Interesting piece of shaving history (sorry if repost).
1940s Gillette advert about proper razor use
- Thread starter Attog
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Interesting piece of shaving history (sorry if repost).
Nice find, thanks!
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- #3
You’re welcome, I was searching for some videos from the past to see how was DE shaving done back in it’s hay day. Interesting things I saw: rather long strokes (not sure if done only for advertisements), no talk about brushes, no WTG/XTG/ATG distinguishing but still I only saw (except this linked one) couple of ads so I not sure I it can be taken as some proof of the past shaving routines, probably not.
The long strokes are a bit 'suspicious' considering the blades back then. What I picked out was with Gillette razors, it was shown, and assumed, that the user was shaving steep. This jives with the vintage instructions that have been posted and may be why he is able to shave fast. My assumption of course is that it's an actor so they put a dummy blade in that only removes lather. Anyway what was interesting about the shaving angle was when they got to Valets, they felt it necessary to instruct the user not to use their usual steep angle, but to go with the built in angle/flat top. Lots more little bits in there of interest, if only to history nerds.
EclipseRedRing
I smell like a Christmas pudding
I suspect that three such passes may be a modern invention of shaving hobbyists. In years gone by I think shaving was for most a utilitarian function to be done as quickly as possible. I consider that I am a 'traditional shaver' but I bet my Father and Grandfather would regard three passes and anything more than one razor, one soap, one brush, and one aftershave as madness and a total waste of money. They would consider me some sort of eccentric
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- #6
Yep, anything more then 1 soap/razor/brush would my grandfather consider unnecessary.
And the one brush was usually a boar that had a perpetual bend from sitting in the mug bristles down, still full of soap!
I think good value in these old print and video ads is the lack of stuff like oiling your razor or boiling it.
I think good value in these old print and video ads is the lack of stuff like oiling your razor or boiling it.
Yes indeed!! He just wanted to get done and get out!
It's hard to admit, but there are kids alive today who, if they "shaved like their grandpa", would be using a multi-blade cart razor from Gillette.
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