First post! I've gotten the DE wet shaving bug in a serious way. I'm 60 and been DE shaving for just over ONE month after using cartridges of various kinds since 1977. What can I say, as a young man, I bought the multi-blade advertising hype. However, I NEVER enjoyed shaving until I started using a DE razor. How did I miss this truth?
I have very quickly accumulated a fairly broad array of vintage Gillette razors (fifteen-ish spanning 1918 to 1971). I also have five new razors. I've still not used all of the vintage razors, but I used one of my favorites this morning, which is shown in the photos. It is a WWI-era US Army kit, serial number H 38180 made in 1918 and obviously well-used and well-loved! It was my first experience using a Gillette Old style open-comb razor, and the shave was. let me say, "aggressive." I used an Astra blade that was on shave number 3 or 4, and I had two days worth of growth. I lathered up some Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood cream with a synthetic brush, said a quick prayer, and got down to business.
I typically go for a three-pass shave, but stopped after two with this razor. First, I should have been more careful on my neck with this open short comb razor-can you say, blade feel? I had a little bit of irritation and a couple weepers. Second, I actually got a pretty DFS with a BBS shave on my cheeks! I'm sure that if I had to use this razor every day, my technique would improve, quickly. I won't use this razor every day, but I'm sure I'll give it another go later after my technique improves more.
What a revelation DE shaving has been for this old dog!
I have very quickly accumulated a fairly broad array of vintage Gillette razors (fifteen-ish spanning 1918 to 1971). I also have five new razors. I've still not used all of the vintage razors, but I used one of my favorites this morning, which is shown in the photos. It is a WWI-era US Army kit, serial number H 38180 made in 1918 and obviously well-used and well-loved! It was my first experience using a Gillette Old style open-comb razor, and the shave was. let me say, "aggressive." I used an Astra blade that was on shave number 3 or 4, and I had two days worth of growth. I lathered up some Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood cream with a synthetic brush, said a quick prayer, and got down to business.
I typically go for a three-pass shave, but stopped after two with this razor. First, I should have been more careful on my neck with this open short comb razor-can you say, blade feel? I had a little bit of irritation and a couple weepers. Second, I actually got a pretty DFS with a BBS shave on my cheeks! I'm sure that if I had to use this razor every day, my technique would improve, quickly. I won't use this razor every day, but I'm sure I'll give it another go later after my technique improves more.
What a revelation DE shaving has been for this old dog!
