Thread: What did grampa do ??

So I've asked about strops,nicks waterspots etc. and have gotten good feedback.But I am curious if anyone truly knows.In the days of our grandfathers and their fathers,how did they remove waterspots,store and care their blades,treat their strops etc.I'm sure we have come far with modern products,but are there any tried and true old time techniques that we have forgotten or just don't use due to modern tech ? I'm asking this beyond what we've read in old barbers manuals.I'm asking what did joe average back in the day do not barbers ? When gramps for example was in the trenches during the great war,how did he care and store his blade? That would be a good start eh ? It's not like you could buy a cedar box at the store readily . And how did he keep his strop in good shape out there.What were common kits back then for joe average not the rich guy who could afford nice things.I'm talking field care for carbon steel which could go south with rust any sec. Let's see what we get here ? And this info can go back as far as anyone can dig, i.e War for independence,Civil war,sailors at sea where sea air is all around you,and it doesn't even have to be wartime ,what did joe average victorian guy do as well or the cowboy in the middle of nowhere What would Julia childs do ? No wait,different subject,although she would probably add a little oregano and simmer.....Ok guys let'er rip......???

I've found this site to be an excellent resource for the kind of info you are looking for:

RazorCentral - Home of the straight razor

Goog

Been there done that...not interested in manuals ,this is joe average homestyle not professional stuff. Remember...when we learned how to shave(cartridge razors not straights) we didn't use manuals or info sites.....so goes the same for when straights were commonplace and every man came up with his own just as well I suspect.

I daresay ingenuity played a large role in that sort of thing, If I was living in a rat infested trench in WWI for example, I might have coated my razor blade with beeswax from a candle and rubbed my stop down with a mixture of beeswax and kerosene or something to help prtect them from moisture and, in the case of the strop, the rats as well...Rats don't like the taste of kero I hear.
Just my thoughts there.

Mick

Now we are thinking on the right track.....good ol Mick,nice to hear from ya chap !

Not sure about most of that stuff but I do remeber my Grandfather storing a Straight in a Old Spice mug. Never remember him actually using it. My father is however is famous for his if it is cheap I will use it method, and for some reason he does get decent shaves. I should ask him for his secret besides the tissue paper on the cuts.

Nightblade,

This doesn’t answer your question but as far as WWI goes, this was the time when the Gillette was taking off. Many doughboys would have been issued safety razors because they were more compact and easier to maintain in the field. As much as I love the open razor, I’d have to agree.

But as for maintaining the straight razor in general, I don’t think the old timers had too much trouble. For them non-stainless steel was a way of life. They knew how to prevent rust and probably didn’t worry about gray and blue-black spots. If they did, a pinch of pumice would rub it out.

At one time, JR Torrey would rehone your razor and ship it back to you for 25¢. Bet they polished it too.

Photos from the US Civil war suggest few soldiers (even generals) were shaving or getting regular haircuts.

The US founding fathers are often painted in a state of cleanshaveness. Was this an artistic convention or were they really that smooth? Certainly some had slaves who could regularly barber them. The pre revolutionary French aristos relied heavily on makeup so again it’s hard to judge the degree of regular shaving.

In the days of sail, US and British warships often had a ship’s barber but shaving was probably a once a week affair for divine services or inspections.

I would love to see some concrete figures for the number of pre 1900 American men who were self shavers at home vs those who went to the barber shop.

I remain &C
LG Roy