Proraso is great. I use the red one.
Double Edged Razor Blades
- Thread starter Briar Lee
- Start date
It’s like tobaccos, everyone has a different preference.
My go to blade is Gillette Silver Blues. Sharp, smooth and long lasting.
My daily razor is an old Gillette Ball End Tech.
Shaving gear, pipes, fountain pens. Lots of intersection on that Venn diagram.
My go to blade is Gillette Silver Blues. Sharp, smooth and long lasting.
My daily razor is an old Gillette Ball End Tech.
Shaving gear, pipes, fountain pens. Lots of intersection on that Venn diagram.
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I got the green one. Next time I will get the Red
The original double edge safety razor with disposable blades came out by Gillette in 1904. The razor was $5 and blades 12 for a dollar. The inflation calculator says a dollar then was worth about thirty dollars today.
So a $150 razor using $2.50 disposable blades revolutionized how men shave all over and around the world.
Over a century later the Chinese sell platinum coated stainless blades for less than a dime.each.
Imagine the machine that makes those dime razor blades.
Humans is smart critters, you know?.
So a $150 razor using $2.50 disposable blades revolutionized how men shave all over and around the world.
Over a century later the Chinese sell platinum coated stainless blades for less than a dime.each.
Imagine the machine that makes those dime razor blades.
Humans is smart critters, you know?.
Your college had a flea market? Their endowment must have needed real shoring up.
On a thankful note, glad to learn from you I may have some cash hidden away if I can find my old Gillettes.
Now, I am happy with Harry's.
A Parker 11R or Merkur 11C with Personna blades for DE. Usually though it's an ancient G. Johnson straight with horn scales.
I have used a Merkur 42c with feather blades and proraso green for the last 5 years. I am happy with the soap and blades and find no need to try something else - I chose feather because of using Japanese knives.
However, @Honkytonk Man just gave me a Gillette slim. The merkur hasn’t left the cupboard since. I love it.
However, @Honkytonk Man just gave me a Gillette slim. The merkur hasn’t left the cupboard since. I love it.
My razor is an old Gillette from the 40s, sold by the Co-op. I used to use exclusively Feather blades, but it became difficult to get one colour (the sharper ones - I can't remember which colour) here, so I switched to Astra. I only use Taylor's of Old Bond Street, either the Sandalwood Soap or the Tobacco Cream, which is a fairly new one. As others have said, a key tip is to just allow the weight of the razor to do it's job rather than pressing down.
Does anyone else here shave in cold water? I used to use hot, and do the whole hot towel on the face thing, but I've found I get better results in less time just using cold. I believe there's some logic to this (although it could be total nonsense) - cold causes metal to contract, which at least in theory causes the blade to be sharper. At these temperatures I'm not convinced that this would make any discernable difference. However, the other point is that we use hot water to soften the hairs. Apparently this can cause the hairs to bend slightly when passed with the razor, causing them to cut at more of an angle (and hence leaving a bit more of the hair there). Whereas with cold, the hair slices clean through.
I suspect this is all total nonsense, but it has definitely worked better for me and I wonder if anyone else has tried it.
Does anyone else here shave in cold water? I used to use hot, and do the whole hot towel on the face thing, but I've found I get better results in less time just using cold. I believe there's some logic to this (although it could be total nonsense) - cold causes metal to contract, which at least in theory causes the blade to be sharper. At these temperatures I'm not convinced that this would make any discernable difference. However, the other point is that we use hot water to soften the hairs. Apparently this can cause the hairs to bend slightly when passed with the razor, causing them to cut at more of an angle (and hence leaving a bit more of the hair there). Whereas with cold, the hair slices clean through.
I suspect this is all total nonsense, but it has definitely worked better for me and I wonder if anyone else has tried it.
Here's a shaving tip that I picked up years ago from the Lehman's Hardware (www.lehmans.com) print catalog, and that has worked well for me:
1. Wash your face with soap and warm water, then rinse with warm water.
2. Apply hydrogen peroxide to your still-damp face. The catalog article said that this helps the whiskers to stand upright.
