Thread: How Sailors shaved

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.

I do know Pirates used parrots and brown rum for shaving

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.

What happens when you break your razor in a bar fight? That would stink. I would carry two. One for bar fights and one for shaving. A nice old rusty one for the fights and a zowada for shaving. Or visa versa.

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.

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.

That's a good point, cybrok. I think even the most careful shaver would prefer to shave on something that isn't swaying randomly all hours of the day.

Originally Posted by redcannon

That's a good point, cybrok. I think even the most careful shaver would prefer to shave on something that isn't swaying randomly all hours of the day.

might be suprized at how well you adapt to the sway.




i never heard about the head thing even tho while being in the corp all ****ers were "heads" well now i know
BTW markings on boats have them as WCs "water closets"

Originally Posted by redcannon

That's a good point, cybrok. I think even the most careful shaver would prefer to shave on something that isn't swaying randomly all hours of the day.

The swaying isn't random at all, if you've spent any time on a small ship at sea, you will acclimate to the rocking, or get very sick, but in normal seas the swaying is something you get acclimated to very quickly. It takes time to get your land legs back, and I've noticed I'll stand in the mirror after a week at sea, and can see myself rocking as if I were still on the water.
After a short time aboard ship, they would have no difficulty shaving in normal/calm seas.

wow, that's incredible. I guess you do learn something new every day!

Originally Posted by Mike_ratliff

The swaying isn't random at all, if you've spent any time on a small ship at sea, you will acclimate to the rocking, or get very sick, but in normal seas the swaying is something you get acclimated to very quickly. It takes time to get your land legs back, and I've noticed I'll stand in the mirror after a week at sea, and can see myself rocking as if I were still on the water.
After a short time aboard ship, they would have no difficulty shaving in normal/calm seas.

first time i got off the ship after being on more then a week i felt like the sidewalk was waving for me. fun times for a day or so but then all back to normal.

I read somewhere that sailors of old used to plait their baccy into the braids of the hair.
If they did shave aboard I wouldn't be surprised if riggers goop wasn't utilised in some way, (Tallow, Lanolin etc ) For aftershave would they have used Stockholm tar (my fav smell)?

PuFF