Is the Safety Razor PC?

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I picked up an old safety razor at a garbage sale, and 'lo & behold, blades are still available.  I just had my first safety razor shave in about forty years!

So, I wondered, is it PC?

Google found me this site.  It says the IDEA was formed in 1895.  This is late in our period.  The article went on to say that it took 6 more years to get it on the market.

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:mOarLP-o4asJ:inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blrazor.htm+history+Safety+Razor&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ca

are there any earlier versions of the safety razor.  A lot of inventors are actually re-inventors

Regardless, I won't have to "borrow" my wife's pink bic's anymore!

PS:  Wikpedia to the rescue!  Apparently a version of the safety razor goes back to 1875, sold by the Kamfe brothers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razor

[St. George]

The 'idea' was there - but they didn't come about until 1904, when King Gillette successfully marketed his razor with disposable blades.

The marketing idea was to practically give the razor itself away - and sell you the blades.

Worked...

It's called the Razor and Blade Business Model, today.

As you note, many inventions were re-inventions - it's the marketing that gives them their success, and Gillette knew how to do that.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!


PS - at a recent antique sale, I picked up a large number of the old Gillette 'Super Blue Blades' of my youth, that were brand-new in their waxed wrappers.

The thing that brought it all back was the feel of a cold razor through the warm shaving soap, but the handle on those old razors is damned short...

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

St. George;  Thanks for the reply.  I saw the comment in the first article on the razor & blade business model.

Somewhat similar to the "Firearm & Ammunition Business Model"!

I inherited a neat metal case from my dad, containing a brass safety razor.  Unscrewing the handle allowed the handle to fit a slot and the business end sat in its rectangular space, with a similar space beside it for a packet of blades.  My son owns it now.

PS;  How abouit the horseless carriage and petrol business model?

[Dr. Bob]

Howdy Sir Charles,

Just acquired a repro 1894 Ward's catalog. [No. 56]  On page 433 is The Star Safety Razor - Patented April, 1887  Blades are made of steel and are fully concave ground.  Also listed is the stropping machine for Star Safety Razor.  Razor $1.50 Extra blade $1.00  Stropping machine $1.75  Razor frame, 2 blades, "elegantly gotten up in morocco, and is a gem in the full sense of the word." $3.37

Not the modern flat blades, but still it IS a safety razor.  Noticed it with great interest last night, so it was easy to find.  This reprint has a dandy index in the back.

Cool!!

[Johnny McCrae]

Sir Charles, Interesting topic. Its been at least forty years since I had my last shave with a safety razor. I was scheduled to be discharged from the Army in 1961. When I had 100 days to go, I went to the PX and bought 100 Gillette Blue Blades. Used a new one every day till I got out.

Incidentally, Lucky Strikes and Camels were 17 cents a pack at the PX. Don't remember what gasoline was back then.

[St. George]

Looking through the various Mail Order catalogs - you find that they 'were' available.

Now, using the 'in common use' criteria - how many older guys would use them is up for conjecture.

The little 'Star Safety Razor' razor referred to is a daunting thing to look at - I wouldn't want to use one, and it's doubtful anyone would be all that entranced with the little beast - not when he didn't shave every day as a general rule, and when there were tonsorial parlors available to him when he was in town.

For other times, most men could handle their straight razor.

As an aside - when I was in my teens, my antique dealer Mom bought the contents of an old drugstore that was filled with dry goods and the like.

Among them were a wide variety of NOS razors and blades dating back to the Turn of the Century, and I tried 'em all.

'The Perfect Shave' must've always been a dream for men and for inventors, because none of those implements attained it, believe me...

As to the little razor and case - those were really popular during WWI and after - finding their way into shaving bags across the world, including mine, as I carried an old take-down Gillette in a nickel-plated 'Stand of Flags' case for a long time - next to my cup and brush.

It reminded me of 'home' in places where nothing resembled home at all, and the ritual was comforting.

