The shaving rabbit hole, a well known phenomena where you acquire traditional wet shaving gear to 'save money', only for it to turn it into an obsession that has the ability to deplete your bank account quicker than a convicted South African politician can get medical parole. This rabbit hole has herewith been redefined to South African specifications, and renamed the 'Meerkat-gat' ('gat' being Afrikaans for 'hole', pronounced with a guttaral 'G' an 'A' like saying a short Aaaaa for your GP, and a short T, without the 'eeee' sound), the word 'GAT' is expressed twice in the first few seconds of this video of the campsite 'Balie's GAT'
The Meerkat is a very cool creature found around the Southern parts of Africa, and I am proud to say part of our South African heritage, I have borrowed a few pics off the net and a huge amount of this creatures mojo to depict some of the idiosyncrasies and 'herd behaviour' you have more than likely encountered in our fraternity.
The kat in the middle....the guy on the forum whose prized razor got lost while travelling.
All kats...the reaction when someone new posts; 'I am a new here, which double edged blade is best for me?'
Many product discussions start out wanting to 'share the love' but somehow they end up like this.
The Kats are us, the two onlookers are from another species, well known for using the Mach 3 and Fusion systems.
When makers or suppliers announces news about stuff to come...
When the missus says; 'Enough time in the shave den, time for some chores around the house'
Your appearance when having the umpteenth look at that razor on E-bay that you missed out on with a bid that was only 50 cents low.
That Facebook marketplace bargain offered by an unknown seller.
Wetshavers when confronted by the fact that the company they did the group-buy from has gone bust.
The one Kat on the forum that steps out to praise a 'Chinese razor'.
That statement you made on the shaving forum when you are not quite sure how you are going to get out of it, or possibly justify the booze fueled dribble you posted at 3am.
You after said 3 am forum post has run its course.
Just spent a ton of cash on shaving goods, but the missus has no access to your bank account and you still have some money left for beers.
Me: 'I am buying all of this to hand over to the kids one day'....got to love the wife's expression on this one!
Scientific evidence that the Meerkat-gat is superior and far more complex than the rabbit-hole, the course of the burrow is also believed to be near identical to a wetshaver's movement in his bathroom during his 'SOTD' selection.
When someone says he is buying a razor you already have in your collection.
At the much awaited new product release there is always that one guy asking about the next release, whether they are planning to sell it with longer handle, and when the stainless steel version will be available.
When your wife see the invoice in the parcel after you have told the seller multiple times that the e-mailed PDF is perfect, and specified repeatedly to exclude any and all 'paperwork' from the shipment.
The guy on the forum with 10 000 posts.
When someone tells you a certain artisan will have a limited edition Christmas drop for a few selected customers and instantaneously your head starts spinning on how to get your name onto that damn list.
Heading out with the family for the day but there was not enough time for your SOTD
When the supplier says there is plenty of stock and there is no need to rush to get some...
We'll end up with a warm and fuzzy one...when your realize the community is a good one, and you fit right in!
Thanks for reading and viewing, I do hope I was able to brighten up your day a tad! Whoever you are and wherever you come from, be proud of your heritage; in a mad world of boring conformity it is one of few ways to prevail, survive and be noticed!
Photo credits to San Diego zoo, Treehugger, NPR.org, The Luxurious safari company, African conservation, Meerkat adventure tours, De Zeekoe, Go South, LA Zoo, Reddit, Meerkat view, Getty, Shutterstock, Arne Parves, The Kalahari Meerkat project and whoever else I failed to mention!
]]>
I have no tools to allow precise measurement of blade protrusion and gap, so I'll assume the head was manufactured with the two sides being the same, apart from the one side being the solid bar and the other open comb. I have a pretty good eye for angles and dimensions, and looking at the side of the plate they seem to be the same in length from the centre line. I have also tried to move the blade around the little play there is. Even when playing around with the few variants there were, the results were consistently the same, namely a closer shave on the solid bar.
I think many folks use more pressure or more strokes with OC's as they leave more soap on your face, and it takes 'more work' to achieve a 'soap-free' shave area, this could indeed be the reason for it having built a reputation for being more aggressive. Repetitive strokes and more pressure wil certainly deliver a closer shave, a while ago I did away with the 'let-the-weight-of-the-razor-do-the work' practice, applied lots of pressure and got a different set of results, but more of that on a next blog.
For me the value of the open comb lies in the shaving medium it leaves behind on your face, and possibly in the shaving of long beard as it 'directs' facial hair to avoid them laying parallel to the cutting edge of the blade. They are great razors for users with sensitive skin, as too little soap causes friction, this in turn causes abrasion, and this brings about tender or problem skin. I also think this is part of the problem with mainstream razors, they don't allow for any choice in the amount of shaving medium it leaves on your face, add a can of shaving foam with a host of unknown chemicals and poor lubrication/slip qualities, and you could be setting your skin up for a fair amount of punishment.
Although open comb razors look quite 'mean', this particular razor has become one of a few favourites that I suggest users buy when they have sensitive or problem skin. My suggestion is to start on the open comb side and keep going until their issues have cleared up, only then trying the closed comb for a closer shave. Should any problems rear its head again they can fall back onto the open comb again. This is also a great little razor to play around with if you enjoy the technical side of things, or if you have sensitive skin only in certain places; for many guys doing your cheeks on the solid bar and neck area with the open comb could be the long lost Shaving-Nirvana they have been searching for all their lives!
Drop us a message if you had the same, or different experience with your hardware.
]]>Word-of-mouth marketing (WOM marketing) is when a consumer's interest in a company's product or service is reflected in their daily dialogues. Essentially, is it is free advertising triggered by customer experiences—and usually, something that goes beyond what they expected
Although we get many great reviews, we also get random feedback that touches us in special ways and reminds us that we have not only developed a good product, but a great one, this is one such case. a Young male client and I was discussing some shaving stuff when he casually mentioned how much his Grandma loves our hair products. He gave his 84 year old Gran some of our hair products to use as he tried it himself and have become a regular user. She started using our products a few months ago and has had amazing results, not only has her hair regained strength and lustre, but she says the grey is making way for her natural hair colour, go figure! We are no hair experts and will never try and claim similar results, but we'll happily settle with a proud, glowing grandma over a 'peer reviewed scientific study'!
