TimeOut

Anyone who has met the pplater chin will be the first to tell you that shaving is a conceit: it would be sufficient to pour milk over such fuzz as there is and then let the cat lick it off. It goes to show, though, how our tastes in other things (such as watches, or cars) spills over into Life’s other esoterica. So, the razor below (which sees regular use) had to be from Solingen in the same way that most watches have to be from Switzerland; it had to be ‘hard core’ (hollow ground, carbon steel), and very, very plain and purposeful (no engraving on the spine or scales, no exotic materials or shape for the scales, square point and heel, plain shank, etc).

The brush simply has to be badger hair: the brand of this one is lost in the sands of time. Those who are particular about these things, however, will tell you that it makes a difference where the badger lived (English badger preferred) and from where on the badger the hair is taken – the neck (or ‘silvertip’) being preferred to the belly or other parts.

As for cream versus soap? Sorry Anthony: there are soaps which are every bit as oleaginous as creams but, as with everything, you have to hunt them out and then stock up on them before they disappear. This Italian brand has a magnificent lather, and a very pleasant almond/vanilla scent. When wetted it is almost like a sticky glue, and it certainly ‘fills the pores’ for a gliding blade. Moreover, it is ‘olde worlde’ and no longer available here – this box was bought nearly twelve years ago along with seventeen others still remaining as then the only stockist nationally went out of business.

The act itself demands a certain level of concentration and a fair amount of time: for those reasons, it is a wonderfully contemplative pursuit - much like watches, really, if a little more hazardous.  ;-)

Thanks for some great photos Oliver: it looks like it was a whole bunch of fun to be a razorsmith in old Solingen!!

Cheers,

pplater. 

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