…like climbing ten flights of stairs

If you are still depending upon the barber or old fashioned razor you are in the same category with the man who climbs ten flight of stairs when there is an elevator in the building.

While there is many things we can gleam from this advertisement from May 1908 – one of which is the almost curious lack of contractions (“you are” instead of “you’re” in the small excerpt I copied above) – the two that stands out to me is the fact that a safety razor with a dozen blades set you back a mere 5 USD, and you could get combination sets for tens times that price.
Adjusting for a hundred and eleven years of inflation, that equals about 140 USD for a single razor with blades, and a whooping 1400 USD for the most expensive set…

Shave of the day 28th August

Razor: Phillips Philite
Blade: Treet Platinum
Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012
Pre-Shave: The Lavish Gentleman Natural Strength Oil Cleanser
Lather: Brutalt Bra TSN LE / Norwegian Wood
Aftershave: BullDog Sensitive Aftershave Balm
Additional Care: Alum Block, BullDog Original Beard Oil, & Pereira Shavery Boomerang Beard Comb

Shave of the day 26th August

Razor: Phillips Philite
Blade: Treet Platinum
Brush: Artesania Romera Manchurian Badger, imitation horn
Pre-Shave: The Lavish Gentleman Natural Strength Oil Cleanser
Lather: Pereira Shavery Orange Blossom w/ activated charcoal
Aftershave: BullDog Sensitive Aftershave
Balm Additional Care: Alum Block, BullDog Original Beard Oil, & Pereira Shavery Boomerang Beard Comb

Keep HIM FIT with a “COMFYKIT”

The ComfyKit is – or rather was – the most complete kit on the market. Or at least they claimed to be.

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.

More old brushes

A poster / advertisement for shaving brushes I found online, age unknown. The similarities with the brushes from the US Civil War I posted last week should be obvious; high loft, a ‘neck’ between the handle and the brush proper, and in some  cases the use of string to secure the knot.

At the same time we can see the development of the modern brush; shorter loft, use of rubber cement and glue to secure the knot, and less pronounced necking.

German WW2 military shave kit

This is, according to the sources online, an original German Wehrmacht standard issue shavekit. Goes one better than the US Gillette Khaki kit from WW1 by including brush and soap, but  the round mirror seems less useful than a rectangular one.

Old Time Advice: Care of the face after shaving

Shaving made easy is a book from 1904 that I have mentioned before on my blog.. it’s an interesting read and it’s free (as in beer), so why not download it and give it a read? Even if it’s 111 years since the book was printed, the advice given is just as valid.

CARE OF THE FACE AFTER SHAVING.
Most men who shave themselves seem to think that when they have removed the beard, they have nothing further to do. This is a great mistake. They undervalue the importance of a proper treatment of the face. A quick and easy way of caring for the face after shaving, is to remove the lather by a thorough washing, then to apply either witch hazel, bay rum or some other good face lotion, and to follow this with a small quantity of talcum powder, evenly applied. This is probably about all that the average man will usually find time to do.
In order, however, to keep the skin in a healthful condition, a little more elaborate treatment should occasionally be given. We recommend the following: Wash the face thoroughly to free it from the lather, and then apply a steaming hot towel, as hot as can be borne. The heat and moisture draw the blood to the face, open the pores, and set up a healthful action of the skin. Next apply witch hazel, and finally give the face a thorough massage. There is no other treatment so beneficial to the skin. With many persons the flow of blood to the face and scalp is very sluggish, because of enfeebled or slow heart action; and in consequence, the many small arteries and capillaries become clogged. Massage stimulates the circulation, and brings the blood from the inner centers to the surface, filling the many minute capillaries just underneath the skin, thus producing a tonic effect, which gives the skin renewed vigor and health.

What to do for a Cut.
If a man cuts himself while shaving, it is usually due to certain causes that are easily avoidable. The principal causes are six in number:
First—Attempting to shave with a dull razor.
Second—Using a sharp pointed razor.
Third—Shaving with a razor that is too hollow ground, so that the edge springs and bends on the face.
Fourth—Holding the razor improperly.
Fifth—Shaving upward against the growth of the beard.
Sixth—Shaving in too great a hurry.
If you will avoid these mistakes and exercise proper care, you will seldom cut yourself. But when you do, it will be well to know how to treat the wound. If it be slight, the bleeding may sometimes be checked by using pressure. Covering the fingers with a towel, simply press the cut together. If this does not stop the flow, use an astringent. The styptis pencils, made especially for this purpose, are the best, and may be obtained at any store where barbers’ supplies are kept. In case you should not have the pencils, alum may be used. In any event do not be discouraged, for such accidents sometimes happen to the best barbers.

“The brush”

From Shaving Made Easy, a book in the public domain I like to recommend to shavers new and old:

Purchase a good brush. The cheap ones are usually the most expensive in the end, and nearly always prove unsatisfactory. It should be remembered that the vital part of a brush is in the setting, and particular attention should therefore[Pg 46] be paid to that part of it. Cheap brushes are commonly set with glue, rosin or cement, which soon cracks and becomes unadhesive; whereupon the bristles fall out. We recommend a brush made of bristles or badger hair and set in hard vulcanized rubber. A brush so constructed, with wood, bone or ivory handle, and hard rubber ferule, will not shed the bristles or crack open, and with proper care will last for years.Do not leave the lather to dry in the brush, but after shaving rinse it out thoroughly and dry the brush with a towel, before putting away. The cup and brush should be kept clean and away from dust. Once a week they should be washed with hot water.

Today we have a great deal more choices when it comes to the materials used in the handle and in the glues used for the knot, but the rest of the advice holds true still – even if my cheap and cheerful Turkish brushes so far has provided fantastic value for the price asked.