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Your most prized inherited shave gear

My father died 12 years ago. Still miss him. He left me his Gillette Executive and an Old Spice mug. The Executive was a bit beat up (well loved) and decided to honor him and get the gold replated. He always took good care of his tools. I think he would be pleased. I dont shave with it very often any more, but every once in a while I take it for a spin. It holds a special place in the collection.

What is your most prized inherited piece of shave gear?
 

Lefonque

Even more clueless than you
Thanks for sharing your story regarding your Father's razor. Enjoy your memories as I am sure you do. My father had a lot of beautiful gear, razors watches and pens especially. Unfortunately due to circumstances I did not inherit anything. A issue that still give me tinges of regret. My Grandfather taught me to shave had two razors and one brush in all the time I could remember. It was very basic stuff. One of the razors was issued to him in WW1. I would have loved to have that razor to remember him alas I was travelling the world when he passed and by the time I returned many years later everything had well and truly gone except his WW1 medals he left for me in an envelope. Fond memories.
 
Ok - cool thread idea. This hobby is very affective and traditional to start with, and I suspect there are a lot of stories to be told along these lines.

My dad is an electric shaver, so not sure how much might be passed on there, but I inherited two razors from my grandfather's generation.

One from my grandfather directly. Still has the blade from when he last shaved with it. We were close, and there is a lot if sentimental value here for me, even though the razor itself is a simple/common flare tipped super speed. The other is a straight razor from my wife's grandfather. My wife was living with him as a student when her and I were dating and so I actually got to know him fairly well. In fact, he was the first person we shared news about our engagement with, although he passed away shortly before our wedding. The family knew of my interest in traditional shaving, and so his razor came to me.

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My avatar is also my Grandfather’s shave mug and over 100 years old. It was in a china cabinet that I inherited in 1884. Since I was using a electric razor until 2015. Since my return to wet shaving I have used it to soak my brush every day that I’m home.
 
My dad is still a live and kicking. He has shave with a Trac 2 cart for over 35 years same handle for over 35 years. So I break out a Trac 2 or Pii and I feel like my Dad. I have shared about the hobby with him and that has led to interesting conversations about his Dad. I think his Dad my Grandpa used a Gillette Super Speed. I always love the fact that the old Gillette razors I have feel like I am touching and extending history when I am using them. I wonder who shaved with them and how many people used them before me. Most of my razors are over 80 years old now. They will out live me.


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Sometimes it is good to let folks know about our hobby. I've inherited a lot of assorted shave gear over the years. A close friend, now 70, gave me her older brother's Fatboy when she cleaned out his things; the Fatboy will stay with me until I pass it on, the ownership and story are written out and with it. I got a small older Merkur mustache/clean-up razor from my Mom that was my Dad's. The last razor my Dad used was a Trac II holder that I left for my nephew, his grandson, with a note that he should try being cleanshaven :001_rolle . He's currently far too scruffy for my tastes. I received a few straights from family and friends that know of my hobby. The only personal thing from my Grandfather I have is his back scratcher, and it's cherished, as I remember him using it all the time.

I have three young grandsons, 5, 4, and 3, and two great-nephews so far. If I live long enough to teach them how to shave, I'll give each some stuff, or if not, leave some stuff aside for each with a note. One grandson, the 4 year-old already loves to whip up lather with me; he then uses it to wash his little face while I shave. He's showing some real promise :001_smile.
 
When I was about 15 and started shaving I received an old brush from my mother. It was an Erskine badger. It had belonged to my Dad's Dad who died before I was born. My Dad used it for a while then passed it on to my older brother and then on to me. It was already a bit tatty when I got it, but I used it for a while, bought a Surrey boar for daily use and still used the Erskine occasionally.

When I rediscovered badger about 10 or 12 years ago and started buying a few newer badgers and started frequenting here at B & B, I reknotted that old brush with a much nicer silvertip. It is truly a pleasure to use.

I recently bought a nearly identical brush that was in even better shape than when I received my grandfather's brush just to remind me more of what the old one may have been like when newer. It's an OK brush, but nothing like the reknotted one.
 
I have got a couple of Gillette open combs from my grandfather and his father.
they are not pretty but if I need to bushwhack some serious long hair and do not mind the additional damage I do use them from time time.

summertime is starting so it is going to be time to loose some hair on sweaty places…. Time to load gramps bushwhacker up and apply some prickly heat powder afterwards followed by the mandatory 🧊 🧊 🧊 baby bathroom 🕺
 
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My Dad died in 2004. He always used a Norelco, but he never threw out his old razors. My family…we never throw out anything, except my brother Tom. No, we didn’t throw Tom out. I mean he is the exception. He’s not a pack rat, he has no sentimental attachment to anything. The only thing Dad personally gave me before he died was his pocket watch. I have his four Gillettes and Gem single edge razor. I’ve used the two Super Speeds almost exclusively over the last 10 years. Those are what I learned wet shaving with. Lately when I use a DE, I use the Fatboy. The Slim adjustable will be the one I’ll use next. I kind of wish Dad had been around when I started shaving with these just so he’d know they were being used. He would have liked that, because, well, “don’t throw that out. We’ll find a use for it one day.”
 
Here’s a question:
What would you value more?

1. A high value razor that a loved one had kept pristine for many year but never (or very rarely) used. Think a rare NOS razor.
2. The same razor that was much less pristine but had been clearly well used and well looked after over many years.


In my family there is no shaving gear to inherit. Both grandads went electric, dad has a beard and as far as I know the uncles are all on carts or electric. I am likely to have plenty to pass on though. If anyone is interested….
 
Here’s a question:
What would you value more?

1. A high value razor that a loved one had kept pristine for many year but never (or very rarely) used. Think a rare NOS razor.
2. The same razor that was much less pristine but had been clearly well used and well looked after over many years.


In my family there is no shaving gear to inherit. Both grandads went electric, dad has a beard and as far as I know the uncles are all on carts or electric. I am likely to have plenty to pass on though. If anyone is interested….
Give me a well loved, well used heirloom razor any day.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Here’s a question:
What would you value more?

1. A high value razor that a loved one had kept pristine for many year but never (or very rarely) used. Think a rare NOS razor.
2. The same razor that was much less pristine but had been clearly well used and well looked after over many years.


In my family there is no shaving gear to inherit. Both grandads went electric, dad has a beard and as far as I know the uncles are all on carts or electric. I am likely to have plenty to pass on though. If anyone is interested….
No. 2 but only if it's a straight razor.

You can keep the electric and cart hand-me-downs (and the beard) for others.
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
Here’s a question:
What would you value more?

1. A high value razor that a loved one had kept pristine for many year but never (or very rarely) used. Think a rare NOS razor.
2. The same razor that was much less pristine but had been clearly well used and well looked after over many years.


In my family there is no shaving gear to inherit. Both grandads went electric, dad has a beard and as far as I know the uncles are all on carts or electric. I am likely to have plenty to pass on though. If anyone is interested….
The well used razor, it is an easy choice. I would rather receive a battered up and well used $5 tech clone that my Father actually shaved with, than a pristine rarity that he never used. That is why I do not understand those who buy for example a Wolfman and lock it away for years to give to their son when he starts shaving; it may as well be a razor from a stranger. Different strokes for different folks I suppose 👍
 
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