Our shampoo bars and Bundu-bar has ingredients that takes 10 to 14 washes to come to full effect, so make the effort and complete the use of a full bar before your final verdict. Please have a look at this blog for some more info on this unique product available only from us! You can search the whole wide world, and find nothing quite like it, welcome to a unique, proudly South African concept and product!
So...who are you going to believe when you try your next hair care product, some corporate marketing campaign that has one aim, and that is to increase company sales, the pretty brand ambassador on Instagram or maybe that male model in the white lab coat and black rimmed glasses looking at a massive screen pointing out 'advances' made with hair care to his equally pretty fellow actors and actresses? I'll go with the grandma proudly displaying her lock of hair and happily allowing us to use these pics to spread word of our product without a cent of compensation, or us knowing her from a bar of soap!
Ouma knows best...well possibly not when it comes to Bitcoin or figuring out the latest frustration they call Windows, but with 84 years worth of experience in taking care of her own hair, should you not also sit up and take notice?
Thanks Gran, you are a REAL ambassador!
Find the Bundu-bar here.
]]>
Why did we develop this? Mostly because we think most pre-shave oils are formulated with too much focus on the beard and actual shave, and too little focus on your skin and its condition, both pre- and post shave. We also wanted to produce another grooming first, and provide a value for money product to our customers and the South African market. I regard our Prepo oil to be as good or better than other pre shave products I have tried. One has to remember your shave lasts only a few minutes, but your skin is riding shotgun with you 24/7, and this is where this product comes into its own. Do take note of the condition of your skin prior to, and over the duration that you will be testing it, if the product works as well for you as it does for us, you will experience great shaves paired with smooth, hydrated skin throughout your day, right over the 4 season spectrum we have on the southern tip of the continent.
Does it still behave like a conventional pre-shave oil? It certainly does, with the advantage of users being able to use this product in various quantities to obtain various effects. Use liberally to obtain slip and lubrication right before your shave, or apply well in advance for it to soften your beard, tone your skin and effectively do a 'deep prep' for your shave. The product can also be used as an actual shaving medium, best used right after you showered, apply enough for a slippery feel and proceed with your shave, the oil is quite light it will wash easily from your hardware.
Will it work for me? The effectiveness of pre-shave oils are often debated at length, some folks love them, and some find no real advantage to using them. In my experience guys with sensitive or problematic skin will tell you it has become an integral step in their shaving routine, while most guys with 'regular skin' will tell you it adds little value, it can also be a crucial step for guys with very coarse beard, as they have to use every available tool in the box to get their stubble soft enough for a comfortable shave.
Well... will it work for me? The best way to find out is to get a bottle of the stuff and try. The quickest and simplest method is to apply the muti to one side of your face and then feel the effect of it by stroking over both sides of your face every now and again over the next half an hour or so, compare the sensation on your hands and face. You should feel a difference in the rigidness of your stubble. Next proceed to the shave, you should experience an easier, more comfortable removal of stubble on the side of your face where you have applied the product, and possibly also a closer shave, if you don't, the product does not add much value to your shave, simple as that. We are not one of those companies that will try and persuade folks all our products are must-haves, because let's face it, we are all different in many ways and it is impossible that anyone or anything can produce something that agrees with all of us. Well....maybe trees can, as they produce oxygen which we all seem to enjoy tremendously. If you find the product does not improve your shave, please do keep experimenting with it, you may yet find its 'sweet spot' in your shaving routine and even if you don't, remember it is a great skin toner that can be used as often as you like or whenever your skin needs a bit of TLC.
What is with the post shave? It's actually more than that, it is an anytime face skin treatment, but my favourite method of usage is about 15 to 30 minutes prior to my shave, before hitting the sack and in the mornings before heading out, usage obviously depends on whether I use any other aftershave products. This oil is one serious Jack-of-all-trades shave product ! I fell in love with Bee natural's skin tonic as a product that does wonders for my skin in an environment where the African sun, sawdust, sweat and other elements often place quite a burdon on my pretty face, and wanted to develop something that behaves similarly but in fragrances that matches some of our shaving soaps and aftershaves. This oil has a milder fragrance than our aftershaves that are building a reputation for being pretty bold and strong, so its is the perfect candidate to use if you only want a slight tremble of your partners knees, unlike the aftershaves that will simply knock her right over!
How do I apply it? We normally squirt about half a pipette in one palm, rub our DRY hands (wet or moist hands will dilute the oil making it quite difficult to get it nice and hot in your hands) together to heat up the oil and quickly massage it into our entire face and neck, it will be hardly noticeable after 15 to 30 seconds, depending on the amount you use. One can obviously increase or decrease the amount used as per personal preference, and/or apply to only the beard area instead of your entire face.
What is in it? The star ingredient is undoubtedly Baobab oil, one of our continents most amazing oils, this oils contains Fatty Acids (Omega 3, 6, and 9), Vitamin E, Calcium, Alfa and Beta Carotenes, Uronic Acid, Tannins and Phytosterols. The unique components of Baobab oil provide a wide range of skin care benefits. It nourishes the epidermis, aiding the outermost layer of the skin to provide a waterproof barrier that maintains superb skin tone. The oil has the effect of softening the skin and gives it greater elasticity. It can also help with a range of skin disorders including eczema, sunspots and psoriasis. Other ingredients are Vit E oil, Castor oil, Macadamia oil, Coconut oil, Phytosterol esters, Fragrance oils and Essential oils.
Will it clog my pores? Unlikely, Baobab oil has a comedogenic rating of 2, this means that it won’t clog most people’s pores, it might present a problem if you have oily skin, as this condition can cause Baobab and most other oils to clog up your pores. To read up a bit more on oils, what they do for your skin and how they react on your skin read this article. The information in this article obviously applies to all oils used in our, and other manufacturers products, reading it might shed some light on products you find problematic or particularly good for your skin, one can work out what works for your skin and what not by way of elimination.
