Thread: It isn't like it used to be

My Girlfriends grandfather, who grew up in Kazakhstan, though is German, was telling us last night about his first straight razor. Get this...

The local smithy made it, the same guy who made spades, picks and horseshoes...
They used old bearing racers as the supply for the metal, because it was ultra hard steel
It lasted 10 years being stropped "a couple of times" and once every 3 months or so it was passed over the green paste he had on the reverse of his strop - I am guessing Cr2O3 - before needing resharpened.

I was listening open jawed, I just didnt know what to make of it. Was it really like this, or was there some "in my day" bravado about it???

Pretty amazing story nonetheless.

Si

Hmm, I have no idea but I guess the best comparison would be to a Damascus or wootz razor. 10 years *does* seem a little hard to imagine to go without honing. It's still a pretty nifty story.

How often did he shave? In his times, in that country - I don't think they did it too often. I also think people were tolerating much more pulling and duller edges than we would today. I dare say they took a bath / chower about 1/week or even less frequently, and any other prep would have been marginal... Did he enjoy shaving, using this razor? Why don't you give him one of yours to try and compare?

With these in mind, I think it *may* have been possible to use it for years - but 10 does seem too much. Maybe it isn't - I just don't have such experience and any reference points.

Cheers
Ivo

EDIT: Missed "being stropped a couple of times" - I don't think so, this must have been quite unpleasant

He he. I did mention he was German didn't I? I get the impression they were as clean then as they are now. He shaved most days with it apparently. I did suggest that he went back to Straights, but he felt he would rather stick with his electric nowadays as he is too old and set in his ways.

I kept pushing him on the issue of sharpening, whether using a sharpening stone or a hone or something, but he insisted - 10 years using only green paste and a strop. Like I say, I can not vouch that its 100% accurate. I am sure the mind starts to forget some aspects after a time, but I find it fascinating that the local smithy made it out of bearing racers!!!

Something I forgot was that they used to used soap formulated for Children with a high Olive Oil content, which seems pretty consistent with modern day shaving soaps too.

Originally Posted by Sunsi

I
Something I forgot was that they used to used soap formulated for Children with a high Olive Oil content, which seems pretty consistent with modern day shaving soaps too.

Well, in my country the priorities were switched: for babies they used shaving soap because it was formulated to be very gentle on the skin Believe it or not, I still have some of this soap because the grandmas gave it to me for our babies.

Cheers
Ivo

Fascinating. Its great how this forgotten craft has opened up huge insights into the past and how things were done back then, and just how willing and interested people are in it, and the storys the old folks can tell about it.

Si