Life before online ordering?

[Shavetheman01]

Its mainly the internet which established wet shaving as a hobby.

Although if you visit underdeveloped countries, they still use DEs

 

[epipeman]

As a small boy I can remember visiting the local chemist with my dad around Christmas time. It was an Aladdin's cave of traditional shaving gear and I loved it. But as I grew older this was all displaced by disposables and cartridges.
So although I had used my dad's razor I was drawn into that new world of shaving that promised modernity and convenience.
Later I grew a full set beard for some years. Why? Because shaving in the morning was a tedious chore that stole sleep.
Everything shaving related was bought at supermarkets.
One day I found the Wilkinson Sword web site and bought some Hydro 5 carts at a very keen price - again before Christmas.
This led to my becoming curious about shaving sites on-line and led to my first DE in decades - a Wilkinson Sword Classic, now my go-to travel razor. Not long after that came a Rockwell 6c - I had by now discovered this amazing web site. My most recent razor is the Fatip Piccolo Special Edition - I'm enjoying the learning curve on the Gentile plate and tomorrow begins my first OC adventure with the Original.
Everything now comes from internet purchases (including the wonderful Arko) - but I'll never forget Christmas in the chemist's shop with my Dad.

 

[Raissermesser]

I bought what was on the shelves. That said, shaving soap, SE, and DE blades never disappeared, so if I had kept using my SE, I would have had no problem buying blades. When I went back to SE and tried DE, I didn't order a thing; it was all purchased at local stores. Later, when I found I liked Wilkerson Blades and I got a case of RAD, I started ordering online.

 

[1Vader]

Mach 3 here and I was miserable with it. I hated shaving, and probably shaved every 3-4 days. It's expensive and not a very pleasant experience, probably because I was stretching each blade use for more than it's intended lifespan.

I used canned shaved gel, I was under the impression that it was cheaper in the long run as opposed to canned shaving cream.

Doesn't matter now, no turning back!

 

[Tallships]

I remember the days when the local drug store was the place to buy all your DE/SE supplies, razors, soaps, blades, brushes, AS. Slowly as Cartridge razor shaving became more popular, the DE/SE way of shaving lost it's place on the shelf. Thankfully, the internet.

 

[BigJ]

I can remember when the only option was the limited range of options in the local shops!!
(Makes me feel old!)

 

[Raissermesser]

FWIW, locally you can still buy blades for Gem razors.

 

[Big Jim]

On the other side of the coin, life after on line ordering. I could not find any place that sold badger brushes for decades. The badger brush passed down to me from my grandfather had seen its better days. When I discovered they were having come back I was able to learn about them, start buying some, and learned to make my own. I was content with one main brush, a boar, for decades because that's all that seemed to be available. Now I have over 50, most all of them badger of various sizes and grades. I've also learned more about soaps including making some of my own. Shaving has never been more enjoyable. But unlike most of you I don't enjoy using a DE razor. I have several in my collection and occasionally use them, but much prefer a modern cartridge. My daily razor is a Dorco 7.

 

[epipeman]

On the other side of the coin, life after on line ordering. I could not find any place that sold badger brushes for decades. The badger brush passed down to me from my grandfather had seen its better days. When I discovered they were having come back I was able to learn about them, start buying some, and learned to make my own. I was content with one main brush, a boar, for decades because that's all that seemed to be available. Now I have over 50, most all of them badger of various sizes and grades. I've also learned more about soaps including making some of my own. Shaving has never been more enjoyable. But unlike most of you I don't enjoy using a DE razor. I have several in my collection and occasionally use them, but much prefer a modern cartridge. My daily razor is a Dorco 7.

Hi Jim,
Yes, cartridges are great. Have you tried a Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5? They work for me.
I love DE razors because they're not quite as straightforward to use. When they work well they can't be bettered - but when they don't there are a lot of variables to rule out.
I suppose the line is:
straight - oc- de - cartridge.
Each one represents a new marketing ploy and more profit.
But, as always, it's just about what you like, what you don't like, and what cuts whiskers well - or quickly - or easily.
It's also a hobby as well as a necessity!
P.S. I've forgotten the SE fans and also those who love Injectors. My fault.

