Author: ironbeard

Over the past 10 years we have watched No Shave November gain widespread acceptance.  People initially used it as a good excuse to grow a beard before beards became so commonplace.  By now everyone is accustomed to beards and the November tradition, so giving up a razor needs no explanation.

But this year’s No Shave November is different than past years.  The difference hasn’t materialized yet – it won’t until Spring.  But when it does, it will have ramifications (and opportunities) for wet shaving retailers.

I live tweeted my first attempt at making hot process shaving soap and created a twitter moment to capture the event.  It was a fun experience that took about half a day (for a rookie like me).  My wife and I had a lot of fun doing this and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try something new.  Here is my chronicle of the day’s events.

Note: For some reason twitter is showing the last post first, but everything else is in the correct order.

This morning I stumbled across an article about shaving with common household items, including peanut butter.  I assumed the peanut butter idea was filler for a clickbait article, but I thought “what the hell” and shaved with Peter Pan Creamy.  Who knows, maybe it would be a pleasant surprise.  This post won’t be a masterpiece…it’s fast, unedited streaming thought.  It’s raw – kind of like my face.

A recent episode of the Wet Shaving Talk Podcast mentioned something exciting – a $1 razor with five blades from Dollar Tree.  Is it possible to make a decent safety razor and sell it for less than a pack of gum?  Or is this a case of buyer-beware?  I’m a sucker for novelties so I headed to my local Dollar Tree to pick one up.

My first-ever shave with a safety razor was far from great.  My technique was lacking, I carved a chunk of skin out of my nostril, and the skin around my mouth and neck was tender for days.  But I saw a huge potential for a better, more enjoyable shave and I was hooked.  Over a year later my technique is far better and I look forward to a great shave every morning.  I achieve a great shave almost every day, and until recently I thought my my shaves were as good as they could get.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out I was wrong.

An alum block is a pretty standard item in a wet shaver’s collection, but it was one of the last things I added to mine.  I understood some of the benefits, but it never struck me as a critical tool.  I very rarely cut myself and I had some concerns about alum drying my skin.  I wasn’t sold on its benefits until I realized something interesting – the pH of alum can have some real benefits for a traditional wet shaver.

In 1905 the 20th Century Correspondence School published a short book called Shaving Made Easy – What the Man Who Shaves Ought to Know.  The book promised to teach a man to shave himself as well as the barber, with little cost and no “tips” necessary.  Safety razors had only been on the market for a few years when the book was published and the publisher clearly favors a straight blade.  Below is the complete 1905 text with illustrations.

The third Friday in August is National Men’s Grooming Day, which is coming this Friday, August 17, 2018.  If you have never heard of this holiday you probably aren’t alone – it isn’t exactly a holiday with a rich history.  As you might imagine, it was created by a large consumer brand in 2007 to sell more stuff.  But that doesn’t mean this day of recognition is without value.  Here are a few things you should do to get the most out of National Men’s Grooming Day.

When my daughter was born the hospital recommended using Dr. Bronner’s Castille Soap to wash things that would come in contact with her mouth.  I hadn’t heard of it before, but they explained that it is an organic, all-natural vegetable-based soap that rinses cleanly without any residue.  We have kept a bottle in our house ever since and we use it for various applications.  When I saw Dr. Bronner’s Shaving Soap at our local health food store I knew I had to try a bottle.  Here are my thoughts.

Wet shaving has a lot of benefits: smoother shaves, less irritation, lower cost, lower environmental impact.  But there is one major reason that few people have considered.  The reason is selfless and altruistic, but also a little self-serving at the same time.   It is the real reason your family wants to your start wet shaving – whether they know it or not.