Double edge shaving: Do you remember your first time?
Switching your shaving habits from a mass produced multi-bladed cartridge razor to a double edge safety razor is a great way of ensuring that proper, manly shave. But for many men around the world this can be a daunting move and something that is not taken lightly. But the rewards are great, as Steven Pearson, one of our customers, found out.
Here is his story:
Vividly, it was quite frankly horrible. I was a ridiculously moody teenager with more bum fluff than I, and it turns out most of my class mates, thought natural, so after skulking off home I decided to take matters into my own shaky hands. Armed with some shockingly blue old spice shaving gel stolen from my brother and also a clean razor from the brother’s stash, I wandered into the bathroom with much trepidation.
Steven Pearson applies some shaving cream with his shaving brush
What happened next is still difficult to describe, my non-washed or softened skin getting slavered with untold luminous chemicals, sliding across the grain, bleeding and, for the piece de resistance, a loud bang from the kitchen door as it is slammed shut after getting caught with the breeze that made me jump so high that I almost cut my chin off. In fact the scar was there for a good six months and was the starting point of any conversation that a female tried to have with me for the entire summer. That’s the best a man can get? – was it hell!
Over the next couple of years I tried various shapes, sizes and blade numbers with limited success until, as a poor broke student I stumbled across a double edged black, but yet again, double edged razor sold in Boots. It was amazing, still not at the level of doing anything vaguely helpful in the way of pre or post shave care but I learnt how to shave properly and with confidence for the entirety of my student life. That is until my first pay packet saw me running out to buy the latest, shiniest, many-bladed monstrosity that I ravaged my skin with for the next 18 years.
That was until recently, when again financial constraints and silent mouthing of “how much” in supermarket aisles drove me back to the same high street retailer where, sitting quietly and plainly, in the almost easily overlooked part of the shaving section stood my saviour.
Mass produced, made of plastic and badly made, of course – so badly that a quick once over with a blade and nail file to the flashed edges was necessary, was my Wilkinson sword classic, complete with blades – an absolute bargain! Home I rushed and quickly washed and prepared my face and drew the old friend across it, it was like a homecoming.
Steven Pearson shaves with a DE safety razor
A homecoming to that fateful first day and a blood loss of prestigious proportions as I attempted to remember how to shave properly! And yes over the next few days, and I am ashamed to say weeks, I relearnt the art of shaving. Not much has changed to be honest, early mornings are still a ridiculous time to get up, but the array of products available to Joe Bloggs has improved dramatically thanks to the advent of the Internet and the postal van of happiness that now drops off delights at my house regularly.
The feeling of delight when your face has its whiskers cleanly lopped off is still there and the clean shaven face that greets me with its big smile is more familiar than before, it seems to say: ”welcome to the billionaires boys club, we all shave like this”. Work seems a bit more impressed, with one of my colleagues commenting about how fresh faced I looked.
The good lady seems impressed too; comments about how she prefers to see me clean shaven have reduced as I’m always clean shaven now. Also the incidence of the European kiss hello, you know, the one where you get a kiss of the side of the face instead of square on the smackers has reduced dramatically. Long live the double edged razor and all who use her!
Submit a wet shaving video
Earn 150 Shaving Points!
Calling all Shaving Shack Account holders! We want to hear about you and your shaving kit that you have purchased from us. If we spot a video we love, we’ll give you a whopping 150 shave points (worth £10) to say thanks. It could be in the style of, for example:
– a product review
– a tour of your kit (must be items purchased from us at the Shack!)
– a testimonial of the service you’ve received from The Shaving Shack
– the story of why you got into wet shaving e.g saving money/a better shave
Videos should be no larger than 30mb in size.
Ladies give their men the James Bond treatment with a close shave – Retailer reports bumper female sales of cut throat razors
Woman make up 73% of cut throat razor sales since Skyfall DVD release, with two-thirds planning to use the tools to give their man the best shave of his life
Women are getting more hands on with their men following the saucy shaving scene in the recent James Bond film release of Skyfall.
The newest in the Bond series, which was released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday 18th February and is available on the Sky store, sees actress Naomie Harris take control of the blade to give 007, AKA Daniel Craig, the best shave of his life with a cut throat razor, uttering the words; ‘sometimes the old ways are the best’.
