Thread: How Sailors shaved

Originally Posted by icedog

During the seventeenth, eigteenth and nineteenth centuries, very little (if any) shaving occured at sea. Shipmasters onboard both British and U.S. vessels wouldn't allow the men to have a point on their knives. At the start of a voyage, the men would muster wiith the ship's carpenter who was ordered to use his vice and mallet to snap the points off all knives (this is why today's rigging knives have the blunt tip they do). Certainly the razor is easily as formidable a weapon as a pointy knife. Also, fresh water was rationed and would be considered wasted to shave. Hair was typically not cut at sea either. Many ships kept a cask of eelskins rolled up like condoms and pickled in salt brine which were used to cover the tightly braided ponytail of a sailor. The hair was never washed and the eelskin was changed as needed to allow for the growth of the hair. The officers on the same ships were considered "gentlemen" and had the same shaving sets and soaps they used at home.

I started shaving with a straight razor whilst in the U.S.Navy submarine service from 1977 to 1981. Onboard submarines we generate our own air and control the atmosphere with extreme care. Aerosol products are considered atmosphere contaminants. Therefore canned shave cream is not allowed. Everyone either used an electric razor or a non-aerosol shaving soap. The base exchange at the New London Sub Base stocked only the Old Spice mug, soap and brush so that was essentially all we used. Once using a mug and brush to make lather, it wasn't too much of a leap to pick up a straight with which to shave. Also, it was a lethal weapon one could easily carry on shore that was very easily justiified in one's locker at sea.

That was a great write-up Captain Icedog.
Thanks for sharing,

Bart.

Originally Posted by bbshriver

Ok, so the natural progression of this discussion is what did those "gentleman" use for their shaving cream/soaps aboard their ships?

Also, Does Old spice still make soap??

Old Spice

Cannon, nice work on the Mitch Hedberg quote in the signature.

Originally Posted by cybrok

Think about it for 2 seconds: Why shave when there are no ladies on board anyway?
They were probably shaving when on land. More stable grounds too.

This is why every port had a barbershop (or two). It was quite a profession long ago, and considered a luxury in port to get a shave at a barbershop because most sailors didn't own razors themselves. One of the three most popular port venues, right after the whore houses and bars

I guess it felt good to get all cleaned up after all that partying.

Originally Posted by marosell

One of the three most popular port venues, right after the whore houses and bars

Well, it should've been right before the bar, so the guy won't have to pay for the whore

Originally Posted by zenshaver

I guess it felt good to get all cleaned up after all that partying.

Actually, the clean up was before the party started. On modern ships and submarines we have heads with showers and we make fresh water with which we could bathe. The tall ships of yor had no such luxuries. There were no toilets. For bowel movements the men would climb out onto the "headrails" which braced the stem. (This why the bathroom on a ship is called the head.)

Once we realize that sailors did not bathe at sea, even when a voyage (especially whaling voyages) might last for years, it doesn't take much imagination to understand why a sailor might take an hour or so to hit a bathhouse and a barber before the bar and the whorehouse.

My grandfather was a sailor with the Royal Navy (I always thought he was a Merchant Seaman, but he recently corrected me) during WWII.
He was on the landing craft(not a very safe job I have heard nearly all his old friends got killed so my grandmother tells me), he won't tell me any more than that !! I don't know why, maybe he thinks he's still not supposed to.
He did tell me that he offered his straight razor using father and other relatives razors cheap as they were sold by the RN stores.
He still uses Old Spice

Originally Posted by icedog

Actually, the clean up was before the party started. On modern ships and submarines we have heads with showers and we make fresh water with which we could bathe. The tall ships of yor had no such luxuries. There were no toilets. For bowel movements the men would climb out onto the "headrails" which braced the stem. (This why the bathroom on a ship is called the head.)

Once we realize that sailors did not bathe at sea, even when a voyage (especially whaling voyages) might last for years, it doesn't take much imagination to understand why a sailor might take an hour or so to hit a bathhouse and a barber before the bar and the whorehouse.

That makes a lot more sense.

Wow, i have always wanted to know why they called them heads. I just thought they had a bucket and tossed everything overboard. You learn all kinds of cool stuff at SRP!