This weekend I made a trip home (from Atlanta to the hills of West Virginia) to visit my mom and grandfather. Over the past few months, I had built up a nice "starter" kit to get my grandfather back into DE shaving since he long ago converted to cartridges coupled with his favorite Gillette Cream in a can.
In the kit: A Gillette Fatboy replated by our very own Krona Kruiser, a fat handled Gillette Tech, Astra SP blades, Red Personna Blades, Gillette 7 O'clock yellow blades, a tube of C.O. Bigelow, a La Toja stick, an alum block, Pinaud Clubman, and a B&B Essential Brush (yellow). Friday night, when I got home, I introduced him to his equipment and gave him a demo with some of the gear I brought to use.
He was intrigued and told me stories of shaving with his dad (who used a straight on the back porch back in the 30's). While he loved the idea of the C.O. Bigelow, he was drawn to the scent and feel of the La Toja stick and Saturday morning we got up earlier than normal to shave together. He lathered up with the stick and brush like an old pro and proceeded to whisk the Fatboy around his face like he'd been shaving that way all along. It was really neat to see how he held the razor and shaved the different parts of his face (much different than how I do it). He was quick and never so much as nicked or irritated his face. He applied the alum and Clubman and admired his handiwork in the mirror. It was a great shave for someone who hadn't used a DE in over 30 years, and I think the idea has stuck since my mom told me he's used the stick and brush every morning so far.
My grandfather and I have always been close, and it's nice to have something to bring us even closer. Nothing beats sharing something you love WITH someone you love. It was a great weekend, and I can't wait to go back.
In the kit: A Gillette Fatboy replated by our very own Krona Kruiser, a fat handled Gillette Tech, Astra SP blades, Red Personna Blades, Gillette 7 O'clock yellow blades, a tube of C.O. Bigelow, a La Toja stick, an alum block, Pinaud Clubman, and a B&B Essential Brush (yellow). Friday night, when I got home, I introduced him to his equipment and gave him a demo with some of the gear I brought to use.
He was intrigued and told me stories of shaving with his dad (who used a straight on the back porch back in the 30's). While he loved the idea of the C.O. Bigelow, he was drawn to the scent and feel of the La Toja stick and Saturday morning we got up earlier than normal to shave together. He lathered up with the stick and brush like an old pro and proceeded to whisk the Fatboy around his face like he'd been shaving that way all along. It was really neat to see how he held the razor and shaved the different parts of his face (much different than how I do it). He was quick and never so much as nicked or irritated his face. He applied the alum and Clubman and admired his handiwork in the mirror. It was a great shave for someone who hadn't used a DE in over 30 years, and I think the idea has stuck since my mom told me he's used the stick and brush every morning so far.
My grandfather and I have always been close, and it's nice to have something to bring us even closer. Nothing beats sharing something you love WITH someone you love. It was a great weekend, and I can't wait to go back.
