My love affair with watches, men's stuff part sixteen

My love affair with watches began in the 4h grade when I received my first Timex wristwatch. It had a simple white face encased in stainless steel with black Arabic numbers, and its only "complication" was a sweep seconds hand. I remember carefully synchronizing my Timex with the school bell so I could count out the seconds for the end of the day, or secretly timing events with the sweep second hand.

In Junior High, for Christmas, I received my second watch. It was a digital Texas Instruments with red LED (like the one pictured above). You had to press the button to display the time, and the red numbers were so dim you couldn’t make them out in daylight, but it didn’t matter. In my mind I was James Bond. I had seen Roger Moore wearing the Hamilton Pulsar in the 1973 movie Live and Let Die and I thought digital was the height of cool. From there, my watch collection just began to expand; and today, it’s not unusual for me to strike up conversations with fellow watch aficionados on airplanes or social situations.

My love affair with time pieces continues. Below are some blog posts I wrote about some of my watches:

The Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso, men's stuff part twelve

The Seiko Professional Divers Watch, men's stuff part ten

The Hamilton Jazz Master, men's stuff part eight

The Rolex Submariner, men's stuff part three

(Photos- The top photo is what my Texas Instruments Watch looked like. Sadly that watch disappeared years ago, so the snapshot is just off the net. The lower photo however is my actual Rolex Submariner in its case.)

WatchTime Magazine - This is, in my opinion, the best watch publication for people wishing to learn more about the watch industry. Unlike many other watch magazines, WatchTime is extremely well written. It doesn’t just have a lot of pretty photographs with rewrites of company marketing copy.

Portero.com – This is a legitimate site for collectors wishing to buy or sell their watches.

-JP

Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso, men's stuff part nineteen.

Let's talk men's watches.

In terms of quiet elegance for daily life, my Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Grand Taille (pictured left) takes the grand prize over all the other watches I own.  It was a Christmas gift from my wife in 2013 and I've grown very fond of it over the past year. 

As a watch enthusiast I had lusted over the Jaeger Reverso for a number of years, but was on the fence about my next major watch purchase between a Reverso or a PaneraiLuminor 1950 GMT. I had finally decided on the Reverso, and was actively pondering which Reverso model I was going to purchase when my wife gave me the Christmas surprise.

My wife’s choice for me was a simple stainless steel GT with only one complication- a small inside dial for seconds.  The strap is light brown alligator leather with a stainless steel butterfly clasp assembly.  I also have a second alligator strap in black. The watch tastefully understated. It's an inconspicuously branded luxury good that is likely to be recognized only by other watch aficionados/enthusiasts.

For a watch enthusiast, the Reverso requires no introduction.  Its art deco design still shines as brightly today as when it first made its worldwide splash with the café society in 1931. The watch was supposedly designed for British military officers who played polo in British Colonial India.  The polo players kept breaking their watch crystals during play, and the Reverso solved the problem by enabling them to “swivel” the crystal face into a reverse position- exposing only the metal back. Hence the name, "Reverso."

Originally the back was a plain metal surface, but with time, Jaeger LeCoultre began decorating the backs of Reversos with everything from the watch owner’s initials to elaborate designs infused with diamonds, enamel, and other creative resources.  One model, the Reverso Duo, has a second watch on the back that can be used like a GMT for a second time zone.

Today, the Reverso is still considered Jaeger LeCoultre signature watch and is available in multiple models, with a large variety of complications, and ranging in size from the small classic size measuring only (L x W) 38.5 x 23.1mm, to the new large Squadra models measuring a full 50.5 x 34.9mm.

In addition to the Reverso collection, Jaeger sports a number of watch lines on its official website, most of which are in traditional round faces.

The company, Jaeger LeCoultre, has been around since 1833 and has had quite a history with royalty, celebrities, and the infamous.  For example Queen Elizabeth II wore a Jaeger 101 movement on her coronation day, and the scoundrel mountebank Bernie Madoff had a Reverso Dou that was seized and auctioned off after his fraud conviction. 

