| This is for all of you young guys who are about to | | | | minute. I've tried to contact razor manufacturers with |
| embark on the lifelong drudgery of shaving. It's also for | | | | this idea, but they would not respond to my letters. |
| you, who like me, have been shaving for 60 years, | | | | Possibly because of some legal problems or they may |
| AND for all of you in between. | | | | already have this "Breakthrough" on the drawing board, |
| Now you might say shaving is pretty much straight | | | | but don't want to release it until they get the most |
| forward. Well it is, but there are many ways to | | | | "mileage' out of the existing marketing ploy. When that |
| accomplish that simple task. I don't intend to explore all | | | | happens, they will release this "new" concept to the |
| the different ways to shave, but I will concentrate on | | | | gullible shaving public, which means you and me. |
| the one optimum way. THE ONE WAY that will give | | | | Before I go into that, let's get into basics. It's common |
| you the best and smoothest shave you ever had, (and | | | | knowledge that a warm moist beard is easier to |
| save you money in the process). | | | | shave than a dry one. |
| This method applies no matter which brand of shaving | | | | What I do, and it may sound a bit archaic, I lean over |
| equipment you are using, whether it be Gillette, Schick, | | | | the sink, cup my hands and collect water, as hot as I |
| or any of the other brand names out there. | | | | can stand, from the tap and bring it up to my face, |
| BRIEF HISTORY of SHAVERS | | | | submerging my face in my cupped hands with the hot |
| I'll begin with a little history on the evolution of the | | | | water. I do this several times. A hot wash rag on your |
| shaving blade as we use it today. The first relatively | | | | face for a minute or two will do the same thing, but it is |
| modern development was the straight razor. However | | | | too time consuming for me. |
| its use required a great deal of care (to avoid slitting | | | | After the hot water treatment, I pump some liquid soap |
| your throat) and skill. | | | | into my hands, work up a lather, and work it into my |
| The development of the double edged safety razor | | | | beard as if to wash my face. Next I apply shaving |
| held within a device with a handle that accepted the | | | | cream (the brand doesn't matter) to my face on top |
| razor and held it securely in place was a good start. | | | | of the previously applied soap and water. |
| That device exposed only the cutting edge of the | | | | Now comes my big "secret". Instead of the usual |
| blade making difficult to cut yourself. The "safety | | | | method of shaving with the razor, which is pulling the |
| razor" was born! | | | | shaving head down over my beard, with the handle |
| This development made the straight razor virtually | | | | pointing down in the direction of travel, I hold the handle |
| obsolete for the average person. Only a few diehards | | | | at an angle with the vertical so that the shaving head |
| clung to the use of a straight razor. | | | | produces a slicing action instead of a chopping action. |
| Now come incremental improvements. The first blades | | | | This method will give you a smoother shave, and your |
| were made of ordinary carbon steel. Then came | | | | blade will stay sharp longer. As a fringe benefit you will |
| some advancements in the manufacture of the | | | | be saving money by having to replace blades less |
| carbon steel. Next came the stainless steel blade | | | | frequently. Let's examine why the slicing action is |
| which greatly extended the life of the blade. Then we | | | | superior to the chopping action. |
| were introduced to the titanium blade which was | | | | In the middle ages, mainly in France, but in the rest of |
| touted as the ultimate in shaving. Each of these | | | | Europe, prisoners were being executed by |
| improvements promised a "cleaner and smoother" | | | | decapitation which became the accepted method of |
| shave. Of course all of these improvements came | | | | execution. The executioner, armed with a sword or |
| with price increases. | | | | axe would perform the task. |
| We're not finished yet. As you know, we saw the | | | | Sometimes the executioner's aim was not true and it |
| development of the disposable blade with one cutting | | | | would take several attempts to do the job. Moreover, |
| edge. Then we got two blades in the disposable head. | | | | the cutting edge of the sword, or axe if it was used, |
| The second blade mounted in the head was supposed | | | | became dull rapidly which did not promote a swift |
| to cut the whisker that the first blade pulled up. Yeah, | | | | execution. The rate of executions became so great |
| the whisker just hung out waiting for the second blade | | | | that it became clear (and necessary) that a device |
| to come along and lop it off. This was supposed to | | | | had to be constructed that would do the job more |
| eliminate going over that same area twice. I go over | | | | efficiently and effectively. |
| the same area again despite that claim. And I do go | | | | A device was developed and it took the name of a |
| against the grain contrary to the advice that this is not | | | | Frenchman, Dr. Joseph I. Guillotin. An "e" was added to |
| necessary. Furthermore, why didn't the first blade cut | | | | his name and the guillotine was established as the |
| off the whisker? | | | | means of execution. The guillotine first incorporated a |
| Then we were exposed to a three bladed shaver that | | | | straight blade which was released from a height, |
| was the "ultimate". Now that third blade is going to cut | | | | guided by tracks and came down on the victim's neck, |
| off the whisker that survived the first and second | | | | thus severing the head. |
| blades. Were the first two blades not sharp enough? | | | | This proved to be an effective method of execution |
| Then we graduated to the four bladed head, and | | | | except that with prolonged use, the blade became dull |
| finally??, the five bladed head.. | | | | very quickly. Experiments were made with a rounded |
| Along with all these new developments came the hard | | | | blade, but that was abandoned in favor a blade |
| sell or "Hype" to make you think that this latest | | | | installed at a 45 degree angle. This was designed to |
| development is the greatest thing since sliced bread. If | | | | slice through the victim's neck instead of chopping |
| you say something often enough and long enough, it | | | | through. The blade, so constructed, stayed sharper and |
| then becomes believable, and finally becomes fact. | | | | stayed longer and the 45 degree angle blade was |
| They even gave these innovations catchy names | | | | adopted as the standard. |
| such as, Tracer, Mach 1, Mach 2, Mach 3, and Fusion. | | | | I offer this information to illustrate that slicing through an |
| What are we doing, flying an airplane, or building an | | | | object (a neck or whisker) with a blade at an angle is |
| atomic reactor? Heck no!! We're shaving for crying out | | | | preferable to chopping or hacking through. This is not |
| loud. | | | | rocket science. |
| I'll tell you what the next big "Breakthrough" will be in a | | | | |