From the 007 movie “Skyfall”:

Eve: [watches Bond shave] Cut-throat razor. How very traditional.

James Bond: Well, I like to do some things the old-fashioned way.

Eve: Sometimes the old ways are best.

 

 

Since I was young, I have been interested in men’s grooming. Also, I have been a fan of facial hair since I can remember. My dad wore a mustache for around thirty years, and I still hold out hope that he will grow it back (though I know it is very unlikely). I had to be clean-shaven throughout high school and looked forward to the day that I could experiment with my own facial hair. Since I graduated from high school I have spent more time with some style of facial hair than I have being clean-shaven. I like the look and feel of having facial hair. But I enjoy changing it around. I frequently go from full beard to goatee and mustache and back again depending on my mood.

In order to keep my facial hair looking neat I enjoy using a method of shaving that was most common in my grandfathers’ generation- the double edge razor. I enjoy it because it is better for the environment than the plastic catridges you throw away. It is more economical, as DE blades are much less expensive per shave than cartridges. And lastly, it’s just cool to use a sturdy piece of craftsmanship that my grandfather used than Gillette’s latest and greatest disposable shaving system. The startup cost can seem a bit expensive. But once you get those out of the way, you see the savings. The biggest advantage is you don’t have to keep buying the expensive cartridges. A word of warning: it can become a hobby. Below I have listed examples of the tools of the trade. These are products I use and enjoy. But I have multiples of all of these: razor, blade, brush, soap, cream, aftershave. For me, it is a way to treat myself.

Before getting to the specific tools of the trade I wanted to recommend a website for anyone interested in researching old fashioned wetshaving. The best web forum for anyone interested is http://badgerandblade.com/ You can find all sorts of helpful information and reviews here. Disclaimer: I am a moderator on the site. Also, the downside of getting into this way of shaving is that many of these products must be purchased online. There is limited space on the shelves of physical stores, so they carry what is most commonly used.

As I mentioined earlier, I am ending this post with a few examples of products I use when I shave. What do you all use for shaving? Do any of these products look familiar?

DE razor

Edwin Jagger DE89- this razor is made in England and is a good razor for the beginner or seasoned razor.

DE blades

Personna Platinum blades- there are many different blades. This is one popular brand that I use.

Brush

Semogue Owners Club boar hair shaving brush- Brushes most commonly come in boar and badger hair. I prefer boar and this Semogue is my favorite brush.

Soap/cream

Proraso soap- Proraso is a traditional Italian soft soap that I love to use in the warm weather, as it contains menthol for a cooling affect.

Aftershave

Pinaud Clubman aftershave splash- This classic American aftershave has been in my cabinet since I started shaving. Every barber who has ever cut my hair has used Clubman in either the splash or talc form following a haircut.