I wonder if wet shaving was as complicated back in the early days as it is today. With the grain across the grain against the grain. I wish my dad or grand dad was still around to poke their brains about this topic. May be I can get some insight from you guys on here. Just curious.
Wet shaving history.
- Thread starter Madeinussr1981
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I watched my dad shave plenty when I was a boy and I saw a lot of singles. Single pass, single soap, single razor and single brush. Rotation wasn’t a thing I suppose.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
My father was also a DE singles everything man. I was too young to remember much about my grandfather's shaving but I never forgot the scent of the soap that he SR shaved with - ARKO.
My dad has been a one passer his whole life, and used Barbasol until semi-recently (he loves Stirling now). My grandfather was an electric shaver when he was around but given he was born in the 20s he probably had plenty of DE experience, especially in a foxhole. I doubt it was more than 1 pass. Never met my grandfather on my dads side.
My great-grandfather on my dads side used a straight razor until the day he died. Luckily had an excellent relationship with him into my teen years.
I am growing increasingly fond of the one-pass shave. I find I can do well with any razor with one pass, but if I go for two with the more aggressive ones, I run into (minor) trouble, especially if not taking a day off. Two-pass is still my standard for getting great results, but nothing wrong with doing a bunch of one-pass shaves to expand the repertoire.
I have the impression "back in the day" that the one-pas shave and two-pass shave N-S and S-N were the norm. I also have the impression that fewer shaves were achieved with each blade, because the blades back then were not as durable.
I can't prove any of that, but it is my belief.
I can't prove any of that, but it is my belief.
- Thread starter
- #7
This is awesome guys thanks for sharing little memories
My dad used an injector when I was a kid and my grandfather used a DE and a SR. My grandfather actually taught me how to use a SR when I was a teenager. My dad used canned foam and my grandfather used an old boar brush and a gnarly puck of Williams in an old mug. I can guarantee that 99% of both of their shaves were one pass. Maybe some touch up for special occasions.
My maternal grandfather shaved with a straight razor. He was a mechanic, so one pass every day, except sundays when he went to church. One and half (above the jawline only) passes + a touchup or two. He loved the whole ritual: stropping, lathering up, and then talking to me as he shaved.
My dad shaved with DE safetys until at least the 1980s. I remember a Gillette TTO early on, and then a Schick injector later. He wasn't a fan of shaving, viewing it as a chore.
My dad shaved with DE safetys until at least the 1980s. I remember a Gillette TTO early on, and then a Schick injector later. He wasn't a fan of shaving, viewing it as a chore.
I remember my Dad always did 2 passes, N-S and S-N with touch ups and always used a can of Barbasol. I remember him using what I now know was a Trac II and later Gillette Good News disposables. He moved to an electric after her retired but he's always been clean shaven and shaves daily even now at 81.
A good source for authentic shaving styles can be found in the films from the 30's 40's and 50's.
I have only begun thinking about that in the past week or so. I recall many, many scenes from films, especially British ones where there is shaving. Especially in British war films from the 50's. Only now has it become relevant in my mind.
There should be some kind of depositary of scenes from shaving from these films. Obviously B&B would be an amazing place for threads containing them but there may be copyright issues etc.
I have only begun thinking about that in the past week or so. I recall many, many scenes from films, especially British ones where there is shaving. Especially in British war films from the 50's. Only now has it become relevant in my mind.
There should be some kind of depositary of scenes from shaving from these films. Obviously B&B would be an amazing place for threads containing them but there may be copyright issues etc.
As I remember it, from both maternal (b.1902) and paternal (b. 1920) grandfathers - both DE users - shaving was a max 2 pass necessity born out of propriety and/or relief. And as far as I can ascertain in hindsight, it was mostly a chore; whilst there was a certain relatively comforting diversity of implements to be had, they couldn't be bothered. Global wars, different lifestyle and priorities, vectored them in entirely different endeavours.
I remember my grandfathers having an everyday shave routine which was a single pass with a bit of touch up. They also would do two pass, close shaves for special occasions. It’s helpful to consider the times. In the 40s and 50s, most men were clean shaven with some choosing to wear well-groomed facial hair. In either case, it was a rare day indeed that any man in my family didn’t shave. No three day scruff or lumberjack beards for those guys.
I remember my dad and uncles back in the day. My uncles used Gillette razors and canned foam: one pass, then hit the road.
My dad used a variety of electrics.
Utilitarian and ’efficient’ was the rule!
My dad used a variety of electrics.
Utilitarian and ’efficient’ was the rule!
It seems that one pass was the norm back in the day.
So who was the wise guy who started to claim that 3 passes were needed and is the reason for a countless number of irritated faces over the years.
We should find this person, give him a three pass shave with a Mach 3 and then splash a whole bottle of Cat O' Nine on his face. 
So who was the wise guy who started to claim that 3 passes were needed and is the reason for a countless number of irritated faces over the years.
We should find this person, give him a three pass shave with a Mach 3 and then splash a whole bottle of Cat O' Nine on his face. 
I think I've written about this elsewhere, but briefly: I had a straight that belinged to my paternal grandfather, born in 1910 or so. He would have bought it in the late 20s so it's quite possible it was his first razor. By the time I knew him he was using an electric (but still a generous splash of Old Spice). According to dad he also was fond of disposables when they came out, claimed he could use one for two weeks. My maternal grandfather, born in the 1890s, used a straight every day until he died. I never met him, nor do I know his technique (mom only really recalls him wrinkling up his nose comically to carefully shave his upper lip).
Now the one potentially interesting data point is my dad. He would have started shaving around 1960. Had a very coarse beard. He did two passes at least, and would shave in the evenings too if he had a date. He remarked to me when I started shaving that "you have to finish against the grain or it's a waste of time." He's worn a beard for the past 40 years. I was down to see him a couple weeks agi and we were discussing straight razors etc, and he didn't bat an eye at the idea of a 3 pass shave. I think it was normal, at least for him, to do multiple passes for church or other special occasions.
Now the one potentially interesting data point is my dad. He would have started shaving around 1960. Had a very coarse beard. He did two passes at least, and would shave in the evenings too if he had a date. He remarked to me when I started shaving that "you have to finish against the grain or it's a waste of time." He's worn a beard for the past 40 years. I was down to see him a couple weeks agi and we were discussing straight razors etc, and he didn't bat an eye at the idea of a 3 pass shave. I think it was normal, at least for him, to do multiple passes for church or other special occasions.
Absolutely not. Most had one razor, most likely a Gillette or Shick, blades appropriate to the razor and a can of foam or puck and boar brush and shaving was rarely a topic of conversation.
My late dad used a Gillette razor, and their Blue Blades. He faced lathered using a tube cream--I don't remember the brand. Until his health issues required him to use an electric along with Lectric Shave product.
There is a thread about shaving scenes in movies:
Who can name movies or TV shows that have shaving scenes.
Let's see how movies or TV shows there are that have safety razor d/e shaving scenes. Name the movie/tv show and if possible, the d/e razor being used...lets see how many we can find.:thumbup::thumbup1::w00t:
www.badgerandblade.com
It was the internet and shave forums that started it, my grandfather used a straight razor with bar soap without a brush, my father and myself Gillette super speed all 3 of us one pass shaves with feeling around for touch ups. Fast forward to a few years ago, after going on shave forums it was preached that a 3 pass shave was a must or it was not a (proper shave) that is a fact from what I have seen.It seems that one pass was the norm back in the day.
So who was the wise guy who started to claim that 3 passes were needed and is the reason for a countless number of irritated faces over the years.
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