My shaving journey. (Pics incl.)

[dieselfuel79]

So, we all love shaving. I thought it would be neat to show you the types of razors I used/use in this journey we call wet shaving.

It's not a long journey, since I am only 32- but you get the idea.

1991- I start getting the cheesy "wire stache" that most 11-12 year olds get. For Christmas my folks didn't want me to kill myself, so they got me this electric nightmare. A Phillips 2 prong electric. (With flip-out side burn trimmer on the back. It's what every 11 yr old that cannot grow sideburns needs. )



This thing shaved about as close as using a stapler on my face. When it came to grooming my neck, a piece of sand paper would have been much more useful, and more comfortable to boot. In-growns anyone?

Moving on.

Mid 1991 comes along, and I figure it's time for an upgrade. (Yeah, that's right..I started my AD when I was 12. How you like me now?) A local trip to the pharmacy with my Dad and I see this red hot baby staring me in my pre-pubescent face.



I don't know if you guys remember this thing, but it had these little metal bars that went horizontally across the blades. That's why Wilkinson's called it the Protector. It claimed to help you avoid nicks and cuts. Let me assure you- as a 12 year old using this (and dipping into my dad's boar hair and Williams to lather) it did not do a darn thing but make my face look like I slid face first into a cheese grater. I think Protector was a good name however...my folks swore that they would protect my life by never letting me buy this again.

1992- I am sitting at home one day watching TV. And I see this commercial for a razor that was flexible enough to shave a basketball. And I mean come on!! Who in their right mind doesn't want to shoot 3's in front of the grade 8 girls, without a BBS Spalding? (I would be foolish not to.) So, next trip into town- I buy this lovely Schick Tracer with flexible head.



It was awesome. I used it every time I had a chance. So in one year...minus the 6, divide by 3 and carry the 2. I think used it all of 6 times in 6 years. This thing gave me such a smooth shave that my older brother took notice. I later found out that he and "Major Johnson" had a closer relationship with Schick than I did. I donated the razor to him and invested immediately in a bar of soap for my face. Hydrochloric acid was not available at the time. Rest in peace razor...rest in peace.

Let's fast forward to 1998. My father was sick of my using his Gillette Trac razor, and I figured it was time to man up and get my own razor again. One that had not seen the likes of someone else's manhood. We all know this razor and likely used it once in our lives. Ah, the Mach III.



It was magnificent. It was like my first car...only smaller, shinier and probably more expensive to be honest. This baby, along with some Edge Pro Gel (TM) were my weekend ritual to attract the ladies at the local clubs. Well, my ritual worked better than my game with the ladies from time to time, but my face sure was smooth.

2006 arrives. I am one year married and as a gift, my wife gives me this fiery orange contraption that has not 1, not even 2 or 3 blades...but 5. 5 freaking blades! Not only that- it has a spot in the handle for a battery! The shaving companies have hired a mastermind. The Gillette Fusion Power is here!



I mean think of it. Centuries have passed whereby man has shaved with a rock, a stick, a cold steel sharpened blade. And then this comes along. A battery operated razor. I have to admit. It was a dandy. I was a little disappointed in that there were no turn signals or a "beeping" noise when I would back my razor up over my neck. But it did the trick. I was as smooth as I could possibly be....or was I?

2 years ago at Christmas- I received a stocking stuffer. I opened it up and to my surprise it looked almost the same as a razor that I currently owned. The thing was...there was no battery in it to send pulsating shockwaves down my face to make the hairs stand up and salute. But there was one big difference. The blades, to the trained professional eye- were even thinner on this new razor in comparison to my Fusion power. Alas- we unveil the Fusion Proglide. See below.

[dieselfuel79]

Cont'd...



Yep. Thinner blades. But I didn't have professionally trained eyes. It just told me on the front of the box that they were thinner. Gillette finally hired leprechauns to get in there and make this their best razor yet. Oh, and another big difference I forgot to mention- it was the 2nd mortgage I had to take out on my home to purchase some replacement blades.

2011. And here we are. My mom is recovering nicely from a major cancer operation. I start to think more and more about what I can do to improve my lifestyle...stay healthy and avoid things that have lots of nasty chemicals or parabens (preservatives.). I hop online and start researching the ingredients in my canned shaving cream. Somehow, the topic of razors popped into my mind and how expensive the replacements were. I stumbled across youtube and a couple of videos by a guy some of you may of heard of. Mantic59. I sat up for hours watching his videos. They were awesome. I learned so much about what I was using, why I shouldn't be using it- and how I could change to something just as good, if not better for my face, my pocket book and the environment. Afterwards, I took the plunge.




....Merkur 34C HD. I love it. It has certainly come with a learning curve. But I love it. My den had grown a bit more since this picture (Simspon's Colonel is now batting 1.000 and I am waiting for a '79 restored SS as well as a G5 scuttle.) But I learn something new everyday I shave. And I find myself reminiscing about the journey here.

Thanks for reading.

[MajorTom]

Great story, thanks for sharing!

[Kentos]

I think most of us took the same road to wet shaving as you did. Some would come across Mantic's videos, watch a few, then move on, and continue to use the 5 bladed razors. Some, a very select few, somehow are attracted to the old way of doing things, others go one step further and delve into straight razors. This curiosity is common all of us here at B&B, which is why I enjoy being a part of this virtual community....

[djh]

That looks as if you have had an interesting ride- and I'm happy that you have ended up here. Best wishes to your mother for a speedy and proper recovery and try to keep having fun with your DE.

[newshavr]

Thanks for sharing your journey. Loved the pics of the old cart razors! Brought back alot of memories for me as well. Thanks!

[chomp1985]

great thread. i'm proud to say i never got lured into the powered razor crap of gillette and being 26 i was offered it a few times.

Disclaimer: i fell for alot of other razor company crap though. :(

[Azback]

I never get tired of a nice narrative and pics to go with it. Nice looking bit o' kit too!

[shawn_d]

Nicely doccumented! Thanks for the memories of the old Schick Protector - it was my first razor too and the results were pure Hollywood. Slasher film that is... I like the cheese grater analogy. Was the tracer sold under another name? it looks familiar?

[Giant Kiwi]

Thanks for the story.
Bought back a lot of memories for me too.
Best wishes for your mothers speedy recovery.

[Watasha]

That was great, very entertaining!

[KM-instructor]

[Gatsby]

Thank you for sharing.
All the best to your mother and to your family.

I must say: comparing those flimsy, plastic contraptions made by Gillette to that beautifully crafted piece of German steel, always serves as a great reminder of why DE shaving rocks.

P.S. I also have a fendrihan mug.

[josh_k]

Thanks for the story. I think it's amazing how much influence Mantic59's videos seem to have. I wonder when he first started out if he ever imagined that hundreds and hundreds of men would be pointing to him as one of the main influences that got them into DE shaving?

Glad to have you aboard sir.

[DaveNJ74]

Great thread and story, we both started shaving around the same time, 1990ish. I also used the same terrible products as yourself so I can relate. Hope your mom is doing well and love your set up.

[ShavinBacon]

Great story. Thanks.

[dres]

cool story!

[Musical Shaving]

+1. Awesome.

Remarkably similar to my own shaving evolution: Philishave 905 --> Schick Protector --> Mach 3 --> Merker HD. With a few disposables thrown in for good measure. *sigh* I actually miss using the Protector - the handle more so than the cartridge part anyway.

May your shaving evolution continue!

[dieselfuel79]

Was the tracer sold under another name? it looks familiar?

I might be wrong, but if my memory serves me right, I think it was also called the "Schick FX" at some point or another.