Thread: How was it back then?

Here is my explanation


Straight Razor Place - Beginners Tips: July 2012

Different people are here for many different reasons...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Here is my explanation


Straight Razor Place - Beginners Tips: July 2012

Different people are here for many different reasons...

That was one of my first reads after joining. Good stuff there!

I have my wifes grandfathers straight razor..sent it to me to be restored...also had his fathers barbers hone..with a small crayon of green as Cr0x..also have a plastic pouch..slurry paste..yep..slurry was also a paste in the 1950's as well that goes on a small barbers hone..he told me he would spend his Sundays 2 hours in the morning to rehone his only straight razor...then for touchups about an hour..fascinating guy!

Originally Posted by Chribo

1 & 2 I have read in a couple of places.

still there is no proof it is true just some people posted their ideas about it but AFAIK no one really did a test that confirmed those theories.

Back in the day only one razor was necessary, sometimes two. I remember my old timers having two, nowadays they are mine.
There was no place to get your razor honed (and no reasanoble man could have ever imagined to take your knives or razors to someone else for a simple thing like that. People were on their own, whenever possible).

So people used whatever to make things done. My grandfather used his belt as a strop. I guess his razor was ok back then.

Nowadays it's different in so many ways. You can see straight razors as a hobby, or just a perfect way to shave (like me). Nuthin special. I used to have more when i got interested, but nowadays i have 7. Enough for me. I could get along with one or two. It's about what do you want with razors. You can have 100 or two. It's about your beard.

Originally Posted by mainaman

still there is no proof it is true just some people posted their ideas about it but AFAIK no one really did a test that confirmed those theories.

Like so many other things mentioned it is mostly opinion and conjecture with little actual scientific testing being done so really no proof either way. Just something to try, if you like, to see if it does or does not make a difference for you. It makes things interesting.

I don't recall my grandfather who was born in the mid 1890s ever having more than one of anything. No need, things were tools that did the job required, you maintained them and replaced them only if broken and not self fixable. Today as a hobby things are different, people have more time, money and worry more about how their things look cosmetically. Neither is the wrong way just times have changed.

Bob

Originally Posted by Chribo

I agree... the only problem I have with the whole thing is... since i have turned the task into a pleasure... I spend too much time fondeling my blades wishing my beard would grow faster.

Only shaving once a day is not enough.... I want to play with my cold steel!

If it was not summer, and everyone would see it when I wore shorts... I may even have had a go at butchering my legs! :-(

Consider taking up League Swimming or become a CAT level Cyclist (Road) - shaving your legs is the norm...
My ranger mange from testing makes the area above the knee look like patches of clear cut forest...

Fifty shaves in 30 minutes? Geez, I must really be slacking off!

Originally Posted by Chribo

1 & 2 I have read in a couple of places.

I admit I made 3 + 4 up :-)

You have to make your own conclusions but,
#1 is contraindicated by at least 1 vintage maker I can think of. Pic below.
#2. I've only seen on Dovo instructions.

There was almost certainly less pomp and circumstance in the old days. Slap on some lather, strop and shave. Most probably did just one pass and called it good, no obsession with BBS and the like. Being hobbyists we do take it to a whole new level nowadays, which is just fine by me