One Caveat- Size Matters when it comes to choosing your Reverso

Having sang its praises; the caveat with the Reverso is its size.  For many men today, who are used to large watches, the original classic size feels too small- at only 38.5mm by 23.1mm.  I think this is the reason Jaeger introduced the uber-sized “Squadra” Reverso that measure a wrist imposing 50.5mm length and 34.9mm width.

Size then, not the complications, was my main concern when choosing my Reverso.  A couple of online bulleting board comments, from dissatisfied purchasers, had stuck with me.

One disappointed purchaser stated he had had to trade in his classic sized Reverso for a Squadra Reverso, at a significant monetary loss, because he simply could not get used to the small size.  With the classic, he had always felt like he was wearing a ladies watch.  (If you want to see how small it looks on a man’s wrist, Google photos of Mad Men’s Don Draper for the first season.)

A second frustrated purchaser also made a size comment. He complained his Reverso was too long in length, and uncomfortable.  What he meant was that because the Reverso pivots, the watch back case is flat and it does not curve to the wrist upon its length like some square watches do.  As a result the purchaser complained that the watch was always slightly uncomfortable on his wrist, and because of this, he didn’t wear it often.  I believe the model he was referring to was the Ultra Thin model.

 

From here you can see the flat back back surface, no curvature to the wrist. For the blog photo, I removed the watch's serial number which is etched on the bottom below the emblem.

Lastly, I had personal reservations against a Squadra Reverso because (A), I felt the oversized Squadra Reverso lacked the elegance of a more traditional Reverso, and (B), I thought the Squadra would be too big for my wrist. My wife had the same thoughts about the Squadra models when she was shopping for my watch. 

For me, my wife’s gift of a Reverso Grand Taille (GT) was the perfect “Goldilocks” size for my wrist.  At 42.2mm Length and 26mm Width, it’s both comfortable and elegant, and fits well underneath my shirt cuff.  It’s the opposite of today’s monster sized overstated watches.  At the same time, I don’t feel I’m wearing a woman’s watch.  I think my wife made a great selection with my Grand Taille.

If you want to get an idea of how it looks on a man’s wrist from different angles and distances, catch the 1999 movie “The Thomas Crown Affair.”  In it, Pierce Brosnan's character, Thomas Crown, wears a Reverso Duo, which is the exact same size as the Reverso GT.

As an interesting aside, the Reverso worn by Pierce Brosnan in "The Thomas Crown Affair" was actually owned by him (it's said hes' a big Jaeger fan), but the "Jaeger LeCoultre" lettering in the face was edited-out in close-ups of the watch. Presumably this was because Brosnan had a promotional contract with Omega at the time due to his James Bond films.  

 

With my pen and reading glasses, this photo provides size scale for the watch.

One last caution- in the online watch review by “The Talking Hands,” one of the online reviewers warned, “They should warn you that these things are made of butter.”  He was observing that just as the watch is extremely beautiful, it is also extremely vulnerable to scratching.  I have found that to be true even of my stainless steel model due to the high polish finish. You do have to be mindful while wearing it.

For more information on these beautiful watches, I've placed below a couple of YouTube Links.  

One is a short 13 minute review of the Reverso by “Talking Hands," specifically the Grand Reserve with an 8 day power-reserve-indicator on the back. This is the one where we are warned about the watch's "butter" like delicacy to scratching.

The other is a simple demonstration of the pivot action of a Reverso GT. Incidentally, it does show the "correct" way to flip your Reverso.  Push it in halfway (left to right), then flip the face to the back, then push the rest of it in sideways until it locks in place (again, left to right). This prevents accidental scratching of your Reverso.

-John P.

If you're a watch enthusiast, here are some additional watch related posts:

The Seiko Professional Divers Watch, men's stuff part ten

The Hamilton Jazz Master, men's stuff part eight

The Rolex Submariner, men's stuff part three

Gordon Gecko (Michael Douglas) wearing a stainless steel Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso GT with brown strap in "Money Never Sleeps," the sequel to the classic 1987 movie Wall Street.

.

Acqua Di Parma, men's stuff part five

For Christmas 2006, my wife gave me a new cologne, Acqua Di Parma. I had run across some references to it during hobby reading, and I was curious.

