What is your real name?
Andrew
What are your nicknames/aliases?
none
Where do you live?
El Granada, California (on highway 1, 25 miles south of San Fransisco)
What is your age (or) generation?
56
What are you in the real world?
Editor and Writing Teacher
What is your favorite shave setup?
Unfair question. Ok, today I shaved with an EveryReady 1912, Semogue Boar brush, MWF, Floid Vigaroso, MWF lotion, Thayer's Aloe, Astra green blade. But I will shave with a schick injector tomorrow morning and Tabac products.
What are your hobbies and favorite activities?
Mountain biking, fly fishing, cooking, hiking, opera, jazz
What else should the members of B&B know about you?
Been wet shaving since 1980 when I inherited my grandfather's 1962 Gillette slim adjustable (also my birth year), his EveryReady brush, an unused puck of Williams, old spice aftershave, and my great uncle's WW2 Navy shaving mug (the mug spent time in the south pacific during the war; unfortunately, we never found the razor my great uncle used while in the navy). These modest items are some of my most valuable possessions. I used these tools along with terrible (I came to find out) drug store double edge blades for 20 years. I still use this gear (except I have upgraded soaps and the brush although I plan to put a new knot in the EverReady). When I realized Amazon might have better options, I began discovering the greater world of shaving. I also discovered non-Amazon web sites. I had no idea there were other products out there--I thought I was perhaps one of just a few folks using such old gear. Well, I found otherwise and now I own 25 or so vintage razors (double edge (all Gillette) and single edge (Rolls Razor, Gem, EverReady, Star, Valet, Schick injector) and straights) and mainly old style aftershaves and soaps (Pinaud, Old Spice, Proraso, Tabac, Arko, La Toja, Speick, MWF, Haslinger, Cella, TOBS, Pre de Proveance). I shave with everything I own--I am a shaver, not a collector. I reckon these smells remind my of my grandpa and going to the barber with him where he got a hair cut and a shave, it seemed, once a week. Perhaps he just went so often to catch up on local politics, farming trends, and shoot the breeze with friends. When I travel to rural areas and small towns, I make an effort to find the local barber for a shave and hair cut. It is always an enjoyable experience and conversation. I buy vintage razors and restore them and give them to friends and family. I have supplied razors and kits to at least 15 people over the years and really enjoy helping younger family members figure out the best way to shave. As you can see, I am excited about finding out there is a whole group of folks like me and even more obsessed with shaving than me. I look forward to learning from all these experts on B&B. Excuse the babbling, but I guess I have not had any other place to share this (my wife has heard the stories way too often to care any more! I don't blame her). I imagine my story isn't so unusual as I once thought. Thanks again.
Andrew
What are your nicknames/aliases?
none
Where do you live?
El Granada, California (on highway 1, 25 miles south of San Fransisco)
What is your age (or) generation?
56
What are you in the real world?
Editor and Writing Teacher
What is your favorite shave setup?
Unfair question. Ok, today I shaved with an EveryReady 1912, Semogue Boar brush, MWF, Floid Vigaroso, MWF lotion, Thayer's Aloe, Astra green blade. But I will shave with a schick injector tomorrow morning and Tabac products.
What are your hobbies and favorite activities?
Mountain biking, fly fishing, cooking, hiking, opera, jazz
What else should the members of B&B know about you?
Been wet shaving since 1980 when I inherited my grandfather's 1962 Gillette slim adjustable (also my birth year), his EveryReady brush, an unused puck of Williams, old spice aftershave, and my great uncle's WW2 Navy shaving mug (the mug spent time in the south pacific during the war; unfortunately, we never found the razor my great uncle used while in the navy). These modest items are some of my most valuable possessions. I used these tools along with terrible (I came to find out) drug store double edge blades for 20 years. I still use this gear (except I have upgraded soaps and the brush although I plan to put a new knot in the EverReady). When I realized Amazon might have better options, I began discovering the greater world of shaving. I also discovered non-Amazon web sites. I had no idea there were other products out there--I thought I was perhaps one of just a few folks using such old gear. Well, I found otherwise and now I own 25 or so vintage razors (double edge (all Gillette) and single edge (Rolls Razor, Gem, EverReady, Star, Valet, Schick injector) and straights) and mainly old style aftershaves and soaps (Pinaud, Old Spice, Proraso, Tabac, Arko, La Toja, Speick, MWF, Haslinger, Cella, TOBS, Pre de Proveance). I shave with everything I own--I am a shaver, not a collector. I reckon these smells remind my of my grandpa and going to the barber with him where he got a hair cut and a shave, it seemed, once a week. Perhaps he just went so often to catch up on local politics, farming trends, and shoot the breeze with friends. When I travel to rural areas and small towns, I make an effort to find the local barber for a shave and hair cut. It is always an enjoyable experience and conversation. I buy vintage razors and restore them and give them to friends and family. I have supplied razors and kits to at least 15 people over the years and really enjoy helping younger family members figure out the best way to shave. As you can see, I am excited about finding out there is a whole group of folks like me and even more obsessed with shaving than me. I look forward to learning from all these experts on B&B. Excuse the babbling, but I guess I have not had any other place to share this (my wife has heard the stories way too often to care any more! I don't blame her). I imagine my story isn't so unusual as I once thought. Thanks again.
