So recently I got sick and tired of the horrendously crappy shaves my Phillips electric shaver gives. I basically started using it because I had mediocre experiences with the crappy edge shave gels and modern multi-blade razors, and because at the time I first got it, I was heavily involved in the army reserve and shaving in the field is far simpler and faster with an electric razor. I saw a post on ArtofManliness.com touting the merits of shaving like grandpa using an old fashioned safety razor, shave soap and a brush.
Well this post got me thinking; I had my grandfather's old safety razor tucked away in the cedar chest! I decided now was the time to revolutionize my shaving experience. Encouraged by ArtofManliness, I picked up a copy of The Art of Shaving from the library and read through it. Even more stoked than before, I dug out grandpa's old razor today. Here is what I found:
This is the lid of the case it comes in. I believe it's made of brass judging by the horrendous degree of tarnishing evident on the outside, but then who knows, maybe under all that grime it's really sterling silver!
This is the underside of the case. It shows patent information from various countries, including a mention that this model was patented in Canada in 1905! This is a legit old school shave.
Ewwwwwww. Kinda gross huh? Well, considering this thing has been tucked away for at least 50 years and may not have been cleaned properly before it was put away for the last time, it's to be expected. It's some kind of stiff velvety material. If anyone knows how to clean this without destroying it, please let me know!
The inside of the razor. It's actually not quite as bad as this photo makes it look. The handle is relatively pristine, as are the upper sides of these pieces; all the filth and corruption is underneath here and it looks like a little cleaner and elbow grease will get rid of it fairly easily.
Finally the whole shebang. Following the advice gleaned from Art of Shaving as well as a local barber, I've assembled everything I should need for a vintage shave. For now, for the sake of economy and speed I've purhcased an inexpensive boar brush and basically the only shaving soap available in my town, but if this whole thing works out for me, I'll invest in a really nice badger brush later on and try different soaps.
And so the adventure begins. Watch this thread for updates on my foray into the vintage shaving world!
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Originally Posted by Gin&Tonics