Still have it - along with the 'U.S. Army' shave bag that's been repaired over the years, but I shave with a more modern razor.

Camels were a quarter a pack when I got in...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Ozark Tracker]

I remember starting to shave and using the saftey razor,  a few nicks along the way and the way your face felt afterwards,  really clean, just like a layer of skin was gone  
always used to love the feel of a straight razor after the hot towel being used to soften everything,  don't know if I'd even trust a barber now days to use one.  

[Trailrider]

Howdy, Pards,
My Dad always used a safety razor (Schick Injectors), but his father used a straight razor until his cataracs were so bad he couldn't see. Grandpa then went to an electric shaver!  Dad did, too.

I started out using an electric, first a Norelco, like my father, then, a variety of other brands and types.  But I have a light beard, and never got a shave I felt was close enough with those electrics.  So I "went retro" about 25 years ago, and have used a safety razor with shaving cream ever since!  I generally use the Gillette 'Atra II', with the twin blades and Teflon coatings!  Never had the nerve to try a straight razor.  Anyway, Grandpa's "disappeared" when he passed away, so I don't even have it...or his razor strop!

[Ozark Tracker]

when I was in Basic training, one of the old drill sargents would make the ranks every morning with a credit card, scraping your face, better not be able to feel any beard or it was down for the push ups.  couldn't be shaving the night before. 

[Texas Lawdog]

OT, I think it would be pretty hard to find a place to get a shave these days.

[Montana Slim]

Interesting!

I learned to shave on one around 1980. My dad had converted to 'lectric sometime prior and I took-up with the old blade stle 'cause it gave a close shave that lasted a couple days or more (ha, youth!). Years ago my wife bought me a fancy twin-blade rig, but I still have the old safety razor in the drawer.

I've used a mug with soap and a brush for quite some time.

Have several straight razors too. Along with the tools to sharpen, and have read several on-line instructs on proper technique, but I just can't get it sharp enough.

Slim

[Dalton Masterson]

Sorry to be bringing up such an old post, but..
When I was in Sheridan last month, we walked past an old time looking barber shop, and hanging from the chairs, were razor strops. They werent open, or I might have gone in and gotten an old timey shave.

I started out on an electric hair ripper, and finally realized that a modern razor is a lot faster, and a lot cleaner shave.
Now, I have started using a brush and mug soap, and have played with a straight razor a few times. Mostly still use that same Gillete replaceable head razor. Have been thinking about digging out my great grandpas old safety razors tho, and trying them out with some new blades.
DM

[Forty Rod]

My mother was born in 1914 (RIP Mom) and used to tell of her father's first safety razor.  She remembered standing in the doorway of the bathroom with two of her sisters "watching Papa mow his face".

[Montana Slim]

Yes, very P.C. for WWI.

Regards,
Slim

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Sorry to be bringing up such an old post, but..
When I was in Sheridan last month, we walked past an old time looking barber shop, and hanging from the chairs, were razor strops. They werent open, or I might have gone in and gotten an old timey shave.

I started out on an electric hair ripper, and finally realized that a modern razor is a lot faster, and a lot cleaner shave.
Now, I have started using a brush and mug soap, and have played with a straight razor a few times. Mostly still use that same Gillete replaceable head razor. Have been thinking about digging out my great grandpas old safety razors tho, and trying them out with some new blades.
DM

       Howdy Dalton

     When I was a young pard, shaving was a problem for me, I was given an electric shaver, and all it did was burn my skin, one day at the gym, an old pard told me that I should use a mug and brush, and if I gave it a chance I would never go back to the canned shaving cream or electric shavers, so I did and I've been using the same brush and mug ever since, and that's 44 years now, back then you could get genuine Badger, they make the best brushes, and last forever and for a blade I use a Gillete Mach 3, working the whiskers with hot water and a good mug shaving soap for a couple minutes, and the razor cuts through like butter, That's all I think I know. One more thing, I did try a straight razor, but ended up cutting the begebers out of myself, so the safety razor may not be period correct, but I'll stay with it, a mans face shouldn't have to be cut up like that.