To read up a bit more on the amazing properties of the main ingredient in this product, have a look here.
An exceptional product to keep, not only in your bathroom, but also in your car, gym bag, golf cart or even in your pocket. Go ahead, not only your wallet, but also your face will thank you. Your face should look and feel great, a bit softer than normal and will add healthy colour and glow.
*Hint: If your mug is as shiny as a Metro traffic official who just devoured a bucket of KFC you are using too much product!
]]>We'll get into an overview of whetstones in later blogs, but this one is to demonstrate the ability of one stone, the Sigma #6000 that I have grown particularly fond of. I have always wanted to take a razor from crappy production finish to shave ready on one stone, and managed it fairly easy with this one.
To indicate the cutting ability of this stone I have taken a few (pretty bad) pics of the honing process at X 480 magnification using the El cheapo microscope on our site, it does work much better when in use though (live view), and is a very handy tool when sharpening stuff. I did what would be considered utter madness by some and used a pair of scissors to inflict some damage on the cutting edge of a Dovo carbon steel straight razor, the damage that was done is likely to exceed anything one would expect to find on your own razors, so I am fairly confident this stone can cover a wide spectrum of work. The black marks is where I marked the spot with a ballpoint pen, when one approaches a good edge it is quite hard to find the same spot after a few laps on the stones.
Pic one right after meeting up with Mr Scissors.
Pic 2 is after 25 laps on each side of the razor on the Sigma #6000 using medium pressure.
Pic 3 after 25 more laps on the Sigma #6000 using medium pressure.
Pic 4 after 25 laps on the Sigma #6000, both sides of the blade using medium pressure.
Pic 5 after 50 laps, same story as the others.
25 More laps and the damage is undone, the last strokes were done with progressive lighter pressure on the blade.
Final edge after stropping on our local leather strop.
On this razor I shaved off the #6000 finish and was very happy with the performance. For working razors I follow no hard and fast rules, there is lots of sense in using in a progression of stones, but I like experimentation and hardly ever do any two razors using a single 'recipe'. In my opinion one should use what you have and get your razor comfortable to use with the least amount of work. By 'use what you have' I mean you would need a stone or two and not to attempt it using a paving brick from your driveway! If we talk prize razors or something you want to get to an insane level of sharpness, it is a different ball game, but I'd love to see more guys honing their own razors without thinking it is a huge learning curve to get it to a shaveable edge. You can really 'own' great shaves with self-honed razors, you will also gain access to pleasurable food prepping if you learn some basic sharpening skills of knifes on the same stones and best of all, a happy wife with a smooth shaven hubby and sharp cutlery.
Get honing guys, it is a great zen-like hobby you can practice practically anywhere out in the bush, while on holiday, camping, on a Sunday arvie with a cold beer, or in the winter months over a glass of red while cooking a slow potjie.
]]>
Most consumers are becoming aware of the movement towards using products that are more eco-friendly, many understand that there are better options out there. They also understand that handmade products are more expensive on account of higher production costs in both labour and raw materials, unfortunately most simply cannot afford to pay twice or three times the amount they have available in their budget for a hair product, that is why we developed our bar to slot in at the middle-low end of the market when comparing pricing to current bottled products.
It is difficult to compare it to conventional shampoo and conditioners as most are in liquid form, and every person uses their grooming products in different ways and quantities, not to mention price variances. As a basic comparison our 200 gram conditioner bar converts 3 to 3.5 liters of liquid conditioner, depending on the viscosity the user prefers, our 200 gram shampoo bar also makes around 2 liters of shampoo, we'd say pound for pound it will be very hard to beat the Bundu-bar when you compare economy and quality with other products, and that includes mass produced products. Feel free to do the math and see how much three liters of conditioner sets you back, you might be surprised. a Future blog on our Bundu-bar will give guidelines on how to convert it from solid to liquid, this is for those who prefer to buy the bar and use it in liquid form by simply refilling their existing containers. The bar is also good for shaving and using as a body bar, so if you are someone who likes to simplify life down to the very basics this bar will go the distance, but more on that on a next blog.
Developing the product was interesting, the design concept was a bit 'unusual'. We paid little attention to words typically used to entice consumers into buying hair product, words such as 'PH-balanced, nourishment, moisturizing, feed-your-hair, root-to-tip, hydrate and invigorate'. None was not on our list of requirements, ours was much simpler. The conditioner had to soften your hair, give it some body and generally act like a typical conditioner. Our shampoo must clean your hair, put back some of the oils that was stripped and NOT make you look like a scarecrow when it dries naturally. Simple parameters makes a product easy to develop and manufacture, easy to use, and very importantly able to compete with mass producers. We don't sell marketing, we sell a product that will do what it is supposed to, its really that simple.
How good is it? Its very good. It is certainly on par and better than many of the products available on the shelf commercially, we have been selling it online without marketing for a few months to gauge feedback and it has been very good. We've had great to fantastic feedback, from both men and women. a Lady customer recently said it is the best product she has come across in many years of searching for something that suits her hair. We have couples, individuals and entire families using the Bundu-bar, and this is very encouraging indeed.
One thing that surprised us was the ratio at which the components are used, with the bottled stuff the conditioner normally finishes before the shampoo, but with our bar it was the other way round, we realize that these ratios would be different with every person and that's why we offer the bar in various ratios ranging from 8:2 (shampoo conditioner) to 1:1. As a simple guideline I'd suggest persons with short hair to try our 70/30 shampoo/conditioner to start with, mine lasted about 3 months using it daily. We also supply full shampoo and conditioner bars. Our recent interaction with a blind couple has also made us reach a decision to fragrance the conditioner side of our bar with a peppermint and menthol (white side), and not the same as the shampoo bar (coloured side), which we now offer in Rooibos and Sandalwood, this way people who are impaired in some way can easily learn how to use the product. Interacting with impaired folks brings a new perspective about how simple tasks can be quite difficult for them, sadly, this is a design parameter not really featuring in everyday consumer products.
