Thread: Did our grandfathers shave with blunt razors?

Originally Posted by Badgister

It’s not the first time this topic has been discussed here. I find this article from The Atlantic very informative. Although I am not sure I can agree with the fear of cutting ones throat part.

I live in fear of the wife cutting my throat.

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

I live in fear of the wife cutting my throat.

You only have to fear that outcome if you give her a good excuse for doing so.

Originally Posted by RayClem

You only have to fear that outcome if you give her a good excuse for doing so.

Ha! What with home schooling, making a proton pack for my Ghostbusters obsessed boy and decorating I'm keeping out the way. Happy wife, happy life

My Great Grandfather was an immigrant from Sicily. He had a big handlebar mustache but kept his beard shaved clean. A life as a a West Virginia coal miner eventually took his eye sight and his children kept him looking pretty. There is great debate about where his straight razor went, and I am hoping that my mother can talk her cousins out of the thing.

A few years back, I came across a shaving set-up from someone who had used it in Milwaukee, Wisc. It consisted of a Solingen razor, a Carborundum hone, a Frictionite 00 double-sided barber's hone, and a loom strop, one side pasted. An original sales receipt for a couple of items was there, dating to the mid-1950s. The set-up showed regular use, and I concluded that this was the guy's "complete set-up" at the time. I've kept the set together and only used these hones and strop to maintain shaving with it by way of a reference. Does it give me the best shaves I've ever had? No. But the shaves are otherwise good enough.

My Mother has told me about her Father stropping his straight razor regularly, but he did not have a hone.
I doubt if he went ATG or ever got BBS ??

Edit : Just found out that he had a butchers shop so maybe he must of had access to some kind of stones..
Trivia :He lost the tips of his fingers on a bacon slicing machine after it had been cleaned and assembled by Jim Lea (apprentice butcher) ..Later of the band "Slade" ( you know that god awful xmas tune) .. haha

Originally Posted by JOB15

My Mother has told me about her Father stropping his straight razor regularly, but he did not have a hone.
I doubt if he went ATG or ever got BBS ??

Edit : Just found out that he had a butchers shop so maybe he must of had access to some kind of stones..
Trivia :He lost the tips of his fingers on a bacon slicing machine after it had been cleaned and assembled by Jim Lea (apprentice butcher) ..Later of the band "Slade" ( you know that god awful xmas tune) .. haha

You mean from that awesome song "Run Runaway"?