A Typically Kind Gesture

[Howard Wallace]

You really don't want to destroy the mystique and awe by encouraging folks to simply learn the skill themselves.

As long as we keep pictures like the one Roadrunner posted circulating, I don't think we need to worry about too many people jumping on the bandwagon!

My eyes have also been opened to some of the old acoutrements. These things are floating around in the second hand stores, remnants from a bygone era. Most people fail to appreciate them for the historical artifacts they are. Many sell on e-bay for $10, and at second-hand stores where they are unrecognized for $1.

Here are some examples. The e-bay links will be good for a while, until the sellers take the pictures down. If you go into their category Collectibles/Vanity, Perfume & Shaving/Shaving/Mugs, Brushes you can see lots of current examples.

The shaving mug - often decorated with delicate and beautiful floral designs. Apparently the Victorian gents were secure enough in their masculinity that they didn't mind having pretty flowers on their mugs. Often seen in pink or violet colors too. In the old barbershops apparently they started transmitting skin diseases from shaving people consecutively with the same equipment. Laws and regulations addressed the issue, and one change was that regular customers had their own mugs that were stored at the barber shop, often with their own names on the mug. Another thing that was common was to have an indication of the user's occupation on the mug.
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-SHAVING-BRUSH-AND-MUG-MADE-IN-GERMANY_W0QQitemZ120001755442QQihZ002QQcategoryZ35988QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-OCCUPATION-SHAVING-MUG-FISHING_W0QQitemZ120002131097QQihZ002QQcategoryZ35988QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The moustache cup - not really associated with shaving, but many of these were pressed into duty as shaving mugs after they lost popularity. They have a bar partway across to keep you from getting beer in your moustache. The predecessor of the sippy cup.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=012&item=220001606102&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Royal-Crown-Mustache-Cup-Plate_W0QQitemZ320001297336QQihZ011QQcategoryZ35988QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The scuttle - A different approach from the shaving mug. In the scuttle the soap sits on top in a little cup with drain holes, and underneath there is a compartment to hold hot water. These were in common use before everyone had running water. You could fill the bottom with hot water and you were ready to go. (I think if Sarge had a pretty scuttle with floral decorations not only would his field shave have been more convenient, but he would not have seemed so scary to his commanding officer. But then again, who knows what he would have thought when he saw the guy with the pretty flower cup waving a straight razor.)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&item=320001924164&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&item=150002517094&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

 

[ferguson]

There are some really good guys around here. I've experienced many kindnesses myself. Too many to recount. I'm proud to know ye.

Steve

 

[Svashtar]

Roadrunner, God bless you buddy, that must have stung a bit, hope things are going better now.

Norm, here's a "war story" of a sort about that there "Wheel" razor. Field exercise, new commander in that squadron, our group commander asked me to go along as a ground observer to advise and assist. "O-dark-thirty", cold and drizzling, sun ain't quite up yet, but already looking ugly as hammered $hi+. Saw the new colonel hunkered up beside an M-149 (water trailer), shivering in the cold, trying to scrape his face clean with one of those blue plastic disposables. I walked up along side him with my steaming canteen cup (carried compressed fuel tabs in a pocket of my load bearing vest, heated a canteen cup of water just about every morning using half to make coffee, and the other half to shave), lathered up, whipped out that very same straight razor, and using my signal mirror that I carried in my field dressing pouch, began to git 'r done. He eyeballed me like I was some kind of an axe murderer; "you're the guy from the operations group, right?". . . ."yes sir". . . . "the one everybody calls Sarge?". . . ."yes sir". . . ."I've heard about you". That was the extent of our first conversation, but sometime later, when we were fairly well acquainted, he admitted that that was the first time he'd ever seen anybody use a straight razor in real life, and it pretty much scared the living hell out of him. When I say that razor's a good one, I ain't just guessing.

Sarge

Great story Sarge, and thanks. That adds a wonderful touch to it.

I have been reading up like crazy on these, and there is only one thing I am thinking about doing, and not to take away from your generous gift: I noticed a very small notch in the handle on one side, and see that if I'm not careful the razor can make contact with one side of the black plastic handle when closing. I have been careful but bumped it gently several times already. I was thinking about getting a bone handle for it.

According to the one site I've read up on, can't remember this guys name (Arthur Boon!) but he is some old time expert on this stuff, and shave center also referenced him, pakkawood or bone or snakewood are the 3 best materials for handles as they keep things rigid and avoid blade contact.