Is it perfect? Certainly not. Hair types, personal preference, water quality, physical location, product storage, and pre- and post hair treatments applied to hair are all factors that will influence how the bar will keep, perform, and the results it will deliver. Generally, as with any product it will suit some consumers and some not, that being said, we do anticipate it will add value to the largest segment of consumers this market has to offer.
We'd love to offer new formulations, possibly something for various hair types, a variety of fragrances and sizes, and also options like fragrance free, all natural, and palm-oil free, but this can only happen if our bar proves to be a hit, so buy our bar and give feedback! Buy it as a gift, show it to people at the gym, tell colleagues, BFF's, mates, buddies, family and foes. Feedback, feedback feedback, this is what we need, good or bad. If it does not work for you pass it onto someone who might find it the perfect addition/replacement product in their grooming routine. We realize that this product or some of the ingredients used may not be perfect for you, but with your continued support us we will be able to offer a future product that might be, so bend your rules a little bit and help us change the way hair products are distributed.
Some challenges we experienced were the hardness of the bars, make it to hard and it becomes tedious and difficult to apply, too soft and it does not last long enough or goes all floppy when it gets halfway through. Humidity plays a huge roll in the longevity and physical properties of the bar while in use. When storing, always try and keep exposure to humidity at a minimum, ours lasted pretty good left open on our shower rack in a well ventilated bathroom, but at the coast you might need a different approach. We have made provision in our store for a soap container as the bar is quite large and won't fit most containers, this could be part of your solution and is also great for travelling and long term storage. The bar comes wrapped in a biodegradable wrapper made of cornstarch, and we are also investigating a kraft solution.
The dream is to see billions of shampoo and conditioner bottles disappear from shop shelves all over the world, not only reducing the use of fossil fuels for the production of these bottles, but also preventing them from ending up in landfill, in our waterways or quite simply any other place on earth where they have no purpose other than to become a burden on the environment. Apart from packaging savings, more compact products has a huge impact on logistical costs, where you needed 5 trucks to supply a shop you now only need one! Reducing logistical costs for shampoo and conditioner by 80% would be remarkably beneficial to our planet.
We need to make better choices, this one is easy to make and will have little, if any negative impact on your monthly grocery bill. Learning to use a bar does present a bit of a learning curve, but never having to throw out a plastic shampoo or conditioner bottle in your life again will be well worth the reward!
Find the bar under 'Hair muti' on our website or click here
]]>The video was shot in their kitchen as the bathroom was a bit too cramped for all of us. I decided before hand to give minimal advice and see how he gets along, this form of shaving comes natural to me and I was hoping it would be similar for him. As I suspected he had little trouble in getting the job done, it was not perfect, and he missed a few spots, but he easily discarded the ridiculous myth that a safety razor is not user friendly. His comment at the end pretty much sums it up: "If you are blind and can shave with a safety razor, anyone can" Something else worth a mention is that Douw also suffered a stroke a few years back and has limited use of his right hand/arm, this just drives the point he is trying to make home that much harder. The clips are pretty shoddy and stitched together as I was putting the phone down from time to time to lend him some guidance or have a chuckle with him or his wife, but I think the 'evidence is clear'
The hour or two I spent with them was an 'eye opener', listening how tasks like getting to work, preparing food and making coffee gets done without the ability of sight gives one an enormous thankfulness for one's own pair of headlights, and also a feeling that our 'mundane' lives are actually glorious sensory explosions that hits us every second of every day.
We all got along very well, our 'famous South African sense of humor' of being able to laugh at ourselves as well as with others made the visit as friendly and comfortable as the Gupta's fingers in the Eskom cash register. We have been invited for a braai, if its anything as good as the freshly ground coffee they served up we are going to have a blast, and we are looking forward to visiting them soon, there may even be a second video clip to capture his progress.
As I was driving back home something popped into my head and I would love for you to contemplate this. How can blind people, who cannot see the messed up, littered world we live in, come to the realization that our way of living is stuffing up our environment and take action to make some changes, yet you and I who see the litter lie next to the road, in nature and in our National parks, us who see the crap in our rivers and oceans, how can we still think it is ok to live like we do? Next time you put your neatly knotted black bag of rubbish 'out on the pavement' know this, your waste will remain out there, maybe not in your yard, but you could be driving right past your own litter next to the roadside a week or two later, you could see it pulled from the Hennops or Moreleta waterways next time caring folk do a river clean-up, or you could have it wrap itself around your leg when taking a dip in our majestic oceans. You could be swearing and cursing at the type of people who live like this, do such things, and little would you realize it is your own waste blown about from the landfill, or washed into our rivers.
Wise up folks, its crunch-time, your job, car or house will not matter in 50 years, your kids education is of lesser concern, ensuring they have a living planet to walk one IS a huge concern, we cannot afford to miss the bus on this one!
Video below.
]]>
Your 50 years worth of stash will only weigh between 2 and 3 kg in total, and when you consider the simple manufacturing methods and also the small quantity of raw materials used in the process, it is easy to see why it is a very sensible way of shaving. We have to start limiting the resources we use over our lifetimes and this is one of the coolest, easiest switches to make, bar the fact that you will save a fortune! Talk to us for bulk orders on blades and we will discount our regular price, alternatively we could point you in the right direction to find a supplier near you. Most people are not aware that many supermarkets stock double edged blades at their cigarette counters, the retailers 'hiding' of the blades is quite understandable though, who would want to sell a R2 blade if you can sell a R69 blade? We do strongly advise to try all blades available locally first though, they are very different from each other, and you don't want to stock up on a lifetime's worth of blades that are not best suited to your skin/hair/beard. Our test pack is a wise choice to find the blade best suited to your needs, and we highly recommend using it if you are a 'one-blade-person'. Many of us choose to vary blades according to our personal needs, hardware used, shaving styles and even the season of year.
