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SOTD SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 2, 2022
Jacque David II Lecoultre, the founder of the LeCoultre razors, was born in 1781 in Sentier, France into a successful blacksmithing business started by his father. He and his son, Antonin started by making razors for their large family that had originally settled in the Sentier region in 1593. Antonin spent a few years in the 1820s in Geneva, Switzerland studying clock and watch-making. In 1830 LeCoultre et Fils, a razor and watch/clock making firm was founded.
Antonin’s training led him to develop one of, if not the first, replaceable blade shaving razors. Their presentation of their razors and watches at the Great London Exhibition of 1851 was very well received by visiting North American agents. The razors were rather expensive in their day and tended to be sold in jewelry stores along with Antonin’s watches and clocks. The razors were produced and sold successfully through the end of the 19th century. Antonin’s luxury watch and clockmaking business continues to this day.
My shave this morning with my 1860s vintage LeCoultre Frameback N2 was excellent. A previous owner flattened out the ends of the scales. I may round them back out at some point, but the magnificent shave it delivers is unaffected by scale esthetics. The N2 blade currently attached holds a fabulous edge and delivered an incredible two and a half pass mug shave that left me happily velveteen smooth.
Gillette’s first safety razor model, the famed and highly sought after “Double Ring” was quickly replaced after one year of production by the Single Ring in 1905, although it was actually known just as the “Gillette Razor” for the first decade of production. I have two Single Rings, both of which date to the first year of production. They shave well, but don’t hold a candle to the Gillette New LC, my hands down favorite Gillette blade holder. Two ATG noggin passes left me velveteen smooth from dome to neck.
RAZOR: Lecoultre Frameback N2 (Mug), Gillette Single Ring [1905] (Dome)
BLADE: Feather DE (Dome)
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a heavy scrub with Argan Oil
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T-400 with 26mm Boar Knot Ferrule
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by a rinse with Humphreys WH. Finished with Pre de Provence Bergamot & Thyme AS Balm.
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