While looking for more information on the match book novelty razor I posted last Thursday, I found these photos on a shaving forum. A different take on the match book razor, possible older than the last one I found judging by the razor’s head – it looks like a SE, possible a GEM blade.
Just some photos I found from an old eBay auction. I’m assuming that these could be printed with advertisements for anything, and that the actual razor was known as the “little shaver”. Judging by the printed instructions there should be a small package of shaving cream packed with the razor, but that isn’t in the photos.
I have to admit one thing; I would love to have this kit today when I’m travelling for work or on the Go.
Everything a soldier (or sailor) could need while serving in the field or aboard – including space for writing supplies to write letters home. You can see some photos of an original Nathan Comfykit here.
If anyone offers quality reproductions of these – preferable filled with the gear – I’m seriously tempted to get one. It’s a more complete solution than the Khaki Kit.
I have mentioned my concept Zen of Shaving – that perfect moment caught between lather and blade – several times in my blog and even more often on my favorite shave forum, and it don’t become any less true or less important as time moves on.
In my line of work, some times of the year* is busier than the rest… and winter is one of them. Lots on my mind, lots on my calendar, and even more meetings to plan things than the other busy times of the year.
And it’s when life if full of happenings, and ones brain is simply too full of priority zero items to even get started on those things that should be ones first priority, that a few minutes of Zen in the morning really helps bring a sense of balance and harmony to ones life. By forgoing the modern “convenience” of canned goo and the cartridge razor with n+1 blades (where n equals at least three blades more than you need to shave) I am “wasting” a few minutes every day… but by using lather, brush and an old fashioned safety razor I do find my center and becomes ready to face yet another day of being one man deep and having to take part in the Red Queens Race**.
In short, a few “wasted” minutes of the Zen of Shaving makes busy days less stressful. So if you’re ever wondering if you have time to shave with lather, brush and safety razor, the answer is always a resounding YES!
*) Short version? August to June is the busiest time of the year. July is when we get everything done that got postponed from being busy, so July is busy too.
**) “…it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”
Also made the Witch Safety Razor, which I’ll hazard a guess that was meant for the ladies. Apart from the advertisment I’ve found very little on the Wizard – looks like I should invest in a copy of Waits’ compendium – just a shame there is no Kindle version.
It is something very satisfying to whip up your own lather before shaving… to see a tiny bit of shaving cream and a few drops of water turn into a nice, thick, rich and nice smelling lather. The slightly cool feel as the eucalyptus and menthol lather first touches, and then covers, most of the face – and then taking it off with long, controlled strokes with my old fashioned safety razor. A quick splash of water, and then the sting of the alum as it finds the small nicks and scratches that I couldn’t see in the mirror.
It don’t matter if the lather cup I use is a bright pink snack bow from Ikea. It don’t matter if my brush is a reasonably cheap one from Body Shop. It don’t even matter that my bathroom is a ‘three toilets, three showers’ shared ablution container that – frankly – is a bit run down. What matters is that it’s five minutes of ManTime, and a link to my more or less daily routine at home. Try that with a spray can full of foam and plastic razors with five blades…
Over the last few months I’ve amassed a fair number of perfume and EdT samplers… the benefit of being patient when my Better Half visits makeup stores (“…and one sample for you for being a good sport”, as the cashiers would say).
So I’ll do my best going forward to put my unsophisticated nose to work, and do some reviews of those – and my stack of unreviewed aftershaves.
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The Clearasonic vibrating face brush gadget is a wonderful and efficient tool to get a deep clean of the skin (I might do a full review of it later).
My love for Dr Bronner’ 18-in-1 Organic Pure Castile Liquid Soap with Peppermint should be obvious from how often I use it as a preshave soap.
The two combined makes for a rather intense experience… not painful per see, but my face still tingles an hour after the incident.