Before we get to disposal we have to look at post-use storage. Getting rid of individual blades is cumbersome to say the least, and it is wise to get yourself a blade bank for interim storage, one simply deposits the blade into the container and only empty it when required. The blades are thin and light, you can store a stack of them before the container requires disposal or emptying out. We have some blade banks on our website, and even a tiny container as pictured below will store 4 to 5 years worth of blades if you are a regular shaver. The Rockwell blade bank below also has a removable base, making blade removal a breeze, and at R50 you won't find a cheaper re-usable option.
You can also improvise and use available containers. Piggy banks and money tins work very well as they already have the correct size slot and they can usually be opened without breaking them. Do use a bit of discretion, glass and porcelain may not be the best thing to use when you have tiled floors, metal would be preferable. Always store your bank and blades (new and old) out of reach of kids and pets, they are cute, but so damn inquisitive. You can also make your own blade bank; Buy a tin of evaporated milk or similar canned fluid from the supermarket. Execute light taps with the palm of your hand on the butt of a sharp knife pointed onto the centre top part of the tin until the gap is wide enough to fit a blade, empty the contents and rinse before use. The tin can be painted, wrapped or made pretty in any way you see fit. Here is a vid with some pointers, I'd just skip the taking off the lid bit, unless you use a tin with solid food in it. This type of blade bank doesn't need to be emptied, and one can simply drop them off at the metal recyclers every decade or so.
If you prefer a reusable bank, you can carefully remove the blades, align them on a hard surface like a deck of cards, and wrap them in tape, we prefer paper tape or masking tape as it is friendlier to our environment. Depending on your blade bank this can be quite a process, it took me about 10 minutes (without tools) to get 2/3 years worth of blades from my 'Splitty', and rushing this part is not advised. Once you got it wrapped up, drop it off at the recyclers or bury it in your garden should you have a safe spot. Although made of stainless steel, blades are very thin and will degrade back to mineral form in about a tenth of the time it takes a water bottle to degrade. Many cities will also allow taped up blades to be included with your household trash, as the blades will no longer cut open garbage bags, or injure handlers working in the municipal facilities. If you live in an old house you may be lucky enough to have a slot for blade disposal in your bathroom cabinet, in bygone days a cavity was left in the wall, and all blades would find a final resting place somewhere between the brickwork of your walls and the foundation.
Tips*
]]>
This is the reason I whipped up a lather one morning from some soap left over from experimenting with a new fragrance and let is stand, I took pics at various intervals, as it was an impromptu test the pics are of a poorer quality, but good enough for the purpose of this blog. I took some at various angles, with and without flash and the coffee grinds will attest to 'no cheating'. The time the pic was taken is inidicated below it. I will delve into lathers some more on future blogs, but this one needs to get out there as I need to clear up some space on my phone, and the shaving pics are taking over! Scrutinize away!
06:28
06:28
06:28
06:28
6:59
6:59
6:59
07:00
07:00
07:30
07:30
07:30
07:30
08:15
08:15
08:15
08:37
08:37
08:37
08:37
09:00
09:01
09:01
09:01
09:01
09:26
09:26
09:26
09:26
10:42
10:42
10:42
10:42
12:54
12:54
12:54
12:54
So, in conclusion; if your shave lasts six hours and twenty six minutes we got your lather covered!
]]>
Jare lank het ek die goed gekoop waarmee ons groot geword het, Lux, 'no-name brands' Palmolive en later Dove, in die 90's begin die maatskappye met die 'shower gels' of vloeibare seep en dit word toe net die ding. Jaar in en jaar uit ondervind ek dieselfde ding, normale vel in die somer, en 'n vel wat droeër en jeukerig is in die winter, niks om oor huis toe te skryf nie, maar as jy jou hande op die stuurwiel sit pla die wit skilfertjies op jou arms jou oog, jou vel span ook partykeer sommer so styf as jy afdroog na jou stort. Jy weet iets is nie lekker nie, maar om seep te bekyk en te belees in die supermark sal nie manlik wees nie, wat dan nog om daaroor te praat met jou pelle as jy 'n rondte golf speel!
Ek het altyd die fênsie sepe so bekyk en gedink R30 rand vir iets wat jy by Spar kan koop vir R 5, ses keer die prys, belaglik! Heel toevallig begin my moeder seep maak as 'n stokperdjie en ek begin van haar produkte te gebruik. In die middel van die eerste winter na my omskakeling na haar seep kom ek agter my vel lyk en voel goed, en ek het nie nodig om enige ander produkte te gebruik om my vel 'normaal' te laat voel nie. Watwou! 'n Somervel in die winter....iets wat ek in die laaste drie dekades nog nooit beleef het nie, oombliklik besef ek dit is 'n 'hou vas my bier en kyk hier oomblik', my tipisie Afrikaner-man hardegat houding het my al jare se ongerief veroorsaak.
Jou vel is die grootste orgaan, en dit verbaas my tot vandag toe dat ek tevrede was om die goedkoopste produk uit te soek, en nie die beste nie. Die wiskunde is ook eintlik lagwekkend, selfs al kos 'n seep R100 en jy kry 'n paar weke se stort uit hom uit maak dit nie veel verskil op jou maandelikse uitgawes nie, dis soos om R15 000 rand uit te haal vir jou winter jag en dan skiet jy 'n brandsiek bobbejaan en 'n Rooibokkie omdat jy nie wil geld uithaal wanneer jy daar is nie, 'penny wise, pound foolish' in die rooi taal, of 'sent-slim maar roof-my-rand' is my eie vertaling.
Ek het 'n baie eenvoudige mening as dit by lyfseep kom; dit is die goedkoopste en maklikste manier om jou lewenskwaliteit aansienlik te verbeter, 'n jeukerige, droee vel is 'n konstante irritasie wat die regte seep vir jou vir altyd kan oplos, geen ekstra roompies of olies en dinge nie, net die regte seep, maklik. Hoe om seep te gebruik het jy al jare terug onder die knieg gekry.
