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  SHAVING MADE EASY


  What the Man Who
  Shaves Ought to Know


  ILLUSTRATED


  PUBLISHED BY
  THE 20th CENTURY
  CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL
  NEW YORK




  COPYRIGHT, 1905
  BY
  THE 20TH CENTURY
  CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL




  THIS BOOK
  IS DEDICATED TO THOSE
  MEN WHO HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN
  SHAVING, IN HOPE THAT ITS CONTENTS
  WILL BE OF ASSISTANCE IN REMEDYING
  THEIR TROUBLES.




PREFACE.


The object of this little book is to furnish clear and full information
about the art of shaving. There are few men who do not experience more or
less difficulty in shaving themselves, and many who, after a few
unsuccessful attempts, give it up in dispair and go to the barber shop. We
believe most of these would much prefer to shave themselves if only they
could do as well as a barber.

The advantages, indeed, seem to be wholly with the man who shaves himself.
In the first place the shaving is done in the privacy of his own room. He
has his own razor, cup, soap, brush and towels, which can be kept
scrupulously clean and sanitary, thus avoiding the constant danger of
infection. There is no long wait for the call of "next." After the first
cost of the outfit there is nothing to pay, either for services or "tips."
Thus in point of time, money and health, the man who shaves himself is a
decided gainer.

There are few things in life that are really difficult to perform when one
thoroughly knows how to do them. Shaving is no exception. The art of
shaving can be easily acquired if one only has the will, and the necessary
practical information. This book, which, as far as we are aware, is the
only one treating the subject at all completely, endeavors to supply such
information; as well for the improvement of men accustomed to shave
themselves, as for the instruction of beginners. We believe that any man
who will carefully read and follow the instructions here given, will, with
some little practice, soon be able to shave himself easily and even better
than the barber can do it for him.




CONTENTS.


     I. The Shaving Outfit                     9

    II. The Razor                             11

   III. Care of the Razor                     19

    IV. The Safety Razor                      21

     V. The Hone                              23

    VI. How to Use the Hone                   29

   VII. The Strop                             37

  VIII. How to Strop the Razor                41

    IX. The Brush                             45

     X. The Cup                               48

    XI. The Soap                              50

   XII. The Lather                            53

  XIII. Instructions to Beginners             56

   XIV. The Right Way to Shave                61

    XV. Care of the Face After Shaving        74

   XVI. Irritation of the Skin--Its Cause
        and Prevention                        78




Shaving Made Easy

What the Man Who Shaves Ought to Know




I.

THE SHAVING OUTFIT.


First-class tools are necessary at the very outset. No matter how
skillfully one may handle inferior tools, they will invariably produce
poor results.

Probably as many failures have resulted from the use of poor razors,
strops, or soap as from the lack of knowledge how to use them. In order
that the best possible results may be attained, _good tools_ and _skill
in using them_ should go hand in hand.

The shaving outfit should consist of one or two good razors, a first-class
strop, a mirror, a cup, a brush, a cake of shaving soap, and a bottle of
either bay rum, witch hazel, or some other good face lotion. These
constitute what may be considered the _necessary_ articles, and to these
may be added a number of others, such as a good hone, magnesia or talcum
powder, astringent or styptic pencils, antiseptic lotions, etc. which,
while not absolutely requisite, will nevertheless add much to the
convenience, comfort and luxury of the shave.




II.

THE RAZOR.


The most important article of the shaving outfit is of course the razor,
and upon its selection your success or failure in self-shaving will
largely depend. Never purchase a razor because it happens to be cheap; a
poor razor is dear at any price. You want not the cheapest, but the best.

[Illustration: AN IDEAL RAZOR.]

A _good_ razor if rightly used, will last for years, and will be a source
of continual pleasure when used, whereas a _poor_ razor will do inferior
work, irritate the skin and make the face sore, and be a continual source
of trouble and annoyance. If you have such a razor, the sooner you throw
it aside and substitute a good one, the better.

The principal point to be considered in selecting a razor is the quality
of the steel. By "quality" is meant its _temper_ or degree of solidity,
and its consequent capability of receiving, even after a series of years,
a firm and fine edge. This is undoubtedly the first point to which the
purchaser should give attention. By what means though, can he judge of the
temper of a razor without using it? The unassisted eye is not sufficient.
Its power extends no further than to the discovery of defects the most
striking and injurious. The irregularities in a razor's edge, which arise
from improper tempering and lack of skill in working, are usually so
minute, that they may remain undistinguished until the razor is used. They
will nevertheless very sensibly add to the friction the razor produces on
the skin and particularly if it happens to be thin and tender. There are
two ways of judging of the temper of a razor; one of these is practically
infallible--viz:--the examination of the blade and its edge by means of a
microscope.

It will be readily admitted that the real excellence of a razor is in
direct proportion to the firmness and unbroken regularity of its edge.
When a razor is too brittle, in consequence of having been either to much
heated in the process of hardening, or not sufficiently cooled in that of
tempering, it cannot possibly take a good cutting edge, no matter how much
skill may be employed in honing and stropping it. Such defects are quickly
detected by the use of a microscope in the