkur Solingen hardly needs an introduction;they are one of the largest European manufacturers of traditional DE razors, and have been around since at least the 1920’s. Earliest patent I found assigned to them was from 1916.

Lord and Wilkinson Sword is another two of those that needs no introduction for those who have been around traditional safety razors for a while; while perhaps better known for blades, they both churn out plenty of goo, affordable safety razors in modern materials.

I consider them all these razors to be “user grade” – not due to them not being well maintained, but they are not mint any longer. I still have the plastic boxes the three Cadets, but the rests did not come in  boxes to begin with.

The links under the images goes to my reviews of the various razors, some of them dating back to when my blog was almost new and I had less knowledge in writing than I do today.


A three piece open comb razor – pretty much a case of what you see is what you get. It is heavier than I expected, since the handle is solid, not hollow like it is on many other inexpensive razors. This gives it a pleasant balance in my opinion, with the centre of gravity about 3cm below the head. The TP-01 is a bit more aggressive then the Merkur 25C OC, but still fairly mild compared to some of my other razors.

An Open Comb, Twists-To-Open razor, and one of the very few of this style I’m familiar with. The balance is very good which makes for an easily manoeuvrable razor. The open comb and head geometry makes it slightly more aggressive than the closed comb Cadet TTO-13, but not by much. It’s an efficient axe for mowing down stubble, but at the same time great for touch-ups and polishing. Paint on the handle is starting to wear off, which don’t affect how well it shaves.

The TTO-13 is a hefty piece of metal; however the balance is excellent, with the CG being just below the ‘double ball’ on the handle. The handle itself is comfortable to hold, and the machined checkerboard pattern makes it near impossible for it so slip even with wet and soapy fingers. The craftsmanship is excellent, even more so when you consider how inexpensive it was. It is worth noting that the Cadet TTO head has a flatter blade angle and a larger blade gap than either my Parker or my Gillette TTO has. This gives a more aggressive shave, and means it’s less forgiving to errors in the shave angle.

The Merkur 25C is a mild and efficient open comb razor. It is overall a solid razor, with a handle that’s somewhat thicker than your average pencil but not by much. The balance is good in my opinion, but YMMV depending on your taste. As far as I know the handle brass while the head most likely is zamak, both with a thick chrome coating. A mild razor good for sensitive skin and new shavers alike.

It’s very lightweight, which I found makes it easier to not put any pressure on it at all. It’s often said you should let the weight of the razor do the work for you, but in the case of the 45C it’s the sharpness of the blade that does it. The 45C has a rather retro style to it, which suits the material – bakelite – rather well. The reddish-brown and black might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but the looks deceive; this is a good shaver.

This Lord Racer razor is/was manufactured in Egypt. The model is also known as the Lord 205 as far as I know. It is made of injection moulded plastic, except the top of the head which is cast aluminium. The mixed construction is well balanced, with the centre of gravity shortly below the head. This makes for an easily manoeuvred razor, while keeping it so light you hardly notice that you’re holding it. The cap also covers up the sides of the razor blade, removing one possibility of cutting your fingertips open. The design allow for a pretty generous blade gap, while holding the blade almost flat. This means the Racer is a fairly aggressive shaver, more so than most of my other razors. It might be useful as a semi-disposable travel razor, or for someone wanting an aggressive beard killer.

The only DE razor I’ve tried so far that feels very much like a cartridge razor in use, which I suspect it’s due to the materials and design of the razor. The molded thermoplastic with a metal rod inserted in the handle gives a very tail-heavy balance. The WSC is not the mildest, nor the most aggressive I’ve used. The construction is sturdy, and the fact that the cap covers the ends of the blade is a nice touch. The head is a little on the big side. I have given these razors to friends before who wanted to try out traditional wetshaving with good results. A good razor for beginners in my opinion.

Please note that there is a couple of provisos for joining the PIF; you’ll have to be a member of the ShaveNook, you have to agree to give the razor onwards rather than sell it if/when you no longer want to hold onto it, and you have to promise to smile at least once a day. That last bit is important…

Since there is seven razors up for grab, I’ll keep the PIF open for seven days – until 1800 CET Saturday the 19th of January (link goes to countdown) – that should be enough time to join the ‘Nook (if you’re not already a member – don’t forget to say Hi in the introduction sub-forum) and post in the thread that you are in and what razor you would like or “no preference” if you want a razor and are less discerning as to which – they are all good shavers. If there is several of you who wants the same razor, I’ll randomly select one.

Bought an Asylum Evolution!

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I’ve been lusting for one of BullGoose’s Asylum Evolution razors since I found out he was planning to make an homage to the Darwin Double Edge razors from the 1930’s. The design of the Darwin was one of a kind, and the Evolution takes it to the next level. Shavers I’ve trust have given it rave reviews across the board, and since I’ve managed to put enough money aside on my shaving budget last year… I ordered one!

So excited I can hardly wait for it to make it’s way over here!

Høvding – another Norwegian razor blade brand

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Høvding (“chieftain”) was as far I can tell manufactured from 1935 to at least 1951… factory located in Sarpsborg like the Bessegg I posted about a while back – probably due to access to ample hydroelectric power, easy access to transport and a well developed metal industry.

The word “høvding” comes from the old norse term for head (“hǫfuð”), and can also mean a leader in a narrower field… for instance art, politics, or polar explorations. With that in mind it’s not a big surprice that the factory used Fritdjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen to sell their products; both was and is considered “chieftains” in Norwegian polar history.

Like other Norwegian manufacturers of razor blades, they probably folded when imports got cheap enough to drive them out of the market.

Wooden disposables; the Welch’s Saratoga and the E-KON-I-ME

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 When you think “disposable razor” today, you think plastic. But there was a time before non-biodegradable materials were the material of choice for things used a few times and then dumped in the landfill… and in those days a lady would want smooth legs and hairless pits even if she had forgotten her grooming equipment when she went on a unplanned rendezvous.

Enter the Welch’s Saratoga Disposable Razor and/or E-KON-I-ME (economy?) razors, identical in all but name as far as I can tell, and both also used the trademark “Just A Little Shaver”. A perfectly safe hair remover that would aid you in removing objectionable hair.

Robert K Waits’ compendium tracks the trademark back to 1917, not that long after we as a society started body-shaming women into shaving their armpits (which happened in 1915).

The razor was made by Woodward-Williams Co. Inc., of Rochester, NY. Given that the only difference is the markings on the head, and that Saratoga apparently was a popular summer resort, I assume it was possible at the time for a hotel or resort to have razors like these rebranded as a promotional item… something you could keep for a while as a tangible reminder of the unplanned rendezvous you suddenly went on.

The razor itself is simple enough; all wooden construction, a head with an open comb cut on one side and a slot for a blade, and a fairly stubby handle. Given the coarseness of the comb – only five teeth across the whole razor – it probably wasn’t the smoothest of razors out there… but it was available on site as it were, and if you really need a shave a razor in your hand is ten times better than a razor at home.

 

The E-KON-I-ME brand was also used on a razor blade sharpener. The name makes more sense for that product, so I’m assuming in the absence of firm information that the sharpener started manufacture before the little wooden disposable.

A bio-degradable disposable would be a nice option to have today, but I think I would prefer something a bit more refined than these wooden ones. Still fun to dive into what little I could find about them and share with my readers.

A head barber shave

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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.