Winter is die tyd wat ons maar almal meer tuis bly, gebruik die geleendheid om 'n seep te kry wat vir jou in jou omgewing werk, jy sal nie spyt wees nie. Ons seep is ook beter vir die omgewing en meer natuurlik as die meeste hoofstroom produkte, jy wen dus 'n gesonde vel en bevorder 'n gesonder omgewing. Dit is geniaal man, gaan koop jouself 'n bier want dit wil gedoen wees!
Begin gerus by ons reeks produkte, ons soek ook gereeld nuwe plaaslike produkte en maak dit op ons webwerf beskikbaar, kyk onder 'Lyfmuti' wat ons tans daar aan die gebeur het.
]]>No matter how much you read about other sets of wheels, listen to other people's opinions, or how many other vehicles you have owned or driven, all of that simply cannot rewire your system to generate the same experience or feelings you get when you think back to the times when you owned this vehicle. Heck, even obscene amounts of money can get you the speed, looks or admiration of others, but deep down you know that special place in your being is reserved for that specific vehicle only. These feelings are intertwined with our beings, and will remain with us forever; your first bike, favorite toy as a kid or first girlfriend, that first tee shot that went subsonic on your local golf course, they are all in there, they may be stored a bit deep as a modern society demands all of our time, but they are there nonetheless.
Back in day, shaving use to be one of those experiences, I still remember my grandfather's smell, super smooth face, rock hard stubble and routine to this day. It was done on a daily basis after a cold shower (heck he was tough or had an extremely good edge on his razor) I always had the impression that it was his domain, his 'happy place' as the saying goes nowadays. Damn guys! If you recall similar flashbacks from early childhood it must have been pretty special, as there are so many other milestones in our lives that we cannot even remember, not to mention recalling the smell of it! Well, there was the time I was attacked by a swarm of bees and nearly died..you get where I am going with this?
I'd also like to compare shaving in general to your daily drive. If you are not enjoying it, you are 'driving the wrong car'. Maybe your Defender sits in the garage while you drive the economic 'platkar' to work, sad but understandable in today's day and age, at least Fridays and the weekends has you smiling from ear to ear!
Discovering and using the right combinations of consumables and hardware replicates the experience of taking vehicles out on test rides, each one has good and bad attributes, but then there are the ones where everything just comes together. There are direct parallels between when you team up the correct combination of blade, razor, brush and consumables and when you find that 4x4 with all the added extras, in the right color with your preferred engine and rubber configuration. I use safety razors during the week, they are quicker to use and still offers a superb experience. Shaves with a straight razor are reserved for the weekends when I take life really slow and easy. So, essentially I get to drive my Defender to work every day, and to top it off I hit the outdoors on the weekend... THAT me fellow South Africans is where YOU need to be with your shaving routine.
But is it relevant today? New tech is better, cheaper, faster and shaves closer? No, its not. It does excel in one thing though, and that is filling up our landfill areas and finding its way into natural environments. Its got a bad rep, and a huge marketing budget that is supported with your money. There are more producers of classic wet shaving gear and consumables today than there were in the period of history when it was the only shaving system available, says something doesn't it ?
Getting into classic wet shaving is utilizing one of the few opportunities you will get in life where you get to choose a better product at a lower price. Its like getting a brand new luxury SUV with the monthly installment of a secondhand Kia Picanto.
To date, less than one percent of our buyers had decided that using a safety razor or straight razor was not for him/her, and we have many ecstatic clients ranting on about why the heck they ever hesitated so long to take it up.
Try it, it is brilliant!
]]>First, some facts; too many men still shave prior to their shower, your beard needs about three minutes of humidity and heat for the stubble to soften to a comfortable shave, so shave after you have showered. With water scarcity some folk only shower for two minutes, half of which is under cold water as not to waste any water, some use a bucket or other means to wash, for people not priviliged enough to enjoy a 3 minute- or longer hot shower, I suggest the heated towel method described below, very old school and very, very nice! I have tried all sorts of oils and lotions applied directly to my face said to work well for a comfortable, water-less shave, but I have not found none to be acceptable, even after leaving it on my face for 5 minutes and longer, they simply don't soften up my beard. Additionally, I found cleaning the said lotion/oil off my hardware almost impossible without using copious amounts of hot water.
This method uses a safety razor or straight razor as both of them need not be rinsed during the shave, the safety razor is designed in such a way that all the lather passes through the bottom end of the razor as you shave, and you can do your entire face before rinsing your equipment. The straight razor is simply wiped on a cloth or towel next to you as you progress with your shave. Apart from being better, more durable tools, they are both environmentally friendly and way cooler than any of the mainstream stuff.
I also use a brush and shaving soap, as I love the process of getting my lather to the consistency I need. I like a thick lather when using a safety razor, and less so when using the straight. You will also need two bowls (only 1 if you are using the canned goop) and a towel, I found that both the micro fibre type and cotton worked well.
My 'tools' are pictured above, with this you will need around 500 ml of water.
We have a competition running on our Facebook page to entise people to have cool shaves in cool places, if you want to win 10 days in Mozambique check out our Facebook page and get shaving and clicking!
]]>
Die voordele van so 'n lewenstyl is baie, 'n skoner omgewing, 'n gesonder lewensstyl, en dit kan jou baie geld spaar (as jy nie vir allerhande foefies val nie). Wat die grootste indruk op my gemaak het, is die vereenvoudiging van 'n mens se lewe, hoe jy al hoe minder begin belangstel om 'goed' bymekaar te maak of te koop. Jy kry meer kans om rustiger te lewe, jy kry tyd om koffie te drink op jou stoep, of om net te sit en kyk en luister na die voels om jou, die lewe raak stadiger en lekkerder. Die 'Keeping up with the Botha's' probleem is by die deur uit, jou fokus het verskuif na wat goed is vir jou, jou mense en jou omgewing, wat ander van jou dink maak nie meer saak nie. Werk om jou huis word minder, om jou huis oor te verf is nou nie meer 'n prioriteit nie, as iets sy doel dien is dit goed so, of dit nou mooi of lelik is. Ek gaan koop nie meer 'n pakkie van 10 skroewe nie, ek gaan kry een by die buurman (in my geval my skoonpa wat op ons plot bly), en drink sommer koffie daar.
