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  1. #1
    Modern Day Peasant Nightblade's Avatar
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    Question 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......???

  2. #2
    Gold Dollar Heretic greatgoogamooga's Avatar
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    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

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  4. #3
    Modern Day Peasant Nightblade's Avatar
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    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.
    Last edited by Nightblade; 09-07-2010 at 11:53 PM.

  5. #4
    May your bone always be well buried MickR's Avatar
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    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

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  7. #5
    Modern Day Peasant Nightblade's Avatar
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    Now we are thinking on the right track.....good ol Mick,nice to hear from ya chap !

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    Senior Member Str8nDE4RAD's Avatar
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    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.

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  10. #7
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    I'm not sure that SR care was nearly as important to our forefathers as it is for us. It was their razor, nothing more. Just take a look at some old razors on the 'bay and see if they look like they were well taken care of.

    Sorry Nightblade, but I can't give you any definitive answer other than perhaps they used some gun oil and a razor pouch/box. We definitely treat our razors like babies nowaday. Some of us probably spend more on razors than they do on their children, too.......
    Last edited by Ryan82; 09-08-2010 at 03:28 AM.

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  12. #8
    Scale Maniac BKratchmer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan82 View Post
    I'm not sure that SR care was nearly as important to our forefathers as it is for us. It was their razor, nothing more. Just take a look at some old razors on the 'bay and see if they look like they were well taken care of.

    Sorry Nightblade, but I can't give you any definitive answer other than perhaps they used some gun oil and a razor pouch/box. We definitely treat our razors like babies nowaday. Sme of us probably spend more on razors than they do on their children, too.......
    Big +1

    Waterspots, draw on the strop, etc... is all cushy obsessive stuff we do as part of a hobby, not out of necessity.

  13. #9
    Modern Day Peasant Nightblade's Avatar
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    Not lookin for definitive answers just thought this would be interesting to see what people come up with as a matter of historical interest . Not so much like I was looking because I needed to know. I was just curious that's all and thought people would have some interesting things to share.

  14. #10
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    Chances are that they were using double-edged razor blades, if we are talking about most of our parents or grandparents. My grandfather is 91 years old, and I don't think he ever picked up a straight razor.

    As for way back in the day, I was under the impression that barbers were mostly the ones utilizing straight razors. I assume that, those being their tools, they would take pretty good care of them (I am sure some kind of rest preventative was around, like some kind of oil.) People also might not have cared as much back then about aesthetics of their razors. Also, straight razors were convenience items at one point, not hobby items. If you had a razor go bad for whatever reason, just buy a new one.

    Just some thoughts.

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