The History Behind the Blade – St. Louis
While you’re reclining in a St. Louis Dapper Gents barber’s chair getting a good clean shave with an old-fashioned straight razor you might think to yourself, “What’s the story behind the shave?”
It may come as a bit of a shock, but shaving wasn’t always as dapper as it is today. In fact, cavemen liked to implement modern tools such as clamshells, flint knives, and even shark teeth as a means to keep their faces smooth and manly. Rugged Egyptians enjoyed a clean shave using circular razors made of copper or solid gold. In fact, razors were a sign of wealth and were buried with Egyptian royalty (you still need a good clean shave in the afterlife!). Alexander the Great wanted his soldiers to start shaving not only so they could look and feel gentlemanly, but also to prevent an enemy from grabbing (and thus ruining) their beards while in the midst of combat.
The modern straight razor started to take form around the 1820s when Michael Faraday suggested the use of silver steel as a blade. Soon the straight razor handle developed the delicate curved shape that is seen today and designs and etchings were added as personal touches. Royalty would even have their insignias branded onto the razor’s handle to really show off their style.
The 20th century was an important time for all men when straight razors became more affordable. Before then men could only get a nice shave on holidays or very special occasions. Today any man can get a quality shave with a straight razor, but only a truly sophisticated gentleman can pull off a clean-shaven face. Dapper Gents in St. Louis assures that every shave is guaranteed to make you a cleaner, sharper, and more dapper man.