Wat my egter pla is hoe min mans betrokke is by die beweging, 99% van alle bydraes in die verband (plaaslik en internasionaal) word gemaak deur vrouens. Ek kry ook die gevoel dat daar met empatie na hulle pogings gekyk, so asof ons dink; "Ag, sy bedoel tog goed hiermee, kom ons koop maar 'n paar dromme om te help herwin', of 'Kom ons ondersteun vir mamma dat sy tog net voel sy dra by tot die huishouding/samelewing" Baie mans beweer ook hulle het nie tyd om na 'sulke goed' te kyk nie, wel, hierdie is juis iets wat vir jou meer tyd gaan skep, wat juis jou lewe gaan verbeter. Ander sal aanvoer hulle sit nie heeldag voor 'n rekenaar skerm en ruil raad uit oor waar om vleis te koop wat hormoon-vry is, of omgewings vriendelik verpak is nie, dan wonder ek, nou hoekom is die internet vol sinnelose plasings soos 'Toyota vs. Landrover' of 'Hallo julle, ek is in die mark vir 'n nuwe bakkie, en ek wil weet of ek model XYZ met swart of chrome buite-spieels moet vat?' Manne 'mors' net soveel tyd soos die vrouegeslag op die internet, so daai verskoning plak nie.
As ek by 'n braaivleis is en begin praat oor die toestand van ons omgewing dan raak almal stil, snaaks genoeg blyk dit asof almal heeltemal oningelig is oor die krisis waarin ons wereld hom bevind. Dis altyd die 'mense in die townships' wat so mors of 'my buurman wat te veel water gebruik' Die vinger wys altyd weg en niemand neem verantwoordelikheid vir sy eie aandeel nie. As jy 'n Suid Afrikaanse man is, is die moontlikheid baie groot dat JY die katalis is wat alle verandering in jou huishouding dryf, ons word oor die algemeen as sterk, koersvas en hoof van die huishouding beskou. Dit is so ongelooflik belangrik dat ons die onderwerp begin aanspreek, dat ons bewus en bekend raak met die posisie waarin ons onselfwers bevind, en dan daadwerklik iets daaraan doen.
Onthou dit is 'n reis, 'n baie interesante en lekker een om te neem. Om te sien hoe jou gesin en mettertyd jou huishouding en omgewing transformeer is uiters bevredigend. Neem jou plig op as hoof van die huis en begin om 'n plan te vorm en implementeer, ons kan nie bekostig om hierdie bus te mis nie...
]]>
Let's take P&G (Gilette) in our country as example. By what we can gather on the internet they employ between 300 and 800 people locally. They produce many lines of products, from disposable nappies to batteries, let's assume shaving products represents around 15% of their consumer products (based on listed popular brands). This would mean around 45 to 120 people produces and supplies the shaving products for 80% of a market that consist of around 38 million people (all thumbsuck figures).
By my estimates, around 10 000 clients would sustain a small business dealing in this type of product. It would create direct employment for 2, indirect employment for 4 more and support as many as 6 families. Work all 38 million shaving South Africans into this mix and you will create 6 080 new direct jobs, 12 160 new indirect jobs, and sustain around 18 240 families. So, in this segment small business vs corporate business translates to roughly 18 000 jobs vs 120! One solution of getting ahead as a country again lies in doing stuff ourselves and in keeping money from flowing to foreign owned companies.
The skills needed to produce such items are basic, and anyone with will, determination and a reasonable amount of practice can produce a high quality razor, brush or shaving soap, using mostly locally sourced materials.
Thinking about it logically, it simply does not make sense to spend African money on low-tech 'international' products where profits are taken out of the country, when you can support a local business supplying a similar or better product at a cheaper price.
The more companies come into existence and promote their products, the more consumers will be made aware that their monotonous choices in supermarkets can be replaced with exiting local offerings.
So come on guys, buy local, but please give feedback! Don't simply dump a supplier you are not happy with, please tell them the reasons for your unhappiness and give them an opportunity to reply and/or improve on their offerings.
Please support small business, even if our products might are not be exactly what you are after, you are helping us to develop into suppliers who will look after your interests. That is much more that any of the 'Big boys' can claim, and if you don't believe me, just see if you can get in a 'special order' at P@G...
]]>There are a few reasons for this life's lesson passing me by, for one, my dad sported a beard for much of his life (and to this day), and I suppose it was for this reason teaching his sons about shaving was not something that came to mind. Secondly, I still battled to get a bit of 'melkbaard' when finishing matric, I guess being 17 and blonde also played a part in my fluff taking its time to become anything close to resembling a beard. The biggest contributor to me losing out on this experience with my dad was the SADF though. As a white South African male, you were required to serve your country for a period of national service, those who had made plans for studying after school had exemption for their period of study, I had little direction at the time, so "Army" was my designated home for the next 2 years.
A lot can be said about the SADF and its members at this time, in my opinion it was a brilliant outfit, in fact, I have a theory that if every young man and women in our country was called up to serve in such a organisation, we would be one of the most prosperous, balanced societies in the world today. This blog is about shaving though, and not about becoming an adult, so let's get back on point.
We received a list of stuff that you had to take with you (very minimal). As most of our dad's were working, the onus fell onto our mothers to sort out this list, amongst it a razor and some shaving foam or soap, in SA context and in my opinion, this is where the corporates like Gillette and Schick secured lots of clientele. Not knowing much about shaving one's face, and wanting the best for her 'laaitie' my mom bought me the 'newest tech' on the market, a Gillette Twin blade 'Trac 2', and a can of foam. That was it, my shaving habits for the next two decades were determined by advertising, appearance and availability on the supermarket shelf. The art of shaving and the manliness about it had taken a second row to a rack of brightly colored hanging cards at the checkout counter. Quite sad really, but I suspect many of you had similar experiences; there was a time when shaving was one of the highlights of one's day, but the corporates turned it into a chore by telling us it needs to be fast, disposable and plastic.