             Regards

          tEN wOLVES  

[Dalton Masterson]

10W, thats exactly the set up I use now. That electric bit is for the birds. I use a Gilllete, but I dont remember which blade it is. The blue package is all I remember right now.
Good stuff.
I will try my straight again one of these days, when I have the patience and time to heal....

DM

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy!  Hope y'all had a great Christmas!  (I refuse to use the term, X-mas:  I'm lazy, but not so much that I can't write it all out!)


I got a wonderful, antique Wade & Butcher straight razor at one of the 1500 Gun shows some years back.  I also bought a round "cake" of Country Gent shaving soap from Fall Creek Suttlery.  ( http://fcsutler.com/ )  It's made with (among other things) goat's milk and smells wonderful.  I had to try my straight razor and badger brush.  No luck.  I didn't butcher myself, but I didn't get a good shave, either.

So, I got out my new Mach 3 or 4 (whatever) razor - the type that vibrates.  Wow!!!  Best shave EVER!!!!!  My skin felt wonderful, the smell was great, and the razor just glided over my face.  That shaving soap manufacturer sure knows what they're doing!!


Happy Trails!  And best wishes for a Happy New Year.

[northwestgrizzly]

Don't know if its PC or not...I use one almost daily. Saves me a considerable amount of money overall.

[Short Knife Johnson]

Somewhat similar to the "Firearm & Ammunition Business Model"!

PS;  How about the horseless carriage and petrol business model?

These two business models I would refer to as the "Taking it from both ends busniess model."    Costly products with periodic forced shortages to drive the price up for the long term.

Funny this got brought up.  The thought of learning to shave with a straight razor has been playing in my mind.  I had it done to me once in Winnipeg n 1993 or 94.  Stopped in a barber shop that the Reg Force guys had suggested to me and the old boy finished off with a straight razor.  Unnerving at first yes, but how cool was that.  I know there are a few nice old safety razors in the second hand stores around here, and there is a specialty knife shop around that sells straight razors. 

I myself use an ancient Gillette Trac II with el cheapo knock-off blades.  Gives me quite a chuckle, the hubub over how many razors you have to stuff into a cutting head.  Don't these mortals realize that one day, they will build a razor so big, it will destroy all of humankind?  lol

[St. George]

Just to clarify things...

The 'Safety Razor' originally asked about isn't the type most of you are referring to, although it's the nomenclature still in use.

The 'Trac II's and 'Shicks' all came later.

For something similar to what the originals were like - think 'Gillette Super Blue Blades', and baseball on a black and white TV, and you'll get the idea.

Those old double-edged blades gave good shaves - but better ones were developed later - notably during the 1960's.

Shaving with an actual straight razor takes time and patience and a well-honed blade - and getting one well-stropped can be difficult, since most barbers use ones with replaceable blades.

Remember - using a straight razor has a lot to do with the angle of the blade to your skin - they're more of a 'face-scraper' and were usually used every other day by the average man, so there was an actual beard growth to deal with.

(They take practice - but they can be mastered.)

One who lived in town could quite naturally avail himself of the local tonsorial parlor - and so many men did, that the use of the 'standard' straight razor would eventually wane - and was replaced by those short-handled Gillettes that the Army issued it's soldiers during the Great War.

Then, as now - the key to a good shave lies in the blade's sharpness.

If you 'really' want a straight razor shave - look for a Korean or Turkish-owned barbershop, and you'll get the whole experience - the hot towels, shoulder massage, the strong black coffee and there'll even be a bootblack to put a glow on your Corcoran jump boots.

Most of this type of shop will be close to an Army Post or an Airbase, so if you live near one - cast about, and you should be able to find one.

One of the problems in finding a barber who still can do this in America is the possibility of HIV or a staph infection - and the resultant lawsuit.

'That' is the biggest reason you can't get that type of shave like you once could.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!