This sexy scene has inspired women all over the world to pick up a cut throat razor and do the job themselves, James Bond style. The Shaving Shack, the UK’s leading online retailer of premium shaving products, found that sales of their cut throat razors had tripled within five days of the Skyfall DVD/Blue-ray release, with women taking on a whopping 73% of these sales.
Woman have made up 73% of cut throat razor sales since Skyfall DVD release
This unusual trend led to the men’s grooming company conducting an email survey of these female customers. They surveyed 1,005 women and found that two thirds (66%) of these were intending to use the tools themselves to give their other half the best shave of his life.
And Scottish lasses are leading this trend, with 167 out of 220 Scottish customers surveyed (76%) intending to give their own Bond a close shave.
English ladies took second place, with 445 out of the 666 (67%) surveyed planning on carrying out a cut throat shave, followed by Welsh women (50%) and Northern Irish (43%). Thirty-eight per cent of women from outside of the UK plan to use the shaving weapons on their man.
The company has attributed this trend to the release of Skyfall with Miss Moneypenny’s take charge moment, inspiring ladies to give their man the James Bond treatment.
Nick Gibbens, brand manager at The Shaving Shack, said: “It’s great to see more women taking control of their partner’s grooming and who wouldn’t want to recreate the shaving scene from Skyfall?
“I’m sure couples are still feeling the love after Valentine’s Day and for men, it’s nice to be able to sit back and let someone else do the hard work.
“Skyfall saw Bond return to his Scottish roots and perhaps this is why more ladies from Scotland than any other country surveyed are keen to take control of the razor.
“Shaving with a cut throat razor is certainly one of life’s pleasures as it will give you the closest possible shave. But it does take time to master the technique and you’ll certainly need a steady hand and plenty of practice.”
Women need not cut corners – or chins – when shaving their men, as The Shaving Shack have put together a handy how to film to help these women give their men the best possible cut throat shave.
You can also watch the video at: http://youtu.be/qMVAhDqPbv0
-Ends -
Notes to editors
For more information, please contact: Nick Gibbens on telephone 01752 898191 or email nick@shaving-shack.com.
About The Shaving Shack:
The Shaving Shack is one of the UK’s leading online retailers of high quality wet shaving accessories. The firm stocks high end razors, shaving brushes, double edge razor blades, shaving creams, soaps, bowls, pre-shave lotions and gels, alum bocks and aftershave lotions.
More information can be found at http://www.shaving-shack.com.
###
James Bond Skyfall film inspires psoriasis sufferer to dump multi-bladed cartridge razor & embrace cut throat shaving
For many men around the world shaving can be a very painful daily activity, and something that is a regarded as a chore and not the pleasure it should be.
Psoriasis sufferer Neil Jary was a guy you could put into this category, but fortunately for him after watching the latest James Bond film Skyfall he decided to dump his multi-bladed cartridge razor and instead opt for a cut throat shavette.
During a scene in Skyfall, British actress Naomie Harris gives 007, played by Daniel Craig, a close shave using a cut throat razor, whispering in his ear “sometimes the old ways are the best” as she performs the shave.
Neil works the shaving cream into his beard
Here is Neil’s story/journey:
“I have psoriasis and as such shaving became a chore. I would shave maybe once or twice a week when my partner hinted I was too stubbly by calling me “spike”!
I’ve been looking at straight razors for ages and the scene in Skyfall finally got my curiosity hooked and I quickly found The Shaving Shack! I’ve been a multi-bladed cartridge razor user since I started shaving; was it really the best a man can get? Surely if anyone knew best it was Bond!
Neil gets to work on the shave
One purchase of a shavette later (I didn’t think I would justify a full blown cut throat to begin with!) and I was eager to get going. My first attempt was fumbling to say the least but the closeness of the shave and lack of irritation proved to me that it might be worth carrying on and investing time and money to move forwards!
And to be honest it was thrilling to do! Nerve tingling and scary but thrilling none the less!
A few more purchases of some quality shaving cream, some pre shave oil and an alum block have followed and my second shave; after only two days (an almost unheard of short time span for shaving with my cartridge razor) proved to be even more successful! One very minor nick and the closest shave I’ve had in years!
Neil enjoys a close shave with his shavette razor
It actually feels like I’m pampering myself! Not something I’m used to being a born and bred rugged outdoors type of guy!! But it genuinely is a pleasure! I’ve yet to try the pre shave oil, but I’m actually looking forwards to the shave! I actually want my stubble to grow faster so I can “treat” myself again!
