Shaving in the past.

[ironfist]

Evening Gents, while i was shaving tonight i had a thought, how were the shaves of people 60/70 years ago. Even longer than that.

We have so many razors/products now to help "improve" the experience. I've read that some people used to just lather up with bath soap.

Quite interesting to be honest

 

[ouch]

Check the dates that companies such as Trumpers, Harris, and Castle Forbes were founded, and you'll have an idea.

 

[ironfist]

Any stories of family members etc are appreciated

 

[retiredguns]

My Grandpa lathered up with some sort of "shave" bar and shaved with a straight until his kids bought him a fancy Norelco electric in the 70's. He still used a straight now & then and some sort of DE. I remember seeing him with tiny bits of toilet paper on his face once in a while. Dad told me he used to cut himself with straights all the time. Not a lack of skill but rather patience! Man if we could go back in time and rummage through those bathrooms..

 

[ironfist]

My Grandpa lathered up with some sort of "shave" bar and shaved with a straight until his kids bought him a fancy Norelco electric in the 70's. He still used a straight now & then and some sort of DE. I remember seeing him with tiny bits of toilet paper on his face once in a while. Dad told me he used to cut himself with straights all the time. Not a lack of skill but rather patience! Man if we could go back in time and rummage through those bathrooms..

+1!!! Alot of things back then were cooler I would have bought a few aristocrats, double rings, bulldogs etc Thanks for sharing your memories

More are welcome

 

[smalltank]

My grandfather's used DE razors during their army years...carbon blades from that era lasted much longer than today's carbon steel DE blades.

 

[retiredguns]

My grandfather's used DE razors during their army years...carbon blades from that era lasted much longer than today's carbon steel DE blades.

My Dad & I both shave with DEs and he told me that them old Blue Gillette blades used to be pretty rough? Was it just him in younger days or were those blades not as sharp? I have some unused vintage blues but hate to use 'em.

 

[Weaselsrippedmyflesh]

My grandfathers were both DE users until they died (in their 90's), never did go to electrics or cartridge.

I was thinking about this topic in the context of women in the 19th century - especially fashionable women. Shaving underarms and legs with a straight must have been an interesting experience. I think "common" women generally didn't bother but "genteel" women did.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

The overnight popularity of the Trac II might provide a clue.

 

[JeffBr]

+1!!! Alot of things back then were cooler I would have bought a few aristocrats, double rings, bulldogs etc Thanks for sharing your memories

More are welcome

I remember reading ads for the Gillette high end razors, (Presidents, etc) in the mid 1960's when I started shaving.....the cost was way beyond what I could pay as a teenager making $1.50 an hour!

 

[mblakele]

I guess I have not posted this in a while. Click to read the entire passage, ca. 1835. Many of his points still find agreement today - and many are YMMV of course.

 

[mattymatt]

I guess I have not posted this in a while. Click to read the entire passage, ca. 1835. Many of his points still find agreement today - and many are YMMV of course.

Very interesting! Thanks for posting this.

 

[ironfist]

I have some of the Gillette blues still in box and wrapper. Used one of the ones i had lying around and it didn't go down to well.

 

[smalltank]

I read some info about carbon steel DE blades made in the 1920's
and 1930's...1 blade would last a full month of shaves if you made sure the rust didn't set in..DE razors were pricier than straight razors for the most part..newer invention...

My Dad & I both shave with DE
and he told me that them old Blue Gillette blades used to be pretty rough? Was it just him in younger days or were those blades not as sharp? I have some unused vintage blues but hate to use 'em.

 

[strop]

Evening Gents, while i was shaving tonight i had a thought, how were the shaves of people 60/70 years ago. Even longer than that.

We have so many razors/products now to help "improve" the experience. I've read that some people used to just lather up with bath soap.

Quite interesting to be honest

60 -70 years ago, soap was, by definition, saponified tallow. Doesn't surprise me that you could get a decent shave with some "bath soap"

 

[Niles]

I guess I have not posted this in a while. Click to read the entire passage, ca. 1835. Many of his points still find agreement today - and many are YMMV of course.

Always enjoy revisiting this article.

 

[seattleshaver]

It's a funny question, in a way, considering the nature of this forum They shaved the way we do and in many cases they shaved razors more modern than what we use. DE's were what most people used with some using straights. You have to go back further than that to get to the point where most people were using straights.

 

[NYShaver]

I started DE shaving in the mid-60's with a Slim. New razors cost about $1.50. I initially used Blue blades, but these were being superseded by the Stainless blades about that time. Those blades were much better than the blades available today.

 

[ironfist]

I wonder in about 50 years or so, if people will be discussing our time period of shaving

 

[HoosierTrooper]

I wonder in about 50 years or so, if people will be discussing our time period of shaving

Yep, and they'll be talking about the great stuff that was available "back then" just like we do now. These are the "good old days" they will be reminiscing about. Nothing changes.