Old school forum in SRP?

[Spokeshave]

As "old school" as straight razor shaving is by nature, there is a decidedly modern aspect to it all. A lot of the most active topics in the SRP are about the latest and greatest of this old practice of straight razor shaving. Common modern themes amongst us range from Colleen's soaps to Maestro Livi’s masterpieces. There's micron-measured abrasives, microscopes, Dremmels, CA finishes, mastering eBay and every kind of soaps, creams, and fragrances one can imagine.

All of these areas are great and the breadth of topics and interests is a real strength of the SRP community. Threaded into this SRP tapestry are some "old school" or more traditional topics; barber hones, barber books, old strops to name a few. I'd like to float an idea out there for creating an "Old School" or "Traditional" forum in the SRP. Though traditional threads are sprinkled around, it’s hard to sort through things to find them. The point of the new forum would be to draw these old school topics to a more visible surface for those of us who find that to be a big part of why we do this. Call the forum what you will, call us Old Farts if you want (though I'm not that old and I suspect there are some gen-Xers in the SRP who might be Old Farts at heart). This would be a place within SRP to post questions, findings, and exchange what we collectively know, are learning and want to learn about straight razor shaving in its most traditional way.

Please don’t misunderstand, I am not criticizing the modern side of straight razor shaving. Those of us with more traditional leanings aren't automatically against all things modern nor are we always purely traditional. I'm just wondering if there are others out there like me that would like to dig deeper into the past details, traditions, knowledge and skills of this great old ordinary thing we are all so fascinated with. A lot of times, posts in the old school forum might just be referrals to other areas with relevant posts. However, I think presented with a place to plant these traditional posts, a lot of information and conversations would grow. Anyone else out there see a value in another section in SRP dedicated to the traditional old school point of view?

Here are just some of the kinds of things I'm thinking would find a home in this new forum:

• dating our implements (razors, hones, strops, mugs)
• traditional materials and methods for maintaining our implements
• barber tips, tricks, and lore
• barber's manuals
• learning the art of shaving from your father, grandfather
• passing on the art of shaving to your sons and grandsons
• honing exclusively with traditional barber hones
• understanding more about the methods, habits, materials of the self-shaved man at home...

(...hey, if we can read all about each other's bathroom habits of today, what's so strange about wondering what the details were then???...but not too many details )

What'd'ya think? Anyone else thinking like I'm thinking?


- Dale

[JMS]

Sounds like a great idea!

[jnich67]

This sounds like a cool idea Dale, but I think we might have to be more specific in defining what goes in there. From your description it sounds almost like a "historical" forum - which is great.

For example you mentioned Colleen's soaps as being something not old school. I realize you may have been simply picking examples off the top of your head, but I consider products made by artisans in their homes "the old fashioned way" to be very old school - especially compared to the mass market stuff we see in the local dept. stores. I'm only pointing out this example to show that what some might call old school others wouldn't. So we would need to refine the notion a bit. Good thoughts though!

Jordan

[Spokeshave]

This sounds like a cool idea Dale, but I think we might have to be more specific in defining what goes in there. From your description it sounds almost like a "historical" forum - which is great.

For example you mentioned Colleen's soaps as being something not old school. I realize you may have been simply picking examples off the top of your head, but I consider products made by artisans in their homes "the old fashioned way" to be very old school - especially compared to the mass market stuff we see in the local dept. stores. I'm only pointing out this example to show that what some might call old school others wouldn't. So we would need to refine the notion a bit. Good thoughts though!

Jordan

Good thoughts. Historical is part of it...learning and discussing the details of past ways. Repeating it is another part. For instance, in the area of soaps/creams/balms/conditioners, what was used for all that in the past and how much of it is still available to either buy or make? Some of Colleen's products may well fall into that. Some others as well - the brand escapes me right now, but there's the company that still sells reportedly the favorite scent of George Washington. And a more recent Old School side of this is what the 19th/20th century barbers used (Lucky Tiger?, Clubman's Bay Rum? dunno, I'm guessing. ...soaps and such not being part of my shaving obsession...yet). I've seen smatterings of this type of discussion, but the Old School/Traditional/Historical forum would be a place to bring it together and in focus.

Point well taken correlating the handmadeness of something to "old school". I agree with that and appreciate it. But for the Old School/Traditional/Historical forum I was thinking something more like what I just described.

Thanks!

[sstulken80]

Were it not for my "liberal" views on a lot of things , I'd probably fall under that category of "young fogey". I like simple devices that are built to last a lifetime (or more), and might take a little effort to use. Should I ever reproduce, and have kids that are interested, I'll gladly pass on this art.

We here are "wise" enough to strop gently, but my dad (who grew up in the 50's) swears that all the old-time barbers did that "whap! whap!" style of stropping. Maybe they knew something we don't?

I wish I could find more information on antique razors -- the companies, models produced throughout the years, and so on. We know a little about the more famous makers, but I know literally nothing about my "W.H. Sample & Sons" razor, and haven't found much on the Internet. Perhaps we could have a wiki?

- Scott

[FiReSTaRT]

+1 for the idea even though I don't think I'll personally be spending much time there lol.

[thebigspendur]

I think, when you start looking at different products out there you will find many of the old school things are really not old school at all but modern interpretations of these things, like replicas. The only true old school things are razors and hones and the hardware sort of to speak (strops, mugs brushes etc). that you know were manufactured during a certain era. The soaps and creams and aftershaves and all that related stuff is the software of shaving. I don't care what someone claims about the authenticity of a scent used by King Louis the 4th the ingredients are modern and the manufacture is modern and not the same as the original.

[FiReSTaRT]

And Colleen's soaps are based on recipes older than most of my rotation lol

[Tony Miller]

It sounds like an interesting forum idea but again, what exactly is included and what is not. New items based on old designs or methods or only true, old items. Is a Robert Williams forged razor a viable topic of discussion where a razor made by stock removal only (grinding) not? My Heirloom paddles with red rouge or lampoblack okay but not diamond or chromium oxide? My Amish friend's home made lard soap but not Trumpers?

I guess we would need to have rough guidelines about whether this is vintage stuff only (tools, equipment and methods) or slightly modern replicas made in the spirit, method or materials.

I would think to stay on track we should be thinking vintage here to stay in the spirit of our ancestors shaving. Post our "Shave Of The Day" experiences based on classic razors, grandpa's strop, Burma shave soaps and brushes, Pinaud's aftershave, etc... Say 1950/1960 or before maybe?

Tony

[Bruno]

We here are "wise" enough to strop gently, but my dad (who grew up in the 50's) swears that all the old-time barbers did that "whap! whap!" style of stropping. Maybe they knew something we don't?

I have seen a video of a barber stropping with a loom strop and that was indeed whack whack whack...
But then again, he was an older barber, and he probably gave good shaves.
According to several members here, several barbers did/do this with good results. It's all a matter of good technique.

I think it would be wrong to assume that we here are the guardians of knowledge, and that everyboday who does differently is one of the ignorant masses.