All in all a shocking discovery but one I’m happy to indulge in! It takes time, patience, and skill and focus! All things that make this method of shaving a pleasure! It’s something a man can master; a technique to learn and hone until it’s perfect! A man likes to have skills to practice and shaving with a straight razor is amongst the very greatest to learn I can now see!
So thanks to 007 James Bond and The Shaving Shack for getting me on the right path….now if only I can persuade the missus into some Miss Moneypenny role play I’ll be laughing!”
Looking good Neil
Do you have a wet shaving story to tell the world? If you would like see your article posted on The Shaving Shack Blog, email nick@shaving-shack.com.
Shaving is no longer a chore – How double edge shaving turned a daily chore into a daily pleasure
For many men around the world shaving is regarded as a daily, but necessary chore. You reach in the cabinet for your multi-bladed cartridge razor and foam or gel and shave the way you always have. You finish, rinse of your face and then clean your razor.
This was also the case for Christopher Maguire, who hated shaving so much that he only shaved once a week, sometimes only once a fortnight. But Christopher’s mindset changed overnight after he was introduced to the wonderful world of double edge shaving. Chris now looks forward to his daily shave, and wants more men to follow his lead and dump the multi-bladed cartridge razor and embrace the world of double edge shaving.
Chris making a luxurious lather
Here is Chris’ story:
“I stumbled into the world of wet shaving by accident, it started because by girlfriend bought me a shaving kit for Christmas. It didn’t come with a razor but it did have a shaving brush, shaving cream and a bowl to lather the cream. Seeing the brush took me back to when I was a little boy when I used to see my grandad shave with a brush, soap and a double edged razor.
That morning I used the brush and soap and had the most enjoyable shave since I first picked up a razor.
The following days I did more research into wet shaving. Learning that if you have sensitive skin, suffer from razor burn or ingrown hairs, a double edged razor can significantly help to reduce these problems. Partly due to exfoliating with the brush and also by using a single blade, so less passes are made and thus reducing irritation.
Chris gets to work on the shave
I suffer from really bad shaving rash on my neck which a lot of the time come out in spots, also I seemed the get ingrown hairs on my cheeks quite often which turned into boils. This made me not shave quite as much as I should, much to the disappointment of my girlfriend. Luckily I don’t have to be clean shaven for my job so I only shaved once a week, some times once every 2 weeks.
Another reason this type of shaving appealed to me was the price of cartridge razors. At least ten pounds for 4 cartridges compared to 3 pounds on 10 blades. Which is a problem when money is tight at times due to me being a part-time student and my girlfriend being at university, so often I would use blunted blades causing a painful rash on my neck.
After doing a fair bit of research I bought a Merkur 33c. When it arrived I used it straight away. I was a bit nervous at first, mainly because I didn’t want to cut my face to bits. It took me about 10-15 mins the first time and I couldn’t get over how close of a shave it was. I did have a couple of nicks but practice is all it takes to find a technique. Turns out I really enjoy shaving and do it more often, without the rash or ingrown hairs.
I’m glad i found this type of shaving as it will save me lots of money in the long run but also because it seems to have turned into a new hobby of mine. I now look forward to shaving, which is quite strange for me.“
Do you have a wet shaving story to tell the world? If you would like see your article posted on The Shaving Shack Blog, email nick@shaving-shack.com.
Learn to shave like Bond, James Bond – Bluebeards launches cut throat razor shaving guide
Bluebeards release 007 inspired cut throat shaving video because ‘sometimes the old ways are the best’
Following a surge in cut throat razor sales with the release of new James Bond film, Skyfall, leading men’s grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge have released a handy how-to film to ensure their customers know how to get the best out of their cut throat shave.
The short film, which has been made in collaboration with Jacks of London, is, of course, spy inspired by the film, and is full of top tips for the customer to achieve the correct technique when using their shiny new cut throat shavette razor.
Learn to cut throat shave the James Bond way
On the film’s cinema release, which included a saucy shaving scene with actors Daniel Craig and Naomie Harris, The Bluebeards Revenge saw their cut throat style razor sales surge ten-fold. The scene saw 007 receive a close shave using a cut throat razor with Harris uttering the words; ‘sometimes the old ways are the best.’
Shaving with a cut throat razor is certainly one of life’s pleasures as it will give you the closest possible shave. But it does take time to master the technique and you’ll certainly need a steady hand and plenty of practice.