 

[dundak]

Same as now. Prices for straights were hella cheaper and all over. Soaps were limited to Colgate, OS, Williams and Tabac. Tabac was usually found at tobacconists. Good brushes were usually mail order so you had one or two and most drugstores carried a boar brush or two.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[epipeman]

If you wanted an aftershave in England then the usual favourites were once Cedar Wood, Brut and Old Spice. Hai Karate for fun.That's obviously a long time ago.

 

[dmshaver]

I used electrics & disposables in the shower 40+ years before the internet. It's only been this past year I got into de shaving. Purchased electric from dept. store when needed, purchased disposables from drug store or grocery store.

 

[epipeman]

I've never been able to work electric razors out. I was given a Braun once as a gift. I can't remember what model. I do remember that on the couple of occasions I used it it hurt and I hadn't washed my face thoroughly in the way that I do when wet shaving. It also left whiskers on my face.
Nowadays when I think of electrics I think of reps pulling up in a layby and buzzing in the mirror before they leave the car to make a deal.
It's not as relaxing as shaving properly - but that's just my opinion.

 

[Shavetheman01]

Oddly enough, I was able to find some shaving soaps at Cigar Shops. They also included colognes, coffee, and other "manly" stuff.

There were also Mediterranean markets that would carry Arlo/Derby creams.

 

[Big Jim]

Hi Jim,
Yes, cartridges are great. Have you tried a Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5? They work for me.
I love DE razors because they're not quite as straightforward to use. When they work well they can't be bettered - but when they don't there are a lot of variables to rule out.
I suppose the line is:
straight - oc- de - cartridge.
Each one represents a new marketing ploy and more profit.
But, as always, it's just about what you like, what you don't like, and what cuts whiskers well - or quickly - or easily.
It's also a hobby as well as a necessity!
P.S. I've forgotten the SE fans and also those who love Injectors. My fault.

On this side of the pond that would be marketed as a Shick Hydro 5. Yes, I have those in my collection and I enjoy the shave from it. I also have a Shick Quatro and like it a lot too. Every once in a while I'll use my Gillette Fusion or Harry's as well, but my daily shaver at home is a Dorco 7. Dorcos provide the best bang for the buck shave quality vs cost. It's every bit as good or better than the others but MUCH more cost effective.

 

[emwolf]

I started shaving with DE (still use the same ones today) but quickly moved to the double blade cartridge. Never used shaving soap until my 20's, used canned foam until then. I never ordered anything for shaving by mail order, only picked up what was available in the pharmacy. Once I got back into DE shaving, I had the internet and plenty of opportunities to try new and amazing products.

 

[Shavetheman01]

It's ironic how folks go into wet shaving to save money but then end up spending more.

I usually keep 2-3 soaps/creams at a time for this reason.

But then again, I was able to find cheap vintages at flea markets so it wasn't too bad

 

[Aziraphale]

I read an article at some point back in the late 80s - early 90s in a Playboy magazine I think it was. It was all about using a straight razor to shave. I liked the article enough to remove it from the magazine and save it. I've since lost it but remember it well after reading it a whole bunch of times. It was really all about prep... How a barber tends to you with soap and hot towels before shaving you etc... It was a great article and it started me down the path of shaving with something better than canned goo. I never did intend to try a straight razor, but used the information to make shaving with a twin-blade disposable (they only had one or two blades back then) a much nicer time. At some point shortly there after I bought a Berma-Shave kit that had a mug, brush, and soap (most likely from a local pharmacy). I really liked it but I never saw any difference between soap and canned goo. That was some time ago and since then I've either been using twin blade disposables or an electric. That is, until the last year or so when I was tired of spending too much on lousy razors and took the plunge into the dual-edge safety world. So now instead of spending $1000 a year on lousy disposable blades, I'm spending $1000 a year on razors, mugs, bowls, and brushes

So yeah, it was really the internet that helped me. Prior to that, there really was nothing (for me at least). And as far as mentors and elders go, as far as I know, my father never shaved with anything other than an electric.

 

[WalterK]

You can't really miss what you don't know.

At the time I didn't feel deprived, just didn't know anything better existed.