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