SMF

I remember using a band razor years ago. It was junk. Double edge was much better at that time. In thinking about it, I'm sure you could theoretically make a band razor that would be very good. I think the principal disadvantage would be the likelihood that moisture would get into the blade-coil and...

Welcome to SMF. Here you will find some very gracious and knowledgeable people who will be able to assist you with any aspect of learning traditional shaving. I think a number of other people will offer you loads of advice about blade angle, pressure (or lack thereof) and proper DE technique. Or you...

Just lately I've been enjoying a particular combination so much that I thought I'd pass it along. I've been using a Gillette black-handled super adjustable (standard, not long, size), on a very low setting (like 1-to-2), with a Polsilver Super Iridium blade. Been getting truly fabulous shaves with t...

I like the Aristocrats from the 1940s. I own two of them. Great razor, and very solid. I'd personally be surprised if you damaged the TTO by using a shim. Worst case: maybe you do cause some damage. In which event you can just buy another one, as they aren't really all that rare or expensive. On the...

Not so long ago, NOS blades from the 1970s and 80s were "the best a man can get," and there was quite a gulf in quality between current production and the best blades from the past. At least, that was how I and a number of members felt. At this time, there are a number of offerings that ar...

Ah, yes, the dreaded air travel problem. Gotta love that TSA . . . I have a WB razor (someplace), and I certainly bought and used one when they first came out in the 1970s. In fact, back in the day, Consumer Reports tested a bunch of cartridge razors and found the WB to be the best of the bunch. The...

Rasoline by Molinard (Brushless Shave Cream): I'm a big fan of brushless creams. For me, they are actually less likely to make my fussy face red than most lathering creams and soaps. I don't use them exclusively, but I do like them, so I was excited to check out Rasoline, from the storied French fi...

John, that's a very handsome item indeed. I hadn't heard of it before, but it looks to be of very high quality. Use it in good health and may it be an enjoyable part of your shave routine!

I also joined SMF in approximately that same time-frame. I would say that, for me, one significant change worth checking out in recent years is that several current-production DE blades are now "on par" with the best blades of the past. For me, I would give a particular shout out to the Pe...

I've continued to use Rasoline in rotation over the last couple of weeks, and it has continued to impress me. It's a great French shave cream: very skin-friendly, seems to work well every time, and it has a very pleasing "old world" scent as well. I fully realize that most SMF gents prefer...

Great article and thank you for sharing it. It's exciting to see the dedication to precision that has been brought to bear on the project. I'm glad it's been such a success. I don't own an ABT razor, because I'm basically very happy with my vintage Gillettes. Nevertheless, it certainly seems like an...

I'm a big fan of brushless creams. For me, they are actually less likely to make my fussy face red than most lathering creams and soaps. I don't use them exclusively, but I do like them, so I was excited to check out Rasoline, from the storied French firm of Molinard in Grasse. First, I should just ...

If I were advising you, I'd say skip the sampler and just go straight to using a Personna Hospital Use. Exemplary comfort; plenty sharp. Done. You already have enough variables with trying different razors. The Personna HU is a top blade and pretty generally acknowledged to be very, very smooth and ...

The little devils hit my Tabac last night! I really gotta get ahead of these varmints. Maybe I should hire Bill Murray's character from Caddyshack!

I live in the Boston area, so in the past I visited Colonial Drug off Harvard Square. Great spot. Haven't been to their Newton premises; however, I still do business with them by phone and their customer service is superb. Very nice bunch of folks. Even if you're not in the Boston area, give them a ...

OK, so, in the annals of our little SMF club, I'm willing to bet that nobody, I mean NOBODY, has had THIS happen to them! The other night I thought I heard a bit of a bump from my bathroom linen closet. Nothing too major, so I just rolled over and went back to sleep. A day or two later, I reached in...

Well, as this is your first posting on SMF, allow me to be the first to extend a warm welcome. Here you will find the opportunity to delve as deeply as you wish into wet-shaving products and techniques, and "talk shop" with many intelligent and informative gentlemen. It's a great place. Th...

I always enjoyed the quote from (now deceased) Congressman Jack Kemp: "Winning is like shaving; you do it every day or you wind up looking like a bum."

I just bought some of these blades from this member and would like everyone to know what a pleasure the transaction was. Also, if you've ever had an interest in trying out vintage blades and seeing what all the fuss is about and why people talk about them in such glowing terms, this is an incredible...

It's been years since I've used one at this setting so I don't remember, but their adjustables set to "1" are reputed to be quite mild Oh yes, they are indeed. In a different thread, a couple of us have been discussing using very low settings on Gillette adjustables. Lately, I've been hav...