The Bluebeards Revenge wants to ensure the customer really gets the best out of their buy so have put the film together to teach men how to get the best shave and women, how to give the best shave.
The handy shavette razor is similar to a straight or cut throat razor but is a more cost effective alternative and requires less maintenance as it uses changeable blades, meaning no stropping or honing. It can save time for those who are in a hurry, but still want to experience the luxury of a wet shave.
The Bluebeards Revenge crew visited Jacks of London’s upmarket Guilford barbershop to film the clip and resident Barber Sandra Morgan showcases her skills and talks you through the key elements and process involved when guaranteeing a great shave.
These include the correct way to prepare your face for a cut throat/shavette shave, holding the razor in the correct way, shaving in the right direction and after care for your skin when the shave is complete.
Justin Bullock, Marketing Manager for The Bluebeards Revenge, said: “We’ve had lots of customers wanting to ‘get a razor like Bond’ – it’s opened up the idea of cut-throat shaving to a whole new group of guys.
“Hopefully our cut throat shaving video will not only entertain, but it will also ensure men all around the world are clean shaven, and not stirred.”
A close shave: One in six UK motorists shave while driving
1 in 6 motorists shave while driving
One in six motorists admit to shaving while driving, according to a new survey.
The survey, carried out by road safety charity Brake and insurance firm Direct Line, found drivers using their cars for work were most likely to be offenders.
Of those who used a vehicle for work, 17% said they shaved whilst at the wheel compared with a figure of 14% for non-work drivers.
We would like to highlight to all our customers of the dangers of drink-shaving and suggest they keep their grooming routines confined to the bathroom.
James Bond ‘Skyfall’ Boosts Cut Throat Razor Sales By 405%
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Shaving retailer reports sharp increase in cut throat sales after 007 gets the shave of his life
The Shaving Shack, the UK’s leading online retailer of premium shaving products, has attributed the latest James Bond movie for a whopping 405% increase in sales of cut throat razors.
During a scene in Skyfall, British actress Naomie Harris gives 007, played by Daniel Craig, a close shave using a cut throat razor, whispering in his ear “sometimes the old ways are the best” as she performs the shave.
And The Shaving Shack says this intimate shaving scene is the reason for the dramatic sales surge over the last five days.
007 has inspired men to embrace the cut throat shave
The online retailer has also seen a 123% increase in web traffic since the film was released in the UK on October 26. Traffic from Internet searches for “cut throat razor” and “straight razor” have soared by a staggering 735% over the last five days, the firm added.
Nick Gibbens, The Shaving Shack’s Brand Director, believes Bond’s legendary style and iconic status have inspired men to try out a new method of wet shaving.
“Bond fans have an emotional attachment to 007, they love his Aston Martin cars, Omega watches and dinner suits. So it comes as no surprise that they have jumped on his love for cut throat razors.
“These luxury, old-school razors range in price from around £60 up to £300 so it’s fair to say that Bond fans are spending big to ensure they look as clean cut as 007.”
But Bond fans that can’t splash out up to £300 on a razor are instead opting for a cut-price shavette – a close relative to the cut throat razor with the difference being that the blades can be changed. Sales of shavettes on The Shaving Shack website have risen by 509% since the release of Skyfall, with bumper sales of the budget £9.99 Bluebeards Revenge Shavette.
The Shaving Shack says it’s delighted to see an increasing number of men ditching the multi-bladed cartridge razor in favour of a straight but they are also keen to point out the increased complexity of a cut throat shave.
“Shaving with a cut throat razor is certainly one of life’s pleasures as it will give you the closest possible shave. But it does take time to master the technique and you’ll certainly need a steady hand and plenty of practice,” said Mr Gibbens.
“We strongly advise that all men take the time to read up on the correct technique.”
-Ends -
Notes to editors
For more information, please contact: Nick Gibbens on telephone 01752 898191 or email nick@shaving-shack.com.
About The Shaving Shack:
The Shaving Shack is one of the UK’s leading online retailers of high quality wet shaving accessories. The firm stocks high end razors, shaving brushes, double edge razor blades, shaving creams, soaps, bowls, pre-shave lotions and gels, alum bocks and aftershave lotions. Leading brand names featured on the website include The Bluebeards Revenge, Merkur, Cyril Salter, DR Harris, Tabac, Truefitt and Hill, Taylor of Old Bond Street, Kent and Parker.
