Why the old way was the best way

My husband has taken up an interesting hobby in the last year - collecting vintage razors and brushes, restoring them, and then using them for the best shave ever. Our generation's men really lost out by our parent's generation introduction to electric razors and plastic disposables. The original razors - straight or safety, really are the best environmental choice. The blades cost about 10 cents each as opposed to a pack of 5 triple blade refills costing about $9. The blades are recyclable (safety) or sharpenable (straight).

Steve's collection took over the library so I bought him a glass door cabinet for the guest bathroom. He's joined several forums, and recently shot a video demonstrating a particular kind of razor called a "Rolls Razor" that comes in a case with a special sharpener. Some of the blades and brushes he has bought and restored he has then re-sold, so his hobby pays for itself and I can't complain.

I am going to encourage him to do a video shaving with a straight since I think people will be even more fascinated by that. This video below got 160 hits in less than a day. I wish my videos were as popular!

Oh, and he restored a neat brush for me, including varnishing the wodden handle (like a boat!), and I use a pink 1960s Lady Gillette safety razor.

Here is the video and what he wrote in his own blog, It's a Guy Thing.

My first shaving video...
No sound, nothing really fancy, just a simple demonstration of shaving with a “Rolls Razor“. Shave Review had stated the he couldn’t get a decent shave with one, and when I said it wasn’t hard, he wanted a picture… So I gave him one.

The trick is to sharpen the blade as you would any other straight razor, using your progression of hones. It really is just a straight on a stick, after all. The stropping action in the case is fine, takes a while because of how short the stroke is, but it works. I just don’t think the hone is fine enough to give it a very good edge.

So, here it is, my first ever shaving video…