J. B. Priestley experiences disappointment...

[factormax]

"Then I remembered that having left my razor behind somewhere, the day before, I had bought a new and original safety razor and had been given with it a tube of new and entirely original shaving cream. Luxuriously I rose to play with these toys, but before using them I carefully read the makers' accounts of them in the outer wrappings. The razor, I learned, was destined to revolutionise the practice of shaving; it was designed on a new principle; and having given it the most superficial trial, I would never want to use any other. The shaving cream was also on a new principle; it made shaving a pleasure; its lather was so quick, so foaming and creamy, so soothing, that you were in danger of using this cream without the excuse of a shave. Inspired by these rhapsodies, I began shaving at the earliest possible moment. The cream was wretched stuff; the lather it made was no better than that from ordinary soap; there was no sound reason for its existence. The razor did not give me a proper shave at all; it was not that I could not handle it well, but simply that it could not cut hair. I spent a good ten minutes scraping away with it, and even then I was only half shaved. I am still wondering what the lying manufacturers of these articles had in their minds when they made them. Are they merely depending upon a number of people, like me, allowing themselves to be caught once? Or do they honestly believe that they have turned out a good shaving cream and a good razor? And if so, why? They have had plenty of opportunities to test the articles for themselves. On the other hand, surely it is hardly worth while going to the trouble and expense of manufacturing, advertising and marketing things they do not believe in themselves. What is the history of this bad shaving cream, this useless razor?"

J.B. Priestley 'English Journey' 1933

Although this anecdote was penned some 87 years ago, doesn't the experience sound familiar even today?

 

[Scotshave]

"Then I remembered that having left my razor behind somewhere, the day before, I had bought a new and original safety razor and had been given with it a tube of new and entirely original shaving cream. Luxuriously I rose to play with these toys, but before using them I carefully read the makers' accounts of them in the outer wrappings. The razor, I learned, was destined to revolutionise the practice of shaving; it was designed on a new principle; and having given it the most superficial trial, I would never want to use any other. The shaving cream was also on a new principle; it made shaving a pleasure; its lather was so quick, so foaming and creamy, so soothing, that you were in danger of using this cream without the excuse of a shave. Inspired by these rhapsodies, I began shaving at the earliest possible moment. The cream was wretched stuff; the lather it made was no better than that from ordinary soap; there was no sound reason for its existence. The razor did not give me a proper shave at all; it was not that I could not handle it well, but simply that it could not cut hair. I spent a good ten minutes scraping away with it, and even then I was only half shaved. I am still wondering what the lying manufacturers of these articles had in their minds when they made them. Are they merely depending upon a number of people, like me, allowing themselves to be caught once? Or do they honestly believe that they have turned out a good shaving cream and a good razor? And if so, why? They have had plenty of opportunities to test the articles for themselves. On the other hand, surely it is hardly worth while going to the trouble and expense of manufacturing, advertising and marketing things they do not believe in themselves. What is the history of this bad shaving cream, this useless razor?"

J.B. Priestley 'English Journey' 1933

Although this anecdote was penned some 87 years ago, doesn't the experience sound familiar even today?

I wonder what kind of razor it would have been in 1933. A Gillette New, perhaps? A 1912? Ironically, I'll bet it was one that some of us rhapsodise about today, compared to the cartridge and gloop set-ups.

 

[Boycie83]

I wonder what products he's referring to?

 

[factormax]

I wonder what kind of razor it would have been in 1933. A Gillette New, perhaps? A 1912? Ironically, I'll bet it was one that some of us rhapsodise about today, compared to the cartridge and gloop set-ups.

Yes. I wished he'd named the razor. And the cream.

 

[Blademonkey]

Maybe the old fool just could not shave or produce a decent lather what ever soap or razor he had gone on to purchase! P.

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Clearly he was talking about Arko and a AS-D2.

 

[Scotshave]

Maybe the old fool just could not shave or produce a decent lather what ever soap or razor he had gone on to purchase! P.

I'll go with that...

 

[jimmyc]

Was that not all of us the first time with a DE, brush and soap. It was certainly mine.

 

[factormax]

"having left my razor behind somewhere, the day before, I had bought a new and original safety razor"

Can we infer from this that he normally used a straight razor?

 

[Scotshave]

"having left my razor behind somewhere, the day before, I had bought a new and original safety razor"

Can we infer from this that he normally used a straight razor?

That was my take on it...

 

[Scotshave]

Actually, he didn't mention a blade. If it weren't for the fact that he claimed to be ‘...half shaved...' I'd think that he never thought to put one in.