How to Get a Close Shave, Pt. 1

September 19, 2022

How to Get a Close Shave, Pt. 1

This week, I thought I'd do something a little different. I assure you, music will be involved, but it's not going to be the focus of my next five posts. Rather than post on jazz, which is typically enjoyed in the evening, I'm going to look at the activity that takes place early each the morning for most of us and how you can make shaving much more interesting and enjoyable. My posts are for men and women, since both undertake the task. [Photo above of DR Harris shaving brushes]

For years, close friends have been begging me to post on shaving, to share what I know about vintage double-edge razors, brushes, blades, cream and the shaving process. They know how obsessed I am with the seemingly dull chore because I'm constantly raving about new discoveries. My passion dates back to a trip to Europe in the 1980s, when I wound up in a shaving shop in London's Mayfair. More recently, my interest shifted into high gear following my accidental discovery of the St. James's section of London in 2014 (pictured above). Back then, I wrote a piece for The Wall Street Journal on the numerous grooming (and clothing and accessory) shops for gentlemen hidden in this exclusive neighborhood just down the hill from the Ritz London hotel and Fortnum & Mason emporium (go here).

My journey through St. James's was like a 19th century English fairy tale, where curiosity pulls the story's main character deeper and deeper into the woods. One shop led to the next and to the next and to the next. I began at DR Harris, and continued to Truefitt & Hill, Floris, George Trumper, Taylor of Old Bond and quite a few others. Upon entering these establishments, I was immediately hit with the crisp, fresh scent of shaving soaps, antique lotions, sterling after shaves and a wealth of pre- and post-shave products. Quaint glass cabinets were stocked with brushes of all sizes along with straight razors and double-edge razors. Some of these shops even offered a hot shave and a haircut in the back. Best of all, the clerks were thoroughly knowledgeable, cheery and helpful. A metrosexual paradise. [Photo above of Truefitt & Hill in London, courtesy of Truefitt & Hill]

My obsession with the history of shaving and the development of shaving technology deepened during the pandemic. Hey, we all needed something to take our minds off the universal tailspin taking place and the dread that the lockdown and lethal threat of Covid-19 would never end. In the two years since the pandemic's start, I've researched and explored every aspect of what is commonly called "wet shaving." This includes double-edge razor technology, razor blades so sharp they can take a finger off, brushes that require care, shaving soap and a regimen of post-shave treatments. My search for the absolutely perfect shave had begun.

I started by researching the history of vintage safety razors made by Gillette, the General Motors of the shaving business. The company's first double-edge safety razor—the kind that requires a thin blade, it's two edges exposed on each side once placed snugly on the razor's head—dates back to 1903. The inventor, King Camp Gillette, was an American born in Wisconsin who decided to improve on existing, clunky safety razors by creating a disposable wafer-thin blade. His invention would quickly retire the diabolical straight razor, which had been around for the past 200 years. Before that, a hunting knife and axe head did the job. More history can be found here.

Double-edge razors have always been about performance, efficiency and comfort, and Gillette led the way. As the patent on the company's "Old Type" model expired in 1920, Gillette unveiled its "New" improved line in 1921, which offered advanced assembly and more accurate execution. The "Good Will," "Big Boy," "Sheraton" and other assorted models of the 1930s were followed by the "Tech" line in the 1940s and the "Super Speeds" of the late 1940s and 1950s. [Photo above of a Gillette "New" model from the early 1920s]

By the late 1950s, Gillette offered a safety razor that could be adjusted mid-shave for different levels of aggression. This razor became known as the "Fatboy," one of the most admired vintage razors today. Variations followed, including the introduction of the sleeker, black-handle adjustable Super Speed of the late 1960s. With the arrival of the college boom at the dawn of the 1970s, Gillette's cartridge era began in the fall of 1971 with the twin-blade Trac II. Next up was the Atra in 1980, the Sensor in 1989 and the Mach3 in 1998. In 2005, P&G bought Gillette, and Gillette unveiled the Fusion line. [Photo above of a replated Gillette adjustable "Fatboy" from Razor Emporium]

This week, I will post on my favorite gear for a perfect shave and advice if you're just getting started. I'll post about favorite brushes, blades and soaps as well as a solid post-shave regimen to care for the skin. It takes time to get used to double-edge razors and to develop the right shaving techniques depending on the contour of your face. Once you've mastered the process, the result will be skin as smooth as polished marble. I'll also have Q&A interviews with three of my favorite vendors—Matthew Pisarcik of Razor Emporium in Arizona and the maker of REX razors, Walter Riva of Riva Brushes in Italy and Brad Maggard of Maggard Razors, a Michigan company with a massive supply of soaps, razors, brushes and shaving gear. Nothing has been acquired for free. As with music, this series is just another side of my obsessive nature.

All three vendors offer product advice by email to men and women who have given up on disposables. Why bother turning shaving into a process? Why not. When you shave with vintage double-edge razors, you're shaving with history. What's more, you're using a century's worth of technology and gear someone bought the year it came to market, have used over time and passed along until it wound up in your hand. You're holding the past and the present and getting a feel for what shaving was like as the decades rolled on. And it's way cheaper than collecting vintage cars. Not to mention, shaving this way transports you to a different era and gives your day a terrific start. Why do dull when you can do interesting. [Photo above of Maggard Razors]