I started shaving with the razor on the left over 40 years ago. I switched to straights quite awhile ago but for the last 3 mornings I dug out a few old DE razors and gave them a go. It's been a very enjoyable nostalgic experience for me. I've experimented a bit, shaving half my face with one razor, half with another. This morning it was the Slim and what I think is called a Bar Handle Gillette (correct me if I'm wrong). The Slim was set at 8. I had an excellent shave this morning and considered the shave quality between these two razors equal but this evening, feeling the stubble, I'd have to pick the Slim as the winner. Well, for now, I'm out of DE razors, so it's back to straights but I plan on keeping the DE's in rotation. image host
Really neat that you still have your old razors to shave with.. sailing mug looks kinda special too..
Really nice mug! I believe the razor on the left is a Gillette New with bar handle. I have had good results with both razors but also prefer the Adjustable. Glad you had a pleasant trip down DE Memory Lane.
Thanks, there is a lot of nostalgia with both razors. The Bar handle was my Dad's, it was in Pearl Harbor when it was bombed and drug through some major landings during WWII in the South Pacific (Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima).
That's the interesting part of wet shaving with vintage razors........ they all have stories, we just don't know most of them.
So I have a question for you being that you are of both the DE and straights world. What moved you from the DE to the straight? Was the shave closer or more nostalgic? Just more fun? Just curious..
Turk, honestly DE shaving is probably the most nostalgic for me, it's from my youth. My old barber taught me to use a straight when I got out of the service in 1973. He gave me a razor hone and a razor and turned me loose. I shaved that way for quite a while until the cat jumped on the sink and knocked my razor and hone off and both broke. Ended up going the Trac II route but disliked it. It was difficult to find DE blades locally or I would have never switched. One day while going through some of my stuff I found a piece of the old razor hone and decided I was going to get another straight. And I did, about 50-60 of them. I doubt I've used more than few of cans of shaving cream in my life, always a brush and soap. I like the self sufficiency of straight razor shaving. I'm totally responsible for the quality of my shave.
Very interesting. I have yet to dabble into the straight edge end of the pool yet. I have so many different soaps and brushes and DE razors to try that I have been consumed on that alone. I would like to try the straight. Do you have any suggestions on a purchase of a nice straight?
You can get some good deals on the Buy, Sell and Trade sections of most shaving forums. Do as much reading on straights as you can. Get an understanding of hone wear, different types of grinds, etc. What you need to maintain a straight. The best deals usually come from the antique shops but you have to know what your looking at and for. Don't spend a lot of money on something your not sure if you will like. As far as new razors, Dovo, Boker and T.I. come to mind. As a general rule most U.S., German, Swedish, English, French and Japanese are usually quality razors. When you do get a razor, send it out to be professionally honed. Good luck.
From our own gssixgun, a.k.a Glen . Here's his website. I'll vouch for him. He's done some great work for me. Also over at Whipped Dog. I've never used them, but I don't recall hearing anything negative.
Nice. I also like the mug. I also have my first real(non electric) razor. It's a Gillette Sensor that I bought brand new in 1990. Don't use it much, anymore. The SE, DE, Injector, straight bug bit me about 2 years ago. I do keep a 1984 Atra in the shower for those mornings when I don't have time for a great shave.