More information can be found at http://www.shaving-shack.com.
###
Shave like James Bond (007) – Top tips for the perfect cut throat shave
Grow & Win: Shaving Shack launches Movember competition
Millions of men all around the world are about to grow a ‘Mo’ for the Movember campaign.
The movement sees men start November clean-shaven and grow a “Mo” as a hairy ribbon, raising awareness of men’s health and prostate cancer.
Here at The Shaving Shack, we are encouraging all our customers to join in and as an added incentive we are giving away a luxurious Bluebeards Revenge shaving set (worth £34.99) to the man who grows the most creative and interesting moustache.
HOW TO ENTER
YOU CAN ENTER OUR ‘MO’ COMPETITION VIA TWITTER OR FACEBOOK.
1.) Follow @shavingshack on Twitter
2.) Tweet @shavingshack with an image of your ‘Mo’ & use hashtag #movember
1.) Like The Shaving Shack page on Facebook
2.) Post an image of your ‘Mo’ and tag The Shaving Shack in the post
Competition ends midnight 30/11/2012 and the winner will be announced week commencing 3/12/2012.
Shave like James Bond (007) – Top tips for the perfect cut throat shave
In the latest James Bond film Skyfall, British actress Naomie Harris is quite cutting edge.
She gives 007 (Daniel Craig) a very close shave in one intimate scene in the 23rd installment of the secret agent franchise.
Naomie uses a cut throat/straight razor to give James the shave of his live. “Sometimes the old ways are the best,” Naomie says as she shaves him with the iconic razor.
The 36-year-old has since revealed she was sent to barber shop school to practise shaving balloons to prepare for the steamy scene.
Shaving with a cut throat razor is certainly one of life’s pleasures as it will give you the closest possible shave. But it does take time to master the technique and you’ll certainly need a steady hand and plenty of practice.
But if you’re looking to change your shavings habits and take the exciting journey into straight razor shaving, then these tips will help you on your way.
Preparing your face for a cut throat shave
The key to a painless shave is to use plenty of warm or hot water before shaving. Either have a bath, shower or use a hot flannel to soften the bristles and open up the pores of the skin.
Make sure you massage your chosen shaving cream thoroughly into your stubble or beard. Use your fingers or a decent shaving brush. For straight cut shaving to work, the lather must not be allowed to dry.
Holding and using the razor
Hold the razor with your dominant hand. Your thumb should be on the underside of the shank against the shoulder. Your index, middle and ring fingers should be on the opposite side (top) of the shank. The handle should be between your ring and little finger, with the little finger resting on the crescent shaped tang. Some people prefer to have the ring finger on the tang also, but this is a matter of choice.
Now for the shave! With your other hand, stretch the skin as tight as you can get it. It is recommended to hold the blade at a 30 degree angle to the skin otherwise you’ll get cut! A useful way of starting is to lie the blade flat against your cheek and then lift the spine to the desired angle of 30 degrees before applying your first stroke. Use very little pressure and apply even strokes with the razor in the direction of the hair growth.
Below is an example of the general direction you might want to shave using your straight razor.
Once you’ve finished with your first shave you can then rinse, relather and shave again. This time though, you should go against the grain/direction of hair growth.
When you have finished shaving, rinse the shaved area with warm water and then follow up with a cool water rinse to close the pores.
If you cut yourself use an Alum Block!
Straight Razor Care
When you’ve finished shaving, rinse the razor in some running water. Dry it by dabbing it with a cloth. It is also good practice to apply a little bit of machine oil or similar to help prevent the blade from rusting.
You will be looking as good as 007 in no time…..
Stropping the razor
To maintain a keen edge on the razor regular stropping is a must. Stropping aligns the edge of the blade so that the steel is pointing in the same direction -note that it is not sharpening which is called ‘honing’ and is done using a wetstone. Simply attach one end of the strop to an immovable object, like a bedpost, and hold it taut with the other end in your other hand.
Using light pressure, run the blade horizontally up the leather surface, with the blade flat against the leather and the sharp side facing you. At the end of the stroke, flip the blade over so it’s again facing you as you run the blade horizontally back down the strop. It is recommended to do this about 40-60 times.
The Shaving Shack sells a great selection of quality cut throat razors. And don’t forget we offer flat fee delivery on all orders placed at our online shaving shop.
-
Stay connected:
-
Keep up to date
-
-
Polls
Loading ...We’re listed on:
