Think the 70's had Avery distinct HTFU approach to shaving. We are all a bit too "waxing philosophical" in the approach (not that I'm against it!)
How did our fathers do to shave clean & safe
- Thread starter Mango
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Since I was there through all but three months of 1940, I can tell you that the aerosol foam cans started with "Rise" some time around 1955, and "Foamy" wasn't really far behind, nor was Barbasol.
The first Schick electric shavers' dating is mentioned in / on the Eversharp- Schick Injector Razor informational websites (1929). Apparently his was the first one to reach the market. I would think that the mid-fifties was already close to having electrics being dominant among shaving styles. Literally all adults I felt free to ask questions about shaving claimed to have changed to electrics when my whiskers had sprouted.
Before Vietnam was more than a tiny blip on history's radar, in 1962, I had made a second foray into DEs, and conquered the Gillettes. Eight years prior, I'd been too clumsy to use the razors offered to me by a couple of my local Uncles, who still had those, but never expected to use them again. That's not saying I recognized what a truly decent shave actually was, but rather that my efforts to obtain an "acceptable" shave no longer entailed regular nicks and attendant little bits of TP.
I agree that the in-betweens of 1962, ages 30-something to maybe 50ish, had jumped to electrics. It was the younger men and the older gents still using a bladed instrument. Electrics were "close enough" to satisfy married guys and their wives, but single guys were getting too many complaints about rough whiskers from their sweethearts to avoid the better route to closeness. I did repeat my tests of electric shavers numerous times from 1962 to 2002, and until comparatively recently, couldn't get a truly acceptable shave from any of them.
Some time between 1967 and 1969, I received a gift of an entire set of the shaving software, brush and mug included, and cannot recall whose brand was on any of it, but there was aftershave, talc, a puck of soap, and deodorant. It was my first shave soap, although I'd changed from canned foams to tubes of shave cream about 1962, also, and acquired a cheap brush about 1965. Soon thereafter, I added a Gillette Super Adjustable to my DE collection, and with that and some practice, suddenly obtained really great DFS results.
I was not wealthy. I was a single parent raising three children with no nearby relatives to assist, and while my income was above average, my expenses were considerably higher than average. I did not then aspire to a perfect shave, not saying I didn't get one accidentally from time to time. Since shaving was only something that we had to do, no one really discussed it anywhere, so while I amount to a potential aberrant statistical anomaly all by myself, I'm not that unusual.
The Seniors are a minority here, but many of those of us who have passed through since 2012 have concurred -- we got a lot of good shaves, it just wasn't as big of a deal as a BAD shave was.
Sounds like it. First time I remember seeing my dad shave was in the late 1950s. He had switched to canned goo probably about 10 minutes after it hit the market. Saved time and trouble. Got rid of the Slim Adjustable just as soon as he could, too.
This is the image I think of when I think about my Dad shaving.
As a kid I was fascinated with the big wooden cap and would play with them once the bottle was gone. The glass bottle was cool too....thick heavy glass.
My dad used some sort of black handle DE that he no longer has probably a super adj or super speed. I only remember canned goo never saw a brush then he went electric in the 80's. I never remember him giving much thought to shaving but he loved his English Leather!
As a kid I was fascinated with the big wooden cap and would play with them once the bottle was gone. The glass bottle was cool too....thick heavy glass.
My dad used some sort of black handle DE that he no longer has probably a super adj or super speed. I only remember canned goo never saw a brush then he went electric in the 80's. I never remember him giving much thought to shaving but he loved his English Leather!
I recall my dad having a number of Gillette TTOs, a can of foam (probably Barbasol) and always using Wilkinson Sword blades, following up with Old Spice AS. I started out using one of his DEs, then switched to the infamous Techmatic, but at least I was using an Old Spice mug and brush.
I know that my mom's father used a straight edge razor, and I've got to believe that in the same way I rebelled at using a DE with a Techmatic, my dad probably did the same with his DE vs. his father's SE.
I don't know what happened to his DEs, but my blade of preference has turned out to be Wilkinson Sword.
I know that my mom's father used a straight edge razor, and I've got to believe that in the same way I rebelled at using a DE with a Techmatic, my dad probably did the same with his DE vs. his father's SE.
I don't know what happened to his DEs, but my blade of preference has turned out to be Wilkinson Sword.
- Thread starter
- #88
I had to shave dry in Nam a few times
- Thread starter
- #90
Respect
I'll be spending much of this coming Friday with my Dad, a sort of Boy's Day Out...peeler bars, casinos, opium dens! Actually groceries, barber shop, and Tim Horton's. Usually these days are spent with other family members, and shaving habits don't pop up in conversation. I'll try and pick his brain about shaving in Burma during the war, Guyana afterwards and domesticated life in Canada. He'll of course think I'm nuts for asking, but I'd really like to know.
We could have been brothers, Double shot!
Aloha,
I remember my dad shaving with a straight razor with water only. No cream, no soap, just wet the face and start shaving. When I asked him how come he didn't use the canned shaving cream he told me that when he started shaving there was not enough money for shaving cream and just using water was faster. Wake up, splash face with water and start shaving. The faster you got done the more time to hang out with the guys. He taught my brother and I how to hone his razors with an oil stone and 30 weight motor oil. I did mess up his leather strop a bit while learning how to strop a straight, but he never scolded me for it. "Screwing up once in a while is the only way you're going to learn." That's what he would say when I made mistakes. As long as i learned from it and didn't do it again. Let's just say I will never go without shaving cream even if I have to use the canned goo. Just seems too dangerous.
