Thread: first hand old time experiences with razors...

OK, everyone. After reading this post I got really inspired and got a little different view at how shaving was done in the "old days".
Example:

Originally Posted by McKie

Hi !

My father was born in 1903 and shaved all his life with a straight razor, he died at 78.
He had only had one stone, a Swaty marked :

FRANZ SWATY
WAHRING BEI WIEN
(AUSTRIA)

I saw him use it once in all my life (I was around 6 or 7) he then told me that he used it once or twice a year and only gave 5 to 6 laps using shaving cream as a lubricant.

He had 3 razors. A King Cutter - a Red Point 917 (marked Anton Wingen Jr) and a Carl Rader 87.

I never saw him use anything but the Carl Rader and he shaved every day. He also had only one hanging strop and he only rubbed it with his hands to maintain it (he may have put shaving lather on it from time to time, I'm not shure anymore).

In his 70's he felt his strop was too slick, so he simply turned it over (it was the same leather throughout).

Just to show that shaving with a straight razor doesn't need to be complicated. We (I at least) just complicate things for fun).

I'm now 55, I still use only the Swaty (which is still in mint condition) and still does a great job and to my knowledge has never been lapped. I also have a C-MON barber hone I bought 1976 (I wrote the date March 15, 1976 in the cover of the box). I used it only a couple of times, I don't like it very much.

And BTW, I prefer the Red Point.

Nice day to you all !

McKie

I'd like for everyone with first hand experiences, with what you heard from your mother, grandfather, whatever.
How did your ancestors shave. Did they keep it simple? Sopa, creams? Aftershaves? Strops...
I want "old mans" tales.
No matter how simple or short it is.





For example I'll start: I dont know how my grandad shaved (about 60 years ago) but he had a razor box with that opened and the lid had a mirror on the inside so you could shave right there and then. Unfortunately, my mom threw it away before I started getting intrested into wet shaving.

well I don't know from other than what my father has told me about what his father has said and I'm 60.

I think you'll find that to us where shaving has become more of a hobby we fret over all sorts of things. People in the old days would laugh their butts off at us. Indeed things were very simple back then and they managed to get a good shave with minimal issues. Remember that in the old days though men did not relish the thought of daily shaving. That's why most switched to safety razors as soon as they could.

Anyone else? Cmon guys, gimme some stories

Well, my grandfather was a trained barber. He only used one straight razor. It was a 4/8 Sheffield razor and he had one strop. I don't know what kind of strop, brush or soap he used. I have his razor to remember him by. I am 56 yo.
I, on the other hand, have not kept it quite so simple. I have many razors, use over a dozen soaps and cremes, and have a number of hones and strops. What can I say... acquisition disorders on many levels.

Originally Posted by netsurfr

Well, my grandfather was a trained barber. He only used one straight razor. It was a 4/8 Sheffield razor and he had one strop. I don't know what kind of strop, brush or soap he used. I have his razor to remember him by. I am 56 yo.
I, on the other hand, have not kept it quite so simple. I have many razors, use over a dozen soaps and cremes, and have a number of hones and strops. What can I say... acquisition disorders on many levels.

Thats the kind of stuff I'm talking about!

I'm fairly certain that my great grandfather used safeties as soon as they came out, then switched to BIC's when they came out. My grandfather has a finicky face and uses either a BIC or a Mach 3. My dad hates shaving and always used a BIC until the M3 came out. He has recently been able to use an electric, but used to not be able to due to sensitive skin. I come from a long line of people that hate shaving.

You can imagine my dad and grandpa's reactions when I told them I was shaving with a straight razor. My dad is interested, but he feels like he doesn't have the time. I've been thinking about getting him a Shavette so he didn't have to worry about anything but giving it a shot. Who knows...

I've got my grandfathers hone but his razor somehow got away from me. I remember watching him shave a few times when I was very young. He always shaved at night and I always assumed it was so he could get an early start in the morning...or maybe because he didn't want to scuff up grandma at night.