Wetshaving makes me miss Dad.

[Sinker]

Dad died at 60, now I'm 58. His evening ritual was to take a bath and shave. He used a Gillette Safety Razor with an aerosol shaving cream and finished with either Aqua Velva or Skin Bracer. I don't think he particularly enjoyed it; it sure wasn't a hobby! Dad and I got along very well, but I don't remember him teaching me to shave. I used some sort of cartridge razor until about 10 days ago when I jumped in headlong.

Tonight in preparation for Valentine's Dinner with Mrs Sinker, I had my best shave ever, using my Edwin Jagger DE89 loaded with an Astra SP, lathered up with some eShave sandalwood cream using my newly acquired Omega 636. 3 passes. It was beautiful. After a dual face rinse (warm, then cold) I splashed on some Aqua Velva. Then got my hair just right with Brylcreem. Crazy, but it was almost like I was channeling the Old Man! I even dug out his Bostonian Penny Loafers from the back of my closet.

Hard to explain, but I'll bet you understand.

 

[Dave in KY]

 

[pbrmhl]

I completely understand. Very nice post.

 

[GearNoir]

To fond memories!

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Thanks for sharing! Great tale.

 

[xxvaleria]

You might enjoy PaulHFilms on YouTube. He has tribute shaves to his father from time to time using nostalgic hardware and software.

 

[shaverbb]

I get it. My dad wasn’t alive to teach me but I remember watching him with his Gillette Sensor. I started shaving with the MACH 3 and when I realized how poor it was making me my brother tossed me a cheap DE razor and some Derby Extra blades. He gave me some tips and sent me on my way.


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[Chango]

Shaving reminds me of my pop as well. No soap and brush for him. But he used a Schick injector forever. And he was an Old Spice man. Poor guy got Old Spice stuff from us every Christmas, Birthday, AND Father's Day. I can't smell Old Spice without it reminding me of him.

 

[Rhody]

Nice post!

 

[MacDaDad]

Reminiscing .. the comfort of shaving.

 

[luv2shave]

Nice post sent me down nostalgia lane too. Used to watch my dad shave with a Gillette tech razor and 7OC blades, then as Gillette brought out the 2 blade cartridge razor, move up with each new release. Last he used the Gillette Excel swivel head razor. He didn't see value in more than two blades. Pantene, Brut, Denim the old school brands.

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[ackvil]

Very nice.

I'm 75 and my dad has been gone for a long time. However, every time I pick up my FB or Slim it brings me back to the days when I was a teenager. My father had given me his Tech to shave with and after a year or two, I invested in a FB and later a Slim. He liked the adjustable so much he bought one, too.

 

[MntnMan62]

Nice post. Made me think of my dad. He passed in Sept 2015 at the age of 80 after a long illness. He didn't teach me to wet shave. He used an electric his whole life and bought me one when it was time for me to start shaving. I hated it. I then went out and bought some canned shaving cream, probably Noxema, and a bag of Bic disposables. This had to be around 1976 or 1977. We weren't really really close but we talked a fair amount at least every week. I just accepted the fact that we saw the world in very different ways. Funny thing is my brother was saying to me yesterday that he doesn't miss our father. His upbringing was somewhat different from mine, or at least our perception of it was very different. Reading your post reminds me that I do indeed miss him. Thank you for that.

 

[MacDaDad]

Nice post. Made me think of my dad. He passed in Sept 2015 at the age of 80 after a long illness. He didn't teach me to wet shave. He used an electric his whole life and bought me one when it was time for me to start shaving. I hated it. I then went out and bought some canned shaving cream, probably Noxema, and a bag of Bic disposables. This had to be around 1976 or 1977. We weren't really really close but we talked a fair amount at least every week. I just accepted the fact that we saw the world in very different ways. Funny thing is my brother was saying to me yesterday that he doesn't miss our father. His upbringing was somewhat different from mine, or at least our perception of it was very different. Reading your post reminds me that I do indeed miss him. Thank you for that.

Indeed, shaving is a whole lot more than removing the hair off your face.

 

[Storch4]

My condolences Sir. Memories such as these bring comfort to many of us. Thank G-d my parents are still alive. However, my fondest shaving memories are with my beloved Grandfather and how he shaved and let me play with a bladeless old SS and he would lather me up with Rise menthol while he shaved with a Winston in his mouth. I shaved away. When he was done, out came the Clubman and I got a splash too. He would then Vitalis up my hair with a part on the side. Amazingly with the six cigs he smoked before he was done and all that alcohol from aftershave and Vitalis, the apartment did not explode! I use Vitalis and comb my hair just like he did in his memory.

 

[lancelot]

Very nice.

I'm 75 and my dad has been gone for a long time. However, every time I pick up my FB or Slim it brings me back to the days when I was a teenager. My father had given me his Tech to shave with and after a year or two, I invested in a FB and later a Slim. He liked the adjustable so much he bought one, too.

I'm also 75. I lost daddy in 1979.
I think the reason I wet shave today is because of the fondness I developed for sitting on a cold tile floor, in a small bathroom, heated with a little gas heater in 1947 or so watching him with a coffee mug for soap, a little black, boar brush, and a Gillette. What fond memories. Thanks for reawakeing them.
Ron

 

[TheVez2]

Great post. I think you need to get some Skin Bracer!

 

[BigJ]

Wonderful post! Thanks for sharing.

 

[nwohio]

Your post made me all glassy eyed and I had to walk away for a few minutes. My dad passed at 89 years old. He was always healthy & strong until the last few months. As he weakened he was still able to bathe but was a too shaky to shave. I would wash his face nad using his Barbasol and Gillette TTO I would shave him then splash on a little Skin Bracer. He was always so appreciative and would feel his face and smile.

 

[majorrich]

My Dad’s been gone 10 years and a few days now. I primarily remember he was an electric shaver. He used a Sunbeam. But I found his kit after his death and found several razors and a brush I cleaned up and now use. Of course Old Spice is featured.