Acqua Di Parma is an Italian citrus based scent first made in 1916. After many years of being relegated to an isolated niche product, the fragrance was purchased in 1994 by three investors. The new owners then expanded distribution to reach the eager dollars of the Hoi Polloi. The company claims it was “THE” cologne among the beautiful people in the 30s and 50s, and drops the names of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. (Of course the fact that they’re both dead makes corroboration difficult at best.)

For my part, I’ve taken a fancy to it. It’s more declarative than my beloved Trumper’s Extract of Lime, but to its credit it does tastefully dissipate when properly applied. I’ve worn it for the month of January and I haven’t tired of it.

The package paper describes it as combining more than ten natural ingredients (no knock-off lab synthetics) to produce "smooth notes of Sicilian citrus, rose, & lavender with base notes of oriental woods." And to its credit, it's not boring like say the traditional (and overly known) prep scent of Eau Sauvage. It's definitely something different and has the flair Italian craftsmanship is known for.

If you’re looking for an alternative, I would recommend giving Acqua Di Parma a try.

The only caveat I’ve had is that it came in a spray bottle, and hence impractical for air travel with the new security limitations on liquids. If you pack it in your wet pack with your checked luggage, the altitude may affect the spray pump. I’ll have to see what is available in plain bottle format for future use.

JP

(For related subject matter see September 16, 2006 entry, “On Wet Shaving, men’s stuff part two.)

The Rolex Submariner, men's stuff part three

Bond: You expect me to talk Goldfinger?

Goldfinger: No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!

As a boy I saw the Rolex Submariner watch for the first time in the opening scenes of Goldfinger. In it, Sean Connery sets explosives at the bad guys’ base while in scuba gear, changes into white-dinner jacket, and then nonchalantly waits for the charges to go off. His clothing changed from commando-action-gear to sophisticate evening wear, but the watch remained the same; a Stainless Steel Rolex Submariner. I was hooked.


I’m not alone in this. If you carry on a conversation with a Submariner owner long enough, eventually you will hear some similar James Bond childhood influence.

The watch is about the size of an Oreo Cookie (40mm) and fits comfortably on the wrist despite its thickness. It’s water proof to 300 meters or 1,000 feet. (This means it can go places you can’t go.) It has a uni-directional black bezel to mark elapsed diving time. It also has an extension link on the stainless steel bracelet so that it can be worn over a wetsuit.

Most men will never use the diving features. (Lord knows I haven’t.)

What I do use frequently is the bezel, which is marked in minutes, to monitor elapsed time on flights or tasks. The glow-in-the-dark-face is also easy to read in low lighting situations.

Its technical specifications, while impressive, are of little relevance to aficionados. Instead, if you had to define its appeal in one blurb, it would this- the watch is manliness defined, period.

The watch is unaffected and masculine. It runs the gamut world wide. I’ve seen it on the wrist of a successful stockbroker in Manhatten; and I’ve seen it on the wrist of a bus driver in Rome. The Stainless Steel Submariner is the ultimate go-to-watch for a man. It can fit every occasion. It goes well with every outfit, every activity, and doesn't look ostentatious.

Aside from the basic stainless steel Submariner, there are also Submariner versions with yellow gold embellishments and blue faces, as well as a 50th anniversary model with a green bezel. As a purest, I’ve always held men who wear gold modified models as suspect. A man wanting an ornate dress watch would be better served to purchase a gold Oyster Perpetual Day Date or similar IWC, Patek Phillip, Zenith or Jaeger-LeCoultre offering.  (And please don't get me started with the after-market-bling-jobs I've seen in which diamonds or other precious stones are added to the watch face. Trust me, they don't impress.)

As a point of humor on this, I was once in the middle of a software sales presentation with the owner of a business and his key subordinates, when one his lieutenants cut in, “I don’t know boss, this guy is wearing a Rolex. I think he’s going to take us downtown on the price.”

The owner replied, “No, No, it’s OK. It’s only stainless steel. It’s the jackasses with the gold ones that you have to worry about.”

John P.

Postscript-

OK let’s answer the basic question: Is the Rolex Submariner really a super 007 action watch?  Is it in fact virtually indestructible? The evidence says yes.  Remember it is stainless steel, and waterproof to 300 meters.  That translates to about 433 pounds per square inch on not only the metal case, but the crystal as well.