3. Apply shaving cream.
4. Shave.
Regarding Burma-Shave, its manufacturer, the Burma-Vita Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, sold the business to Philip Morris in 1963. PM subsequently sold it to the American Safety Razor Company who reintroduced the brand in 1997 as a puck-type soap to be applied with brush (the original product was sold in jars as a "brushless" shaving cream). The appeal was strictly nostalgia, as the new product was vastly different from the original.
Burma-Shave was famous for their multiple-roadside-sign advertising campaign (which, sadly, was discontinued after PM purchased the company). One of my favorites, and that appeared on six consecutive signs, was: Shaving brushes / You'll soon see 'em / On the shelf / In some / Museum / Burma-Shave.
1. Wash your face with soap and warm water, then rinse with warm water.
2. Apply hydrogen peroxide to your still-damp face. The catalog article said that this helps the whiskers to stand upright.
3. Apply shaving cream.
4. Shave.
Regarding Burma-Shave, its manufacturer, the Burma-Vita Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, sold the business to Philip Morris in 1963. PM subsequently sold it to the American Safety Razor Company who reintroduced the brand in 1997 as a puck-type soap to be applied with brush (the original product was sold in jars as a "brushless" shaving cream). The appeal was strictly nostalgia, as the new product was vastly different from the original.
Burma-Shave was famous for their multiple-roadside-sign advertising campaign (which, sadly, was discontinued after PM purchased the company). One of my favorites, and that appeared on six consecutive signs, was: Shaving brushes / You'll soon see 'em / On the shelf / In some / Museum / Burma-Shave.
Let’s not forget the old politically incorrect shaving accessory advertisements
en.m.wikipedia.org
What’s always fascinated me is men have shaved since antiquity. Beards went in and out of fashion but most of the Roman statutes and frescoes show clean shaven men.
A friend of mind named Ewing said as a young man he was sent over to Germany and entered combat in the Ardennes in January 1945 and wasn’t able to shave for about two months. His platoon finally was pulled off the line in early March and Ewing said nothing in this world feels better than than a hot, leisurely shave when you’ve almost forsaken any hope of having one.
Norman Mingo - Wikipedia
What’s always fascinated me is men have shaved since antiquity. Beards went in and out of fashion but most of the Roman statutes and frescoes show clean shaven men.
A friend of mind named Ewing said as a young man he was sent over to Germany and entered combat in the Ardennes in January 1945 and wasn’t able to shave for about two months. His platoon finally was pulled off the line in early March and Ewing said nothing in this world feels better than than a hot, leisurely shave when you’ve almost forsaken any hope of having one.
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I'd LOVE to see that Mennen ad run today!
Elios blade have been great.
Dorco and Derby produce good results for me as well. I have a few de razors, these being Gillette’s but also have Merkur, Parker, Star, Schick and Gem.
Check out Razor Emporium.
Dorco and Derby produce good results for me as well. I have a few de razors, these being Gillette’s but also have Merkur, Parker, Star, Schick and Gem.
Check out Razor Emporium.
This has been my go to setup for about 10 years. The razor body is a micro touch one. It was inexpensive but a nice razor
Let’s not forget single edged safety razor blades, that pre date Gillette’s double edge.
I’ve seen those Gem single blade razors in flea markets all my life, but I’ve never seen or heard of a soul using one to shave.
They still make single edged blades, but they seem intended for box cutters and not shaving.
I’ve seen those Gem single blade razors in flea markets all my life, but I’ve never seen or heard of a soul using one to shave.
They still make single edged blades, but they seem intended for box cutters and not shaving.
Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's worse. This is particularly true for DE razors.
A proper brush and soap is probably better for you than the stinky, chemical squirty stuff that people use now.
Plus single blades are better for the skin (preventing ingrowing hairs) than multi bladed razors.
