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SOTD SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2022
It’s really nice to be posting again. This morning was the first straight razor shave since early February for this old geezer! SWMBO and the medical body mechanics were again quite opposed to any open edge mug shaving on my part. I put the “Traveling Wilbury’s” song, ‘Handle With Care’ and picked up one of my my favorite straight razors, this lovely. Bartmann, and had at it. It really is like riding a bike. Two and a half passes left me wonderfully smooth.
One of the benefits of another enforced health vacation, was the opportunity to add to my safety razor collection and knowledge. According to Waite’s Compendium, the later 1950’s Durham Enders Speed Shavers had their start in the 1932 Enders Speed Razor. Initial manufacturing took place in St. Louis, MO under the auspices of the Simmons Hardware Co. Manufacturing later shifted to Mystic, CT in the 1940’s following acquisition of the brand by the Durham Duplex Co.
While the Speed Razor and Speed Shavers are handsomely constructed safety razors, they required a proprietary blade which left many of them on the shelf as display queens until an enterprising soul discovered that the current Schick B-20 Injector blade fit perfectly unlike any other injectors. With the edge removed from an original proprietary blade, they were shaveable again. Since that time an adapter fitting the Schick B-20 was developed. In any case they are remarkable shaving tools!
This morning’s dome shave went swimmingly. My preference in safety razors are SE’s, and this remarkable design delivers an incredibly close shave, one every bit as good as my modern Supply and beloved E Type Schick injectors. The adapter features two neodymium magnets which hold the Schick B-20 blade quite securely. Over the course of my enforced health vacation, I’ve been shaving with all 5 of my Enders safety razors and have found them great for both mug and noggin shaves. Two ATG dome passes left yours truly velveteen smooth from neck to noggin.
RAZOR: Bartmann 86 11/16 (Mug), Durham Enders Butterscotch Handled Speed Shaver (Dome)
BLADE: Schick B-20 (Dome)
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a heavy scrub with Argan Oil
BRUSH: MrEE LE #007 Knurled Aluminum Handle Hybrid Knot
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by a splash of Canoe Original EdT.
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