Barbasol have been around a long time and I suspect shaving cream resulted in the elimination of comb type razors.Not a traditional shave
Cheapest traditional shave possible
- Thread starter pangaea
- Start date
I think that has more to do with how few men wear beards anymore. GI's couldn't have beards because of gas masks. I think free society just followed along.
Why was the GEM “clog proof” developed?
Cheap shave....
Assured DE razor from Dollar Tree = $1.00
Wilkinson Sword Classic (german) = $1.29 a tuck (IF you choose to not use the blades that come with the razor)
VDH brush $3.99
Williams Mug Soap $1.19
Grand Total $7.47
Any old mug from your cupboard = Free
Still have enough money left over from a 10 spot for a dollar store Skin Bracer knock off.
Assured DE razor from Dollar Tree = $1.00
Wilkinson Sword Classic (german) = $1.29 a tuck (IF you choose to not use the blades that come with the razor)
VDH brush $3.99
Williams Mug Soap $1.19
Grand Total $7.47
Any old mug from your cupboard = Free
Still have enough money left over from a 10 spot for a dollar store Skin Bracer knock off.
Explain what a GEM "clog proof" is and timeframe. I might come up with an hypothesis.
To have another product to hawk is always a pretty good answer though
Explain what a GEM "clog proof" is and timeframe. I might come up with an hypothesis.
To have another product to hawk is always a pretty good answer though
The Clog Pruf was introduced in 1941 from the source I found. It is true that companies used to develop a product and then drive the demand. However, if clogging were a problem because of new shaving mediums, the market may have been demanding something different that would address the problem.
Please post your hypothesis.
The introduction of the Clog-Pruf followed the introduction of other solid bar razors, which design, at least according to the Conrad/Barbasol patent (1933/1937) was in part a fix for open combs clogging when using brushless creams like Barbasol.
That would explain why the Barbasol Floating Head, circa 1930, had a solid safety bar in an era of open comb razors.
I used the Schick E2 injector this morning and found it to attract a lot of shaving cream under the cap and on the blade. I had to give it a through cleansing after use. Not that I mind having to, but I would imagine that back in the day it was an aggravation and one reason you usually find them in pristine or horrible condition, meaning they were forsaken or never cleaned.
You can save money if that's your goal. But I would strongly suggest you take a longer look down the road and make reasonable investments on equipment that will still satisfy a year or two from now.
Get an EJ razor (or an old Gillette) and one of the lower priced Semogue boars (or a synthetic). Buying a pile of low quality products is not really a plan for saving money in the long run.
Get an EJ razor (or an old Gillette) and one of the lower priced Semogue boars (or a synthetic). Buying a pile of low quality products is not really a plan for saving money in the long run.
Gillette may have had other reasons for ditching the open comb in '39 but Conrad was clearly motivated by its partnership with Barbasol. Segal's solid bar appears around the same time best I can figure (after the resolution of the legal disputes with Gillette in '39). European makers like Gibbs had already gone to solid bar earlier, '34 in the Gibbs case.
Last edited:
Regarding the OP I get a perfectly serviceable shave from a Gillette Super Click (40 cents) and Tian Li blades ($6/100). I get a superb shave from either of the Baili Tech models ($7) and Bic blades ($15/200).
- Thread starter
- #32
True but it's not considered as "traditional" as using the Williams soap I linked
Plus Williams pucks cost about the same as the barbasol cans in my local store and probably last longer than one of those cans therefore making Williams cheaper in the long run. The one-time cost of even an inexpensive brush would be eliminated by using the barbasol though so I guess by my logic a straight razor would be cheaper assuming you can sharpen it yourself.True but it's not considered as "traditional" as using the Williams soap I linked
.99 cents for Barbasol here, but I get your point. I’ve seen brushes for $5. I never cared for Williams soap, but maybe I didn’t know what I was doing. Anyway, something 80 years old has to be considered traditional by now.
Straight razors require a tool box and I suspect a skill for honing.
Did most people shave themselves with straights in the past? I thought someone else usually shaved them with the straight.
- Thread starter
- #35
Barbasol is old but the sort of "traditional wet shaving" we typically discuss on this forum generally excludes anything that comes in a can. Not that some people weren't using Barbasol with their safety razors in the old days or that it can't be used today in the same manner. For me at my local store, a can of Barbasol costs $1.50+tax. Not much cheaper than Williams really, especially with the cans probably having to be replaced more often. Also we're going for the "cheapest possible" traditional shave and the Williams has good reviews on Amazon so it must be working well for some people.
After asking about the date of my GEM the other day, I didn't want to have to waddle through that mess to find a starting point. Dating them is as clear as my name
It still took me quite a while looking through various message boards.
I'll start by stating why I don't think the switch from open to closed comb had anything to do with new shave creams being developed. If a company develops a product to make a task easier, and it actually causes the task to be harder, that company quickly goes out of business. Burma-Vita came out with Burma-Shave in 1925 and flourished. At that time the majority of razors were OC. (I only know of Gillette and GEM and I consider GEM to be a reinforced OC.)
I've read that the 1900/01 patent and early Ever Readys were considered lather catchers, but have heard no such issues with GEMs. In 1930 they came out with the Micromatic OC, which I noticed had no holes in the base plate. In 1933 they came out with the e-bar Micromatic, a CC version that also had no holes in the base plate. They then came out with Clog Pruf in 1941. It might have been in response to failings in the Micromatic line, but I believe it was a war time effort to allow soldiers an easier time shaving In situations where water is seldom plentiful. And unlike us, doing it for enjoyment, it was a crucial step in protecting against gas agents. This is just my supposition based upon when it happened, and the 8 years since last change to their razors happened. They would have fixed it earlier if it wasn't working well.
I believe the switch from OC to CC happened because of two reasons. The first reason is that the population was moving away from being beard wearers. The last bearded president was Benjamin Cleveland in 1898. Easy to use razors that didn't require a hone master to maintain had been invented. Two World Wars happened, which required soldiers to maintain a clean shaven face, but allowed for moustaches.
The second reason has to do with machining. I think that QC was easier to maintain, and machining more automated with CCs. They don't have dangly bits hanging about to get bent and/or broken off. And machining took off in the 30's. The following are tooling companies founded in the 30's. They made things to make things. This is why the first TTOs came out then.
Numberall Stamp and Tool Co. Inc.(1930), Iverson and Company (1931), Kitamura Machinery of USA Inc. (1933), Tool Specialty Co. (1933), City Machine Tool & Die Co. Inc. (1935), Wedin International Inc. (1936), Harig Mfg. Corp. (1937), Zagar Inc. (1937), Kennametal Inc. (1938)
That's my thinking on it.
Qshave TTO (Weishi rebrand), a can of Barbasol and Gillette aftershave gel. Total cost: about $15.
People often forget that it the hayday of the safety razor, canned Barbasol was the norm. It wasnt until just recently that the, "if you dont use a brush its not wet shaving" mantra came into being.Not a traditional shave
- Thread starter
- #39
Technically speaking shaving with a cartridge razor and Barbasol is wet shaving, it's just not "traditional" wet shaving.
I think those of us using shaving cream just don't talk as much about it as those with brushes and soaps.