Mahalo
I remember my dad shaving with a straight razor with water only. No cream, no soap, just wet the face and start shaving. When I asked him how come he didn't use the canned shaving cream he told me that when he started shaving there was not enough money for shaving cream and just using water was faster. Wake up, splash face with water and start shaving. The faster you got done the more time to hang out with the guys. He taught my brother and I how to hone his razors with an oil stone and 30 weight motor oil. I did mess up his leather strop a bit while learning how to strop a straight, but he never scolded me for it. "Screwing up once in a while is the only way you're going to learn." That's what he would say when I made mistakes. As long as i learned from it and didn't do it again. Let's just say I will never go without shaving cream even if I have to use the canned goo. Just seems too dangerous.
Mahalo
The bad shaves do get remembered!
I spoke to a family friend who knew my Dad before I was born.
He recalled my father returning from a trip with a three month beard and straight razor. Dad had a thick, course beard and had never used a straight before. Turning down offers of scissors or clippers he went to work. The sight was so bloody that his friend, who dissected lab animals as part of his job, had to leave the bathroom. It great to hear this story and I can almost see my stubborn father doggedly attempting to finish the job he started with the straight razor.
The story of using soap is again corroborated. My friend would collect bits of soap bars too small to use and put them in a mug to use with a badger brush that was a bit of a luxury.
He is happy to be using a disposable razor and canned foam. The most distressing tidbit was adjusting an adjustable razor more aggressive to compensate for a dulling blade!
I spoke to a family friend who knew my Dad before I was born.
He recalled my father returning from a trip with a three month beard and straight razor. Dad had a thick, course beard and had never used a straight before. Turning down offers of scissors or clippers he went to work. The sight was so bloody that his friend, who dissected lab animals as part of his job, had to leave the bathroom. It great to hear this story and I can almost see my stubborn father doggedly attempting to finish the job he started with the straight razor.
The story of using soap is again corroborated. My friend would collect bits of soap bars too small to use and put them in a mug to use with a badger brush that was a bit of a luxury.
He is happy to be using a disposable razor and canned foam. The most distressing tidbit was adjusting an adjustable razor more aggressive to compensate for a dulling blade!
Thank you for your service.
My dad used an electric razor for as far back as I can remember. I learned with a DE as my first razor on my own.
Now I am old enough to be a grandfather to an adult, so I might be an example of how your father (or even your grandfather) shaved. I still do it the same way, except that I now do a two pass shave, instead of a single pass. Although I started with canned shave cream, I switched to soap and a brush in about 1966. When I started shaving there were no carts or disposable razors.
I have two razors ( a Slim and an EJ DE87), two brushes (one badger and just got a Semogue boar, I've never owned more than one brush at a time before), use one blade (Astra SP) for seven shaves and rotate 4 soaps-one a week. I have one ASB. My daily DFS takes 12-15 minutes. No irritation. That's it.
Now I am old enough to be a grandfather to an adult, so I might be an example of how your father (or even your grandfather) shaved. I still do it the same way, except that I now do a two pass shave, instead of a single pass. Although I started with canned shave cream, I switched to soap and a brush in about 1966. When I started shaving there were no carts or disposable razors.
I have two razors ( a Slim and an EJ DE87), two brushes (one badger and just got a Semogue boar, I've never owned more than one brush at a time before), use one blade (Astra SP) for seven shaves and rotate 4 soaps-one a week. I have one ASB. My daily DFS takes 12-15 minutes. No irritation. That's it.
Both lime's are excellent choices but i dont use cologne as aftershave. Only for cooling sensation during hot months for my hands and neck
My Dad taught me and he was weird. He shaved once a week with a Gillette DE and Gillette blades. Barbasol in a can and always against the grain. My mom was always running up to him after to rub his face. I've always done it the same way too with every thing except a straight edge. I did that once and got a few slices, but against the grain was best with a straight. Hell I even tried one of my camping knives once because my Dad told me too.
I've been DE shaving exclusively pretty much since I was a teen in the '70s, and I bought my first brush in 79 from Montgomery Wards's. I used Williams soap (you mean there are other guys who make shaving soap?), a Gillette TTO I bought new for like $2.49, and whatever were the cheapest blades at the store, which lasted for a few weeks. No "prep" - wet face, apply soap, shave (what's a "pass"?), rinse, done. Four minutes max.
Thanks to this place, I have more choices, and I positively enjoy shaving. It looks like I'm going to settle on a Feather AS-D2, Prorasio, Arko, and Crabtree and Evelyn soaps, and I have blades sufficient for many years. I now do either two or three passes.
And my shave takes maybe 7 minutes max, and I can get out in 3 if I'm just being utilitarian and don't want to luxuriate.
Thanks to this place, I have more choices, and I positively enjoy shaving. It looks like I'm going to settle on a Feather AS-D2, Prorasio, Arko, and Crabtree and Evelyn soaps, and I have blades sufficient for many years. I now do either two or three passes.
And my shave takes maybe 7 minutes max, and I can get out in 3 if I'm just being utilitarian and don't want to luxuriate.
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