Replacement handles are available and fit up to size 6/8, and that's what this one seems to be. It looks like an even 3/4" or about 20 mm. to me, unless there's some factor I'm missing on how to measure them.

Dovo makes them and it supposedly comes with all the hardware needed. I'm guessing that the pivot pin is held in place with some kind of bushing or sleeve and can be driven out.

Also, it is really interesting to see the different opinions on strops. One site said to rub a dry bar of soap into the canvas to break it in, and then roll a glass bottle over it, but Boon said that just ruins them and recommends doing nothing except adding dressing from time to time to the leather. Luckily, that's all I've done to mine.

Another site from a barber manual says to strop right after shaving, but most say to wait at least 24 hours or you can break off the "fin" on the strop and dull the razor, as the blade needs at least 24 hours to regain its shape!

Lot's to learn.

Thanks again for the background on this one Sarge. Makes it even more valuable to me. I don't know why someone would be scared of someone using a straight razor, unless you had a mad gleam in your eye of course. (-:

Norm

 

[Howard Wallace]

I have been careful but bumped it gently several times already. I was thinking about getting a bone handle for it.

According to the one site I've read up on, can't remember this guys name (Arthur Boon!) but he is some old time expert on this stuff, and shave center also referenced him, pakkawood or bone or snakewood are the 3 best materials for handles as they keep things rigid and avoid blade contact.

I don't think rigid handles will help the closing problem much. You still have to close them very carefully. Especially the wider ones. I hit the handle on my 8/8 a few times before I started closing it carefully.

The most heartbreaking sound is a tink when I hit the faucet when rinsing the blade.

You might consider living with the handle that's on it for a while. It's still in good shape and looks like it might have another century or so of use in it. If you want to try one of the new bone handles you can pick up good old razors whose handles have broken, usually cracked at a pin, for a pittance. They could be brought back to life for another 100 years by getting a new handle.

 

[Svashtar]

I don't think rigid handles will help the closing problem much. You still have to close them very carefully. Especially the wider ones. I hit the handle on my 8/8 a few times before I started closing it carefully.

The most heartbreaking sound is a tink when I hit the faucet when rinsing the blade.

You might consider living with the handle that's on it for a while. It's still in good shape and looks like it might have another century or so of use in it. If you want to try one of the new bone handles you can pick up good old razors whose handles have broken, usually cracked at a pin, for a pittance. They could be brought back to life for another 100 years by getting a new handle.

I will do that Howard, thanks. The handle is in very good condition overall and well fitted. I was just going by the advice I read. But I need to be careful with it anyway, and if I pay attention while closing it it's not an issue at all. Just didn't want to damage it. I will keep plugging away and get a lot more practice with it for now.

Thanks,

Norm

 

[Svashtar]

I will do that Howard, thanks. The handle is in very good condition overall and well fitted. I was just going by the advice I read. But I need to be careful with it anyway, and if I pay attention while closing it it's not an issue at all. Just didn't want to damage it. I will keep plugging away and get a lot more practice with it for now.

Thanks,

Norm

BTW, found out what I was doing wrong! When closing the razor I was holding the sides about 1" from the rear, and was unconciously applying too much pressure there when lowering the blade. That caused the edge to strike the side and make a mark. I was worried I had damaged the blade but it seems fine. Rather than messing with the handle types, I realized that all I have to do is be careful to either hold it at the very end, or just support it with my fingers and close and it will never hit, so the issue such as it was, is resolved.

Also, after just a few days I am kind of surprising myself. Cheeks and throat are really getting good, and even the jawline is acceptable, but around the mouth and most of the chin is still looking pretty bad. I'll keep working at it.

One good thing, people leave me alone when I'm shaving now.

Thanks,

Norm

 

[kamagong]

Also, after just a few days I am kind of surprising myself. Cheeks and throat are really getting good, and even the jawline is acceptable, but around the mouth and most of the chin is still looking pretty bad. I'll keep working at it.

If you figure out how to do the upper lip, let me know. I still can't for the life of me figure out how to shave that part close.

 

[Svashtar]

If you figure out how to do the upper lip, let me know. I still can't for the life of me figure out how to shave that part close.

Luckily I have had a moustache for the past 30 years, so don't have to worry about it. Getting the _edges_ of the 'stache has been a learning experience though.

Norm