The other day I opened the door to the shave den …
An image crossed my mind, then it was gone again, in an instant.
Wait. The moon landing! Shaving in space!
In just a month, it will be the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. To me, this is humanity’s high-water mark; our greatest achievement.
Man took to the moon his hopes, his dreams – and the Gillette Techmatic razor (ah, you were starting to wonder). There is a famous video of Command Module (CM) Pilot Michael Collins shaving with the Techmatic. His actual razor and tube of goop is in the Smithsonian, I believe. It’s an iconic shaving-in-space moment, the full story of which will be told elsewhere.
Unlike the finely crafted Saturn V rocket, the Techmatic was … an evolution in shaving. It used a circular sharpened “band” blade loop, much like a bandsaw. Soon to be replaced by Trac II and a monotony of pricy cartridges, Techmatic seemed at the time to be the latest greatest thing – and like the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), destined to take us places. Alas, unlike the LEM it was not to be. Probably the best thing that can be said is that with Techmatic, there was no loose razor blade floating around in the capsule.
The Techmatic has its fans – a few. They are readily available on the bid site for very little … you’ll pay more for a “band.” I got three for $10.
Schick soon followed with its Schick Auto Band Razor. Cleverly, Schick put the winder on the band cartridge itself, whereas Gillette put its winder on the back of the razor. As a result – and not by accident – you can use the Schick cartridge in a Techmatic or their own razor – but you cannot put a Techmatic cart in the Schick razor (or you’ll have no way to wind it!). More clever = Schick. Anyways.
Here we go! The point of all this!
To honor the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 flight, and these brave men who not only had the courage to go to the moon, but also the courage to shave with Techmatic, I propose the following … (excuse me, Mr. President – hand me that microphone, thanks).
“I propose we shave with the Gillette Techmatic, NOT for a decade (but only from July 16, 2019 to July 20, 2019 – the four days from liftoff to landing), until we return safely to other (and way-better) razors on Earth.
“We shave with the Techmatic, because it is there. To honor humanity’s greatest achievement, which is the moon landing, and NOT the Techmatic (to be clear).
“To shave for (only) four days as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins did … with a poor razor but hope in our hearts and representing the best face in engineering (but not razor engineering) planet Earth has to offer.”
I am starting this thread one month out, in order that other courageous explorers have time to find a Techmatic and a band for it. Schick will do, I think (and many say the Schick is the better blade). Not asking anyone to shave without running water, as the astros did, or with brushless cream (gross) which, according to reports, horribly clogged their razors. Luckily the LEM and the capsule’s parachutes worked better than the brushless cream.
Do you have the courage to shave as they did? Rockets blow up, and Techmatics can cut you. One of mine has a nice wave in the old blade it came with.
Forumites: Who is with me on this tribute-journey, as we recall man’s greatest adventure?
What brave B&B-ers will take that first step with Neil, Buzz and Mike?
@ajkel64 @razorboi - You guys onboard?
Pledge yourself to shave with Gillette Techmatic from July 16-20.
Humanity is watching.
AA
An image crossed my mind, then it was gone again, in an instant.
Wait. The moon landing! Shaving in space!
In just a month, it will be the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. To me, this is humanity’s high-water mark; our greatest achievement.
Man took to the moon his hopes, his dreams – and the Gillette Techmatic razor (ah, you were starting to wonder). There is a famous video of Command Module (CM) Pilot Michael Collins shaving with the Techmatic. His actual razor and tube of goop is in the Smithsonian, I believe. It’s an iconic shaving-in-space moment, the full story of which will be told elsewhere.
Unlike the finely crafted Saturn V rocket, the Techmatic was … an evolution in shaving. It used a circular sharpened “band” blade loop, much like a bandsaw. Soon to be replaced by Trac II and a monotony of pricy cartridges, Techmatic seemed at the time to be the latest greatest thing – and like the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), destined to take us places. Alas, unlike the LEM it was not to be. Probably the best thing that can be said is that with Techmatic, there was no loose razor blade floating around in the capsule.
The Techmatic has its fans – a few. They are readily available on the bid site for very little … you’ll pay more for a “band.” I got three for $10.
Schick soon followed with its Schick Auto Band Razor. Cleverly, Schick put the winder on the band cartridge itself, whereas Gillette put its winder on the back of the razor. As a result – and not by accident – you can use the Schick cartridge in a Techmatic or their own razor – but you cannot put a Techmatic cart in the Schick razor (or you’ll have no way to wind it!). More clever = Schick. Anyways.
Here we go! The point of all this!
To honor the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 flight, and these brave men who not only had the courage to go to the moon, but also the courage to shave with Techmatic, I propose the following … (excuse me, Mr. President – hand me that microphone, thanks).
“I propose we shave with the Gillette Techmatic, NOT for a decade (but only from July 16, 2019 to July 20, 2019 – the four days from liftoff to landing), until we return safely to other (and way-better) razors on Earth.
“We shave with the Techmatic, because it is there. To honor humanity’s greatest achievement, which is the moon landing, and NOT the Techmatic (to be clear).
“To shave for (only) four days as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins did … with a poor razor but hope in our hearts and representing the best face in engineering (but not razor engineering) planet Earth has to offer.”
I am starting this thread one month out, in order that other courageous explorers have time to find a Techmatic and a band for it. Schick will do, I think (and many say the Schick is the better blade). Not asking anyone to shave without running water, as the astros did, or with brushless cream (gross) which, according to reports, horribly clogged their razors. Luckily the LEM and the capsule’s parachutes worked better than the brushless cream.
Do you have the courage to shave as they did? Rockets blow up, and Techmatics can cut you. One of mine has a nice wave in the old blade it came with.
Forumites: Who is with me on this tribute-journey, as we recall man’s greatest adventure?
What brave B&B-ers will take that first step with Neil, Buzz and Mike?
@ajkel64 @razorboi - You guys onboard?
Pledge yourself to shave with Gillette Techmatic from July 16-20.
Humanity is watching.
AA