Who still uses a safety razor?

[Steve Maskery]

In ye olden days, when I were a lad, well a student, anyway, Boots used to do factory tours. You could book a trip, free, and come home with a doggy bag of bootsy stuff. Shampoo, soap, toothpaste etc. They don't do that anymore.
Boots also had their own soap factory, before we all started using liquid soap. The soap factory has gone, too.

But I do remember seeing a soap press that made the shell-shaped shaving soap. The operator put in an ordinary bar of soap, pulled the handle and out came the clamshell soap. Same soap.

And talking of Boots soap - they had umpteen moulds for bars of soap. Each mould had a blank plug which could be replaced with the logo of whichever brand the soap was being made for. Palmolive, Cussons, that sort of thing. Some of the moulds were novelties, like teddy bears or ducks.

One day I was approached to make resin display models for each of these moulds, and a display cabinet to house them in. I can't remember what I quoted, but I do remember realising afterwards that I had been paid a pittance. There were a few dozen of them.

The reason they outsourced it, apparently, was that the resin was supposed to be handled in a fume cupboard and so it would fail H&S. But it was OK for me to do it in my kitchen.

 

[Jonzjob]

I thought that a kitchen was the same as a fume cupboard? Ours is :shock: :shock:

I once made a grp nose cone for my Geoffery-Relaint 850 racing car in our bothroom. That marriage lasted 8 years, but at that point I thought it was going to finish after 8 months :? :? Not sure why :?

 

[Benchwayze]

I thought that a kitchen was the same as a fume cupboard? Ours is :shock: :shock:

I once made a grp nose cone for my Geoffery-Relaint 850 racing car in our bothroom. That marriage lasted 8 years, but at that point I thought it was going to finish after 8 months :? :? Not sure why :?

Come on Jon, we both know that in the forces, ceasing shaving was just a way of being confined to barracks, for a month. It meant you saved up a nice little sum of money, and you didn't actually receive Jankers! If you became addicted to being hirsute, it must be because you like tasting your soup twice! :lol:

Cheers

 

[Jonzjob]

At that time I had finished with jankers and had 3 stripes on me arm. I was the only senior NCO in a Mess of 1500 with a beard, and proud of it :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

My ex was a nurse in the families centre and because of that I got to know all the MOs. I had ingrowing hair under my chin and had to get no shaving chits from time to time. I asked one of the MOs if I could have one for the last year in the Mob. No was the answer, but I got one for 3 months on a renewable basis. Hence my last year in was hair-suite.

I ain't shaved since. In a similar vein neither SWMBO or me have used sham-poo for the last 24 years AND I do not have dreadlocks, just clean short hair 8) 8)

 

[Benchwayze]

Well I couldn't grow a 'set' if I tried John.

I did once try in Malta, but after two visits to the Captain's Table, for a decision, he finally said no! And as the NAvy required you to have a full set or nothing, that was it; I shaved regularly every day since; unless I had got blattered the night before, and wasn't too steady handed!

 

[Jonzjob]

Now? Malta? Funny that you should mention that?

My first visit to Malta I didn't have a beard and couldn't grow one either. But my excuse was that I was only 10 :? My 'old man' was stationed at Luqua and we lived in Kalkara Creek for most of the 2 1/2 years we were there.

I did go to both of the 'fishead' schools though, Verdala and Talhandaq (fisheads = members of the navy. Penguins = Fleet Air Arm, "all flap, no fly" :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: )

This time 2 weeks from now we will be there again and I will still have my beard 8) 8) Straight Street is still there and apparently in business, if not so much of it :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Not that a 10 year old was interested in it :?

I too joined as a boy. A Boy Entrant at St Athans. After 18 months I swore that I would never ever go back and I haven't. It was the crappiest place it's ever been my misfortune to be stationed at!