Then there is cost. I bought a 100 blades for less than £20. How many Gillette Mach whatever blades do you get for that? Plus if I don't like my blades, I can use a different brand. But with a modern razor you are stuck with one expensive type.
You have now. I use one. Or at least an Ever Ready which is identical.
One box of 100 blades did say "for industrial use only" but I thought that was cool. My new box doesn't say that, so perhaps I was shaving for 10 years with the wrong type.
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I just bought a $10 “1912” Gem razor in a metal display box with blades that might be old stock.
Then there was another seller peddling GEM stainless blades for $3.65 for 10 and I bought those.
There’s a forum for razor enthusiasts and I learned the pre 1912 Damaskene Gem is highly prized, and my 1912 is second, and then as the Gem razors get newer they are lighter and of course more common, and cheaper.
There’s a fascinating story about how Gem razor sold for four million dollars in 1919 and the hefty income taxes were avoided by the owners gifting the company to their wives.
—-
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26. 1926 -- Three founders of the Gem Safety Razor Corporation have been relieved of an aggregate of nearly $2,000,000 in taxes through a decision rendered by the Board of Tax Appeals which held that they made bona fide gifts when they presented their wives with $1,250,000 each after selling their stock to the American Safety Razor Corporation.
WIN TAX APPEAL ON GIFT TO WIVES; Gem Razor Founders Are Relieved of $2,000,000 Levy on Profits in Company's Sale. BOARD OVERRULES BLAIR Three Former Owners Gave Stock to Wives Who Sold It to the American Corporation. (Published 1926)
Rules founders of Gem Safety Razor Co need not pay gift tax on stock presented to their wives
——
It warms my old heart to read where an old Gem razor was likely the finest replaceable blade razor ever devised.
The double edged razors were for the folks who worried about economy.
The original “Damascene” Gem single edge carbon steel blades could be honed and stropped.
Single edge blade sharpener
Has anyone had success with a blade sharpener for single edged (rib backed ie Gem) blades? If so, are there favorite sharpeners out there?
www.badgerandblade.com
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There are nearly eight billion souls on earth, about half are men, and at least a billion times a day, likely more like two billion or more, men look in a mirror and shave.
That’s a lot of razor blades.
The original shaver was what we call the straight razor. I own my grandfather’s and I took it to my barber about forty years ago (he’s 94 now) and he said he learned in barber school in 1952 to not use that. The double edged razor he claimed was far easier to use, gave as close a shave, and didn’t need honing and stopping. He did hone and strop my razor and I tried using it just once, not twice.
But for $26 you can still buy a complete new straight razor kit.
For those who would like to find a lazier way to shave with a straight razor these seem popular.
Many years ago I was given an electric razor but I got razor burn from it and it’s somewhere in a box of treasures.
I will say cartridge five blade Harry’s razors work and they are fast and hard to cot yourself with.
But I’m going to play with my old razors a awhile.
What a man saves on blades might buy an extra pouch of tobacco every few months.
That’s a lot of razor blades.
The original shaver was what we call the straight razor. I own my grandfather’s and I took it to my barber about forty years ago (he’s 94 now) and he said he learned in barber school in 1952 to not use that. The double edged razor he claimed was far easier to use, gave as close a shave, and didn’t need honing and stopping. He did hone and strop my razor and I tried using it just once, not twice.
But for $26 you can still buy a complete new straight razor kit.
For those who would like to find a lazier way to shave with a straight razor these seem popular.
Many years ago I was given an electric razor but I got razor burn from it and it’s somewhere in a box of treasures.
I will say cartridge five blade Harry’s razors work and they are fast and hard to cot yourself with.
But I’m going to play with my old razors a awhile.
What a man saves on blades might buy an extra pouch of tobacco every few months.
I have an old Gillette safety razor I used to use. Growing out my beard now.
As much as I love traditional things, the straight razor is just a step too far for me.
Being half asleep, with misted up glasses, and trying to manouvere a blade towards my neck....
Being half asleep, with misted up glasses, and trying to manouvere a blade towards my neck....