However there are two caveats.

The first is that if you plan to use this watch for business wear, you need to be aware that the stainless steel on the Submariner will scratch, especially on the wrist bracelet. If you have nice things, you have to take care of them.

The second caveat is more important. Like Achilles, this watch does have a weakness – the winding crown.  While screwed in place, the crown guard does a great job of protecting it, but while unscrewed (for winding or changing the time) it is the one delicate part of the watch you will come in contact with.  Remember to treat it gently. This will save you the embarrassment and expense of an unnecessary repair.

An added benefit, chicks dig the watch

Labradors dig the watch too. When I can’t find my Submariner I know it’s because my Chocolate Lab “borrowed” it. (She is after all, a "watch dog.")


My Chocolate Lab is a little far-sighted resulting in nose prints on the crystal. Fortunately she periodically licks them off. (The watch reads 7 pm, that's really 2 am in dog time.)


"So when are we going to get a Rolex Pepsi GMT like Tom Selleck’s?"


Detail close up of my Submariner, sans nose prints, next to my wedding ring for scale.

My Love Affair with Watches, men's stuff part 16

My Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso 

My Hamilton Jazz Master

My Seiko Divers Watch

-J.P.

Easter Day with a Cuban gift; men’s stuff part sixteen

I celebrated Easter with a Cuban “Romeo Y Julieta Short Churchill Tubo” - pictured left. It was a gift from a relative (Mr. T) during Lent and I was overjoyed to get it.

I’m not sure if he researched it prior to gifting, but he hit a home run with this present. This Short Churchill was the top rated robusto cigar in the February issue of Cigar Aficionado Magazine. The filler, binder and wrapper are from Cuba, and it scored a near perfect 93.

A robusto is defined as a short-fat cigar, usually around 5 1/2 inches long with a large 50 or so ring gauge. It's supposed to be more intense than average, and recommended as an after dinner cigar. This Romeo Y Julieta was mild and pleasant, not the least bit overwhelming or harsh. I’m happy to report that the tube did its job and delivered the cigar in perfect condition.

Thanks Mr. T!

-John P.


For more info on cigars, visit my post "On Cigars, men's stuff part thirteen."

How to Wax your Barbour Beaufort Jacket

OK, a lot of hits and questions on how to wax a Barbour.

If you’re only now getting around to it, you will need to invest a little bit more time and effort into the process.

Ideally the jacket should have already been cleaned and re-waxed during a hot summer day. The hot sun and weather keeps the wax melted and hence easier to work with. In the fall or winter, the wax keeps congealing and makes the entire effort more taxing.

The supplies you will need are: a bowl of ice water, a sponge, a tin of Barbour Wax (pictured in this post), a pot of hot water to boil the Wax tin in, an old cotton t-shirt, and a hairdryer.

You will also need a good work area with a table (that won’t be affected by wax) and a place to hang the jacket. (I use a screened in back porch with a tiled breakfast table.)

The process is the same for a sylkoil jacket.

Step one, clean the jacket. Put the jacket on a work table, and using a bowl of ice water and a sponge, wipe down the outside of the jacket. The ice water keeps the wax on the jacket hardened and helps the sponge separate the dirt out. (Don’t use soap of any kind. Don’t put the jacket in the washing machine. I'm told that would remove the wax coating permanently.)

Step two, open the tin of wax and boil it in a pot of water over a stove, until the wax is melted.

Step three, using an old cotton t-shirt, work the melted wax onto the jacket, paying particular care to the seams, pockets and edges. (This is the part that’s harder in winter because the wax keeps solidifying on you). Ideally you should keep the wax tin in the hot water while working in order to keep the wax melted.

Keep the wax away from the corduroy collar, inside of the jacket, and inside of the pockets.

Keep your actions small and controlled so as to not make a mess. Clean as you go.

Step four, once you have re-waxed all the surface, hang the jacket up and use the blow dryer to re-melt the wax on the jacket and give it an even finish. This also gives the jacket a nice shiny fresh look.

Hang the jacket and allow it dry overnight undisturbed.