Don't miss out on the chance to form a part of your son's life before trying classic wet shaving with a straight razor, safety razor and a brush. Online shopping, millions of instructional videos and a very wide range of cool products has made it possible for us to reclaim this domain reserved for dads & sons, and to once again start our day with a routine that brings a smile to our face.
]]>Well, a couple of things bugs me about this 'science'. Lets start of by saying cutting the hair so short that it retracts back under the skin could lead to ingrown hair, razor bumps, rash and all sorts of nasties. This means the manufacturers prioritized 'a closer shave' over the well being of your face...Bummer.
Conundrum number two has to do with the progression from two, to three and more blades. Now, when there was one blade, instruction to it was simple; 'Do the job'. Two blades complicated things a bit more; Number 1, you lift and cut, number 2 you only cut, just a bit shorter. Now this is where things get a bit blurry, with the progression to three, four, five and six blades the corporates must have spent an enormous amount of money to produce intelligent cartridges and blades, as sharing the workload would imply thousands of 'decisions' being made over split seconds during the few minutes it takes to shave your face! All the blades seems to know exactly how and when to lift which hair so the guy behind you can cut it even shorter. I have huge respect for these blades as they are able to allocate, share and the distribute the workload so effectively, that we have not seen a single dispute among billions razor blades worldwide! (if indeed there were, the UORB Union of overworked razor blades have been doing excellent work in motivating its members and avoiding unhappiness in the ranks). So... either highly intelligent, co-operative blades, or we have to assume that blade 1 is doing all the work?
My last question is just how many blades are we going to need to get the so called 'perfect shave', and why not simply skip all the blades in between and produce that one straight away? Does it take the numerous professional scientist and designers working at these manufactures ten years to figure out 'Hey, we might be able to add another blade!?' If this is indeed so, how the heck did these dimwits manage to produce these super intelligent razor blades?
Seriously guys & girls, consumerism driven by the drivel of marketing campaigns making use of high profile 'stars' to stuff their pockets has to end somewhere, you might as well start right here. Empower yourself and move over to a sensible, cool way of shaving and save yourself a bundle of money and the environment from loads of non-recyclable plastics, cans and chemical pollutants while doing so.
]]>
I want to post a few of blogs on reasons why I made this statement, and hopefully I can convert a few readers to join the ranks of men who enjoy classic wet shaving for various reasons.
If you told Rambo to use a multi bladed Lile Hibbens survival knife or a butcher to use a multi bladed cleaver to work their trades they would laugh at you. So would any reputable chef, hunter or fishmonger, even metalworkers and other tradesmen cut through inches of hardwoods, steel and other materials using a SINGLE SHARP BLADE. Why ? Because it is the most effective way of doing it!
A bit closer to home..You just did a perfect rump on the braai and want to enjoy it right away while it is still perfect, I hand you a steak knife with 5 blades spaced fractions of a millimeter apart, and a conventional knife with a single blade, which are you going to choose? I may not know the answer to this, but I know what knife will be finishing up your grub. The single bladed one.
Here is the thing, we all use tools with blades every day, and all of them have a single blade doing the cuttting (apart from a few special applications). We sharpen wooden pencils using a single blade, cut our biltong using a single blade,and slice through a 1 inch thick steak using a knife with a single blade, yet we believe that we need five blades to cut through the human hair, measuring 0.04 to 0,10 mm in width! For crying out loud, the human hair is even used as an informal unit to measure something of very small margin
If you are a multiple blade cartridge user, have a long hard think about the few facts I have just mentioned, if you see the light we would love to welcome you aboard, if not, please post the reasons why you feel multible blades are better than a single blade for shaving, I'd love to understand the thinking behind this sophism.
]]>I used an electronic scale to measure the weight of the soap and can after every shave, and recorded the result, as for the razors, I used them every day, cleaned them by stroking each tool away from the cutting edge for 5 cycles after every shave, and used it until it started pulling my stubble. The 3 blade cartridge lasted 8 shaves and the safety razor six, at a cost of R40 vs R 1,25 for each item individually I could already see where we were heading with blade cost alone.
The soap went a similar route; I used an average of 9 grams for every shave with the canned gel product, and 6 grams of the canned foam product, and an astounding 0.5 grams of shaving soap. I used this information to calculate how many cans and bars of soap one would use over a lifetime.
I suspect one would get an even wider difference when a very close two or three pass shave is a requirement, as one does not leave the foam/gel on a shaving brush or in a bowl, you rinse your hands before you shave and the excess lubricant is lost, this happens again on the second and third passes. Not being able to get the foam 'back in the can' is a killer for the economy of the canned stuff. When using a bowl and brush I could do a second and third pass with the same lather.
All the blades for 50 years of shaving fits in a shoe box!
The results were spectacular to say the least, 578 cans of shaving cream vs 31 large pucks of shaving soap. R 700 000 vs R 3200 if you keep on using the canned stuff bought periodically rather than going the brush and soap route and buying all your stuff now.
For this comparison I assumed you started shaving at 20 for half a decade, 6 days a week. I used the average inflation rate recorded in SA from inception until now. Sure, some blokes shave less that this, but some shave 7 days a week also The savings might drop for some and escalate for others, but the ratio's will remain similar.
The verdict;
Buy yourself a safety razor, brush and bowl, when using these tools you can buy all basic consumables you need for the rest of your life for around R 6 000. Keep on using your three, five or six blade razor and cartridge system with gel or foam products in a can and you will fork out R 2 300 000. This equates to a total cost ratio of 1:390... I know very well statistics and figures can be manipulated to create desired effects, but I don't think even the Gupta's statistician will be able to manipulate these figures into something that gets me to buy a 'mainstream product' ever again.
All of a sudden forking our a couple of grand on a fine handmade razor or brush does not bother me at all; I see it as rewarding myself for being very clever!
Some more info on this subject on our webpage.
]]>