The Big, Merged, Master Shaving Thread

[Windy Wilson]

Is CRS worse than CRAFT? I have CRAFT. Or is it CRS?

[Jered]

Shaving Soap: I had bought a package cup and soap, again from Wally World. Having used the soap up, I bought more. The new soap doesn't lather as well. It seems watery or something. Any good soap suggestions?

You might want to look into Tabac.

I've heard that Tabac is good.

I've tried an ARKO shaving stick, and those seem to make a really thick lather.

[skb12172]

I thought I would revive this thread after reading an article referencing the shaving routine in the book version of American Psycho. Has anything changed for anybody since this thread?

[Weetabix]

Funny you should ask. Sometimes I'm late enough in the morning that a safety razor shave takes too long, so I ordered a Harry's Truman set. It came with some cream that I'm hoping will work well with a brush.

As for safety razor shaving, I think I've settled on Personna blades or Astra Platinum blades.

[JAG2955]

I thought I would revive this thread after reading an article referencing the shaving routine in the book version of American Psycho. Has anything changed for anybody since this thread?

Yeah, I'm no longer required to shave every day.

Beard/mustache trimmer all the way.

[Jered]

I thought I would revive this thread after reading an article referencing the shaving routine in the book version of American Psycho. Has anything changed for anybody since this thread?

I use Taylor of Old Bond Street soap, and a dirty bird pottery shaving scuttle.

I'm rocking a beard, so, I only shave my neck. I've used the same blade for a while.

[Denis]

This thread will never die!

I noticed over the last few weeks that my regular razor blades (Gillette Sensor Excel) are giving me fewer and fewer decent shaves. For years, I changed cartridges on Monday mornings, getting six or seven good shaves from one unit (depending on whether I shaved on both Saturday and Sunday). These days, I'm getting to Thursday, and having to change the cartridge. Boo hiss for Gillette!

No more, I decided. After reading this thread, I dusted off the credit card and ordered a classic double-edge safety razor handle and a badger-hair lather brush from Muehle, some Proraso sensitive pre-shave stuff and shaving soap, 100 Feather blades and a bottle of Old Spice (my father's aftershave). No more of Gillette's price tyranny for me.

'Range report' to follow. In the meantime, consider these shaving gems of wisdom:

Ow!
but...
Crabs?.

The thread from the dead lives!

Serendipity - two years later, and I have just opened my second pack of Feather-brand safety razor blades (I change blades every Monday) and my second serving of Proraso shaving soap and pre- and post-shave balm. Plenty of Old Spice left. Results to date very satisfactory, and Gillette got not one cent.

My only complaint is about the Mühle badger-bristle shaving brush. If that is not dried thoroughly after use and hung bristles-down, it sheds bristles. Apparently, Mühle use a water/soap soluble glue to fix their bristles to their handles, which is unforgivable in this day and age of high-tech adhesives, epoxies, etc. I had to buy a brush stand to hang the brush, and that has pretty much stopped the bristle loss, but that weakness is really not good enough from such an expensive brand.

[skb12172]

From the Old GTF I came across my reply to this thread that BenS started:

I just love to shave, first I wash with hot water and soap, then use a cloth soaked in hot water to soften the skin and open the pores, a brush with good shaving soap –not cream or lather--to work it into the beard and a sharp blade to slice it all away…such a great feeling and when done it’s as smooth as a baby’s bottom and everywhere the blade has traveled is a lovely shade of bright red for a couple three days afterwards…

I love it so much that the last time I shaved, I really made it close so it would last, that was Nov. 12th, 1974, and I haven’t had to shave since…

I “shave” with a pair of scissors and an electric barber shears once every couple of weeks to keep my full beard in a fairly close cut and the beard trimmer is for making the bottom line straight and getting real close to the skin so I don’t have to shave it with a razor except for those few times I get dressed up in a suit for some special event, like my daughters’ weddings…

I used to use Barbasol foam when I did shave and I see that it is still available--they were famous from the 1940s to 1960s for their multiple road signs to lay out a message to travellers--“If you want a” drive another 500 yards “a really great shave” drive another 500 yards “then try the new” drive another 500 yards “Barbasol”

