My Old-Timey Shaving Odyssey

[Shangas]

There is SOMETHING in there...I forget what it is. It may be the oil you speak of. I can't remember!

 

[Gin&Tonics]

When you're proficient with that, you can graduate to this:

Heh, I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled for one of those bad boys. For now I'm going to keep practicing with grandpa's Gillette and see if I can't get some even better results. My wife found some all-natural after-shave balm at the local organic market, so I think I'll invest in some of that as well to complete the experience. The grain of my hair on my neck and under my chin is very strange, grows in all sorts of weird directions, so it makes it a bit difficult to get a really close shave everywhere.

The Odyssey continues...

 

[1930artdeco]

my stuff

http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa54/1930artdeco/?action=view&current=IMG_1314.jpghttp://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa54/1930artdeco/?action=view&current=IMG_1313.jpghttp://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa54/1930artdeco/?action=view&current=IMG_1311.jpgThis thread got me thinking...I should get back into the wet shave business instead of the electric. So here is what I have to start with: A gillette safety razor, and a 'precision-blue beard stropper' made by The Beardsley and Wolcott MFG Co.. Unfortunately it needs to be restored as the leather windings are starting to desintegrate. Has anyone ever heard of these people or seen this before? I have a brush as well-Boars bristle I think. Is there a store where I can buy the missing pieces or do I have to go to several different places?

Mike

 

[Gin&Tonics]

http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa54/1930artdeco/?action=view&current=IMG_1314.jpghttp://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa54/1930artdeco/?action=view&current=IMG_1313.jpghttp://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa54/1930artdeco/?action=view&current=IMG_1311.jpgThis thread got me thinking...I should get back into the wet shave business instead of the electric. So here is what I have to start with: A gillette safety razor, and a 'precision-blue beard stropper' made by The Beardsley and Wolcott MFG Co.. Unfortunately it needs to be restored as the leather windings are starting to desintegrate. Has anyone ever heard of these people or seen this before? I have a brush as well-Boars bristle I think. Is there a store where I can buy the missing pieces or do I have to go to several different places?

Mike

I'm guessing by the look of that wind-up contraption that it's actually a machine intended for stropping straight razors, so it's not required for use with your safety razor. Safety razors take those old fashioned flat razor blades you can still buy at most drug stores. Of course you want to make sure your old safety razor is immaculately clean before you begin. As to which specific kind of blades to buy, others on the forum could better advise you; in my case, my choices were limited to two options so I bought both to try out. Your boar brush is fine to start, but badger is the best; my brush is a boar at the moment but I'll buy a badger if I decide to keep at this.

Then you'll need to buy either some proper shave soap or shave cream (not that aerosol crap in a spray can). Personally, I like the extra-old style of using shave soap, because creams were a more recent (still very old) invention.

It's advisable, although not required, to get some good natural pre-shave oil to spread on your face before the lather and a good natural aftershave balm (stay away from anything with alcohol, it does nothing good for you). Also I strongly advise getting a styptic pencil and/or alum block; I know mine has been very necessary in my first two shaves. Stings like hell; as they say, pain is a good teacher.

Everything I learned about how to do this I gleaned from the book "The Art of Shaving" and posts on Art of Manliness, provided here:
http://artofmanliness.com/2008/01/04/how-to-shave-like-your-grandpa/
http://artofmanliness.com/2010/08/19/how-to-buy-and-restore-vintage-shaving-gear/

Also there are several forums devoted to the classic wet shave. One of the best, I'm told, is Badger and Blade:
Badger & Blade - Home

Incidentally, the authors of the aforementioned book also run a store by the same name which has locations in a few different cities. If you have one in your area, I guarantee they have everything you need to get started. You could also try Amazon.com; in my experience they sell darn near everything!

Best of luck to you! Welcome to the brotherhood of vintage shaving!

 

[Dennis Young]

Wow what WAS that thing? Lol! I've never seen anything like it and wouldnt begin to know how to use it. Pretty cool though.

 

[Dennis Young]

Everything I learned about how to do this I gleaned from the book "The Art of Shaving" and posts on Art of Manliness, provided here:
http://artofmanliness.com/2008/01/04/how-to-shave-like-your-grandpa/
http://artofmanliness.com/2010/08/19/how-to-buy-and-restore-vintage-shaving-gear/

Also there are several forums devoted to the classic wet shave. One of the best, I'm told, is Badger and Blade:
Badger & Blade - Home

Incidentally, the authors of the aforementioned book also run a store by the same name which has locations in a few different cities. If you have one in your area, I guarantee they have everything you need to get started. You could also try Amazon.com; in my experience they sell darn near everything!

Best of luck to you! Welcome to the brotherhood of vintage shaving!

My dad passed away, so those websites are where I learned everything I know about the subject too.

 

[The Soph Gent]

I just posted this on another thread before I saw this one. Check out "Mantics" shave You Tube Videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59/videos
Those videos are the best around and will show you EVERYTHING you need to know about wet shaving...and I mean EVERYTHING!