Please be aware the jacket will bleed excess wax for a short while after being re-waxed. So be courteous to others in this regard. For example if a stewardess asks if she can hang up your jacket, decline, and store it in the overhead bin over your own stuff. That way you don’t get wax on somebody’s sport coat or suit jacket.

Darwin Alert- On a humorous note, I once read a post from some person claiming to have thrown their waxed Barbour in the dryer and making a tremendous mess. Don’t go there. Use a hair dryer.

Purchasing Barbour Wax Dressing- In the U.S., the easiest way to get a tin of Barbour Wax is to log onto Orvis.com , and type in “Barbour” in the search field. That will bring up a page of Barbour products which should include the wax. The official Orvis description is: “Barbour Thornproof Dressing (SI8981)” The current price is $12.00. Instructions for re-waxing the jacket are written on the can.

Ongoing Cleaning- During the winter you may want to clean your jacket. Just repeat the cleaning step with the sponge and the bowl of ice water. Afterwards, use a blow dryer to dry it and to even out the wax again. You’ll get the nice shiny gloss finish once more.

Finally a warning note, it's too late to send your jacket back to Barbour for re-waxing. If you send your Barbour back this late in the year, you probably won’t see your jacket back until summer 2008. Those guys are slow.

John P.

(For related content read September 3rd 2006 post, "The Barbour Beaufort Jacket, men's stuff part one.")

Click here for a reader's question on smell.

On Wet Shaving, men's stuff part two

In the movie Bull Durham, one of the main characters states that “the world is not made for those of us cursed with self-awareness.” Wet shaving is just the opposite. Wet shaving is suited for the man who wants to elevate his everyday life above the pedestrian. It adds pleasure to the day’s routine, provides a pensive time for the thinking man, and results in a much closer shave.

First let me define wet shaving for the unwashed. Wet shaving is using a shaving brush, shaving soap and hot water to properly lather the face for shaving. It takes more time than the alternative shaving methods, but the results are a closer shave with less skin irritation and a more pleasurable experience.

I first became aware of wet shaving in 1985 when I attended mountaineering and rappelling school on Cheju-Do Island. I was an army sergeant at the time assigned to the Joint Security Area on the Korean DMZ. The school was a junket of sorts, a reward for good job performance.

Multiple courses were going on at the same time, and students from different courses shared the same sleeping barracks. Sharing our barracks were a bunch of Brits who seemed to be undergoing a more serious course than ours. For the most part they kept to themselves. They looked fit, with a bit of a roughish air, but they were disciplined, not unruly. What I remember most about them was that they had these beautiful wet packs (shaving kits) which seemed in stark contrast to the rest of their appearance and demeanor.

Their use of a shaving brush, and the lathering up of the soap with hot water got my attention. It struck me as an elegant solution to a daily chore. I remember it also made me feel dissatisfied with my can of foam and throw away razor.

Years later my wife gave me gave me wet shaving gear for my birthday. Since I was new to wet shaving, she gave me shaving soap from two companies (Geo F. Trumper and D.R. Harris) so I could decide what I liked better. For the actual shaving gear, she gave me an Edwin Jagger set (similar to the set pictured at the start of this post). Over time, she gave me additional gear (for Christmas or birthdays) so that I now own my own a complete travel set of Trumpers gear.

At this point I should say that wet shaving gear can be expensive (Best badger hair brushes can be pricey.) For many that’s part of its allure. It’s both snobbish and traditional. Some of the companies supplying the gear have been around for over 100 years and hold Royal Warrants. New comers to the practice will find a wide variety of products available.

For me the main appeal is that what used to be a tiresome delay in my morning, is now a pleasure. For the ten minutes it takes me to wet shave, I contemplate my objectives for the day as I enjoy the tactile sensation of the warm foam and smell of the soap. I also enjoy the feeling that I know something the great majority of men don’t know. Vanity also comes into play. The result is a much closer shave than that possible by using canned foam. And let us not forget, that when other men see your shaving gear at the gym, the invariable response is “Is that your gear? Coool…”

As for the actual mechanics of wet shaving, the secret to a good wet shave are simple. One, use plenty of hot water; and two, let the soap and razor do the work. Don’t press down with razor like you do with foam from a can. (In this regard it’s like golf where you let the club do the work.)

