Sunday morning November 11 - Remembrance Day shave
View attachment 178670
Gillette Khaki Set Ball End Old Type dated 1918 / PAL Gold Thin Hollow Ground vintage carbon (1)
Stanford 5-Second Blade Sharpener (vintage stropping device)
Simms badger-effect dyed boar telescoping travel brush
Williams soap
Alum and Thayers Witch Hazel Original Astringent and Murray&Lanman Florida Water
I did a period shave today using items that were available either during WW1 or very close to it. The razor is a WW1 era Khaki Set with a razor in it with a 1918-dated baseplate. The blade isn't a WW1-era 3-hole heavy carbon blade - that would be far too old to use now - but a slightly later carbon blade that is probably at least WW2 vintage. To take the blade a bit, I first stripped it with a 1920s era blade stripping device.
The brush is a Simms travel brush with a knot that slides into and out of the handle. The brush would have been very handy for an officer or soldier needing a kit as small as possible. The patent dates on the handle are 1921, which is very close. The only soap I have that would definitely fit the timeframe was Williams -- made since 1840, it would be period for the American Civil War for that matter. Thayers Witch Hazel has been a common remedy for lots of purposes since 1847, so again an easy fit. Finally, assuming our user was wanting to swanky a bit on furlough, a splash of the then-ubiquitous Florida Water to finish off.
Overall, it was a decent shave. The blades warn right on the wrapper that the edge is so thin and keen that extra care needs to be taken for the first three or four shaves. So even apart from the issue of carbon edge degradation, the first couple shaves with these PAL Gold blades are always rough. I tried to compensate for that by stropping the blade first, but it still made itself felt. And, of course, I was using that rough blade in a razor known for aggressive blade feel anyway.
The boar brush shows few signs of much use. Soaking in warm water softened the bristles, but I don't think they have ever been broken in. The brush is still scritchy. It quickly built a usable lather off the Williams. The soap lacks the superior slickness, glide, cushion and face conditioning of my favourite modern soaps and creams, but it does the job -- you can shave with it.
Two careful passes brought me to a BBS with only one tiny drop of blood on my chin. The rinse sealed it even before the alum. Surprisingly, the alum showed no hot spots. The Thayers provided skin conditioning, and the Florida Water left me smelling good in a late 19th / early 20th century way.
I have to work today, so I can't attend Remembrance Day services as I usually prefer to, either in person in the city or by watching the national ceremony on TV. Today's shave was my own private act of remembrance.
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