BenS did a post on this subject last year or so, will have to find it…

There was of course the famous Burma Shave ads (that style is called a Burma Shave ad) but there was also Barbasol and a couple of other companies, like Gillette, as well...all using that style of roadside travel advertising...not necessarily before billboards but at the same time as they started appearing on roadways...Since Burma Shave didn’t make it into Canada, we had Barbasol and the others, including Gillette that used that method of promotion…

I remember telling Ben about the benefits of a strop and I’m glad he finally got one...They are a pure delight for a final edge--nothing better...Had two uncle-in-laws and a couple of cousins who were barbers and learned from them...Always strop before and after using the blade…

When I was about 8 or so my Uncle Schmuel (Sam) let me sharpen one of his “other” razors on the stones and then to strop it...It was a big deal for me and it took me all morning to do it, which also meant that I didn’t bother him while he was working...He actually used the blade on a customer, my father, and both pronounced it good--as blood is dripping down my fathers face, just kidding!

Old style barber shop, sitting & waiting on the chairs for your turn to come and ”schmoosing” with your friends and relatives, drinking coffee with a little something extra added for flavour, being allowed to use the push brown to sweep up the hair and to put it into a special container--was used to stuff furniture and to insulate other things--that got delivered every week by the company...Just no big cast iron stove to sit around--that was earlier and almost always in the general stores when portrayed in the movies!

The J. Peterman Co., before they went bankrupt, there really was a company by that name-- they were the company parodied in Seinfeld--had a Island Bay Rum & Lime after shave balm, shave soap and cologne that was great and would love to be able to find again…Alas, it’s not the stuff on your site!

From your last posting I got these links:
General Info:
How to get a perfect shave
Wet Shaving
What does the razor say about you
Would a DE razor make more sense

And these Shaving Suppliers:
Carter & Bond
***Classic Shaving.com
Shaving Stuff.com
Best Grooming & Shaving Tools
Lee’s Safety Razors
UK - Executive Shaving
UK - The Gentleman’s Shop
Finland - Men Basics – Miehen Kauppa
Sesto Senso

And these Shaving Makers:
Amazing Shaving
Barclay Crocker Inc.
Col. Ichabod Conk Shaving Products
Cool Shaving.com
Momentum Grooming Head to Toe
Em’s Place – Razors Brushes

And now these Virtual Sites:
Badger & Blade forum
Shaveblog

EDIT
You can find in this The Hack, Slash & Strike forum
Knife Sharpeners and also in The W I K I

Correct. There was a J. Peterman Co. It wasn't in NYC, though. It was in a little industrial park in Lexington, KY, next to the Federal Medical Center where Louis Armstrong and a lot of other famous jazz musicians went to dry out.

[HTRN]

My only complaint is about the Mühle badger-bristle shaving brush. If that is not dried thoroughly after use and hung bristles-down, it sheds bristles. Apparently, Mühle use a water/soap soluble glue to fix their bristles to their handles, which is unforgivable in this day and age of high-tech adhesives, epoxies, etc. I had to buy a brush stand to hang the brush, and that has pretty much stopped the bristle loss, but that weakness is really not good enough from such an expensive brand.

If you have to replace it Vulfix is the way to go - a 50 dollar brush will do nicely.

[Weetabix]

Another necro!

I recently bought a Harry's razor, looking for something to throw in the air travel kit since the Toiletry Stealing Apes won't let me take my safety razor with blades.

I don't really like it. I wanted to like it because the orange handle is attractive. But it turns out the cartridges have 5 blades, and it irritates my skin and makes it hard to get the area on the top lip just under the nose.

I think razor technology peaked at 2 blade cartridges, but I didn't think I could find those any more. Until a brief Amazon search... Maybe there's a purchase in the offing.

The shaving gel I got from them is nice, and the cream works fine with a brush. I don't like the cream without a brush.

I still like my Merkur 34C best, though. But I won't fly with it because I don't want it stolen.