To Gin/Tonics...Once you get the bug for the vintage shave stuff, it's hard to stop. 7 months ago, I got back into wet shaving and bought 1 new Merkur Razor. I then bought 1 vintage Gillette. That was all it took...

Since then I have bought over 300 razors (restore/sell) and have about 100 in my collection. These are just a few. I ran out of room and need to buy a couple of more curio cabinets.:eeek:

 

[1930artdeco]

My razor is 'adjustable' in that I can bend the blade to different angles. Is this so you can adjust the depth/coarse/fine cut?

Mike

 

[The Soph Gent]

My razor is 'adjustable' in that I can bend the blade to different angles. Is this so you can adjust the depth/coarse/fine cut?

Mike

In a matter of speaking...yes. The adjustablility gives you a mild to aggressive shave. The lower the #, the milder the shave. Gillette adjustable on the #1 setting has a blade gap opening of .56mm. #5 is .81mm and #9 is 1.14mm opening. Many guys will use a higher # setting if they have a growth of more than a couple days, then they dial it down a bit for the next pass; and so on. This is how you can achieve an extremely close shave with no irritation.

 

[DeaconKC]

On the Adjustables, Gillette's especially, it is very important to make sure the head is open before changing settings. Otherwise it can stress the mechanism.

 

[Doublegun]

Here we go again, the FL takes me on another adventure. Heading back to my parents to see if I can locate one of my dad's razors. Then, the adventure will begin. Where to start: not a guy with a lot of facial hair will I always take a "second pass" or is one pretty much all I'll need (depending on the setting of the razor)?

 

[Dennis Young]

I just posted this on another thread before I saw this one. Check out "Mantics" shave You Tube Videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59/videos
Those videos are the best around and will show you EVERYTHING you need to know about wet shaving...and I mean EVERYTHING!

To Gin/Tonics...Once you get the bug for the vintage shave stuff, it's hard to stop. 7 months ago, I got back into wet shaving and bought 1 new Merkur Razor. I then bought 1 vintage Gillette. That was all it took...

Since then I have bought over 300 razors (restore/sell) and have about 100 in my collection. These are just a few. I ran out of room and need to buy a couple of more curio cabinets.:eeek:

Holy Cow that is gorgeous!!!! Did you make the display cases yourself? I'm thinking of doing the same, but I dont have all the nice razors that you do. Nice job!!! :eusa_clap

 

[DeaconKC]

Double, if it takes more than one pass, don't worry. A DE razor is so much gentler on your skin, you won't mind. Also, these are some of the nicest shaving soap you can ever use.
http://mamabearssoaps.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

 

[DesertDan]

+1 for Mama Bear!
I use the 100% Natural EO Lime.

 

[The Soph Gent]

Holy Cow that is gorgeous!!!! Did you make the display cases yourself? I'm thinking of doing the same, but I dont have all the nice razors that you do. Nice job!!! :eusa_clap

Thanks but I can't take credit for the display cases...all store bought. The 1st photo case is a small stand alone about 24x16. Bought it on-line. I wanted it to house my "special" razors but it is already too small and filled.
The 2nd photo is only showing 1 shelf of another case. It's a corner unit with 6 shelves. That's full also.
The 3rd photo is an inexpensive curio that is used to hold the razors I am selling.

I would LIKE to get 2 large curios that are all glass without any wood trim but they are pretty expensive (about $800 each). I have seen many on craigs list but I need 2 matching ones which are impossible to find (used).

 

[TomS]

Now I'm going to have to go to ebay, and buy a DE razor... great another addiction in the making.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Old-timey shaving update:

Shaved again this morning. Changed my mug out for a small bowl and was able to get much better lather. I get the feeling that a badger would offer better lather still, but for now the boar is okay. Perhaps as a result of better lather combined with a far lighter touch on the handle of the razor, the shave on the face was much better, with no nicks, cuts or razor burn. The neck got a big old bloody slice, but I chalk that up to the hair on my neck growing in every direction imaginable. Despite the one large burn/slice, even the neck was improved and the overall shave was much smoother.

I do one pass with the grain, then re-lather and go against the grain. I find this absolutely necessary to get a better shave.

Decided I'm going to buy some all-natural after shave balm and try that out.

 

[Shangas]

Good work old boy. Keep trying. Remember to use a LIGHT touch on the razor. It's meant to SLIDE over your skin. Not slice into it. Any pressure apart from the weight of the razor will almost certainly lead to a cut.

Razor-burn is usually attributed to a blunt blade. Make sure you sharpen or change the blades regularly.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

Good work old boy. Keep trying. Remember to use a LIGHT touch on the razor. It's meant to SLIDE over your skin. Not slice into it. Any pressure apart from the weight of the razor will almost certainly lead to a cut.

Razor-burn is usually attributed to a blunt blade. Make sure you sharpen or change the blades regularly.

Excessive pressure can cause it too; I'm fairly sure that's the cause since the blade has only been used thrice so far.

 

[Doublegun]

Now I'm going to have to go to ebay, and buy a DE razor... great another addiction in the making.

LOL. I don't even want to think about how much this forum has cost me.