Thread: Nothing Is Permanent But Change

Gentlemen,

"Nothing is Permanent but change," said the philosopher Heraclitus. I remembered those words weeks ago when I passed on my Onsgar Schwarzweisskeramik scuttle. I was fond of that odd-looking but highly effective scuttle. It was the last in a line of scuttles I had owned through the years, including Georgetown, Becker and Dirty Bird, all scuttles with their own pluses and minuses.

I let my last scuttle go, because I no longer made lather in a bowl. I was back to lathering directly onto my face, a method I had used years ago in what now seems almost a lifetime. I remember feeling invigorated as each circle of the brush swelled the silky blanket of lather on my face. Then the razor wiped it off, but there was more where that from.

Yet change somehow tiptoes into our lives, sometimes even catching us by surprise. Why I have returned to face-lathering I don't know. Not that I had stopped enjoying making lather in a bowl. No, it was not that. I think it probably had more to do with a look back on my life. There is a lot of such reflection on life when we reach a certain age — and I have been there for a while.

Then one morning I looked back on the years and saw a simple boar brush in my hand and some low grade soap, oh, I don't know, Williams, Van der Hagen, Old Spice, or something else. By now I was long beyond that simple boar brush and the forgettable soaps. I had two Rooney brushes, two Thaters, two Simpsons, and a Shavemac, plus an assortment of lower grade badger and boar brushes. My soaps were anything but forgettable. I had bowl-lathered for years, but now it was time to move on, not to the future, but to the past.

I ordered a Moss Scuttle from Sara Bonnyman. It was a battle between the Straight Razor Designs scuttle and the Moss. The Moss won, not because it is better — I have used neither, so how would I know? It was because I had promised the Moss to myself years ago.

I don't know whether face-lathering is better than bowl-lathering. There is no way to know, for each method has its own pluses and minuses. The philosopher Pindar said: "Time, in the turning-over of days, works change for better or worse." I suppose that's how I must look at it.

Gentlemen, have you found yourselves looking back?

I have recently put the badger down and have renewed my fondness for the simplicity and feel of the boar. I cant say it lathers better, because it really doesn't, I believe the coarser more vigorous feel of boar has re gained my interest.

Remember what the old philosopher thebigspender said, "never get rid of anything". Eventually you will be sorry.

Eventually everything old is new again and you come full circle so you will be sorry if you let some of your gear go.

In my case I always have to care for my "Broadway face" which is far better than any common Hollywood face so...

I have heard that you have "the face" for radio, is this true?

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

I have heard that you have "the face" for radio, is this true?

Nun2sharp, my dear friend, after some 30 years behind the radio microphone, I can say with all confidence that, yes, I have the perfect face for radio.

Originally Posted by Obie

Nun2sharp, my dear friend, after some 30 years behind the radio microphone, I can say with all confidence that, yes, I have the perfect face for radio.

Dont we all! I dont think mine would get me that far! Look what I use for an avatar. LOL

I am a huge proponent of change. I think it's due to my borderline attention defi - oh look over there a blue car!

Honestly, like in life, there are so many options when it comes to shaving. Straight or DE, what size straight, what grind, open comb or closed comb, what blade, soap or cream, what soap or what cream, triple milled soap or melt and pour soap, face lather or bowl lather or palm lather, scuttle or antique old spice mug, aftershave balms or aftershave splashes. If we weren't meant to try all these great things, they wouldn't be so easily available via the internet.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen, have you found yourselves looking back?

Only to see if I was still being followed

I've never used a scuttle; been a face latherer since my father taught me how to use a straight. So, I don't know any other way. But the forces that drive us, well...

I have a vintage Fromm that I've commented about in previous posts. A gift from an old girlfriend, I've never had a decent shave with it. It'll be here tomorrow and, after Lynn's edge, I hope to have a higher opinion of CS.

The thing is, I went back to it, looked for it, and ultimately will shave with it again.

And I can't tell you why.

Good luck with the Moss scuttle, Obie. I've never owned one but, like you, have felt the temptation. They are supposed to be great for the primary face latherer, so that should work well with your latest endeavour

I am mostly a creature of habit, though with an open mind to trying new things. Occasionally I'll look back, only to find my existing notions reinforced, but will sometimes be surprised. This was recently notable with my Parker 22R DE razor, which was once written off as inferior but now provides fine shaves. No matter, but an open mind is the most important part. Indeed, as various facets of life have shown me, Heraclitus was correct, as surely as a sunrise, death and taxes

Be well my friend.

Ryan, my dear friend, thanks for the kind words. I ordered the small Moss Scuttle, which, as you know, Chris Moss designed not for the purpose of making lather, but to keep the brush warm. Through the years I face-lathered only when traveling; at home it was strictly bowl-lathering. I must admit, I am really enjoying face-lathering once again at home.
You, too, stay well.