The shaving soap can be purchased in both hard soap (in a wooden bowl), or in cream (either in a tub or travel tube). A wooden bowl of hard soap can last a long time if you’re frugal minded. The cream is more expensive as you go through your supply much faster. Both types of soap are available in a variety of odor types.

There are various methods of shaving, and I won’t cover them here. It suffices to say that the shaver decides what method is best for him. Mine is simply three passes for reduction: One with the grain of the beard (down). The second pass is sideways, from the outside of the face (ears) towards the center (mouth). The last pass is against the grain (up). I lather fully for each pass.

After reduction I put on skin food. Skin food helps seal and protect your skin after the shave. After sampling different products, I finally settled on Trumper’s Extract of Limes Skin Food. I also do any finishing required using the skin food to elevate low level bristle in the fat of the cheeks or other difficult areas.

Finally on Cologne. If it’s a normal business day, I put on Trumper’s West Indian Extract of Limes Cologne which is very subtle. If I’m going out on a date with my wife, or a social occasion, then I use D.R. Harris’s Arlington Cologne which is more “declarative.” Both are citrus based.

Geo F. Trumper has been around since 1875 on Curzon Street in London, and has held Royal Warrants from various monarchs. Trumper’s is probably the single most recognized name in wet shaving and is considered by many to be the apex.

On the business of Royal Warrants; Royal Warrants are given to companies (tradesmen) who sell goods or services for at least five years to the British Royal Family. All business is conducted on a strictly commercial basis. (No freebies for the Royals.) The warrant symbolizes an endorsement by the Royal that can be used by the company. The Royal receives no compensation for the warrant. Currently, three members of the Royal Family grant warrants; Her Royal Majesty the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen Mother, recently deceased, also granted warrants. The warrants from the Queen Mother will continue for five years past her death.

What does a Royal Warrant mean in American English? By plucking down thirty bucks for a tub of shaving cream you can skip the six-degrees-of-separation stuff and claim you have something directly in common with the Queen.

The second company I’ve mentioned is D.R. Harris. D.R. Harris has been around since 1790 on St. James Street and like Trumpers has held numerous Royal Warrants. Its latest warrant was granted in 2002 by HRH Prince of Wales. It also has a colorful history as it is located in the “heart of the Gentleman’s Clubland” in London. Part of their product line used to be eye drops and Pick-Me-Up elixir to perk up a Gentleman after a hard night of frolic in the clubs. The eye drops have been discontinued, but the Pick-Me-Up is still available. D.R. Harris proudly boasts to having supplied the needs of customers ranging from “Ambassadors and Statesmen, Field Marshals and Admirals, to rakes and dandies – all those who appreciate quality and distinction.”

While the evolution of internet commerce is a welcomed benefit to those of us not living in London, there are three basic problems you will face getting started. One is that a website cannot give you the ability to actually smell or sample the product prior to buying. The best you can do is to carefully read the description of the product before ordering. The second issue is that for some reason Brit’s haven’t really figured out how to design effective websites. You will find both the Trumper and D.R. Harris sites cumbersome. Finally, you will be left the task of teaching yourself, by trail an error, your own best practices for wet shaving.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in the Austin Texas area, there is a specialty shop called Enchante that carries both Trumper and D.R. Harris. It’s owned by Charles & Jean Roberts, and if you set up an appointment, Charles will help you get started. He also does wet shaving clinics for new practitioners of the art. Charles is very enthusiastic about converting the unwashed heathens of the world to saved souls who practice wet shaving. In fact he practically militant about it. His mode of operandi can be best described as highly energetic and earnest. (Oh and a word of caution, stay off politics.)

A complementary word on Charles’ store…In January 2004 I was shopping in New York City during a cold front and I stepped into a store specializing in men’s shaving gear to duck out of the cold. I forget the name of the store, but it was across the street from the Brooks Brother’s store on Madison Avenue. I remember noticing the New York Store’s selection was not as intensive as Charles’ store in Austin. In short, you may find a pilgrimage to Austin worthwhile.

The only alternative I’m aware of to an Austin shaving clinic is to set an appointment and travel to Trumper’s barbershop in London which could be considerably more expensive and time consuming.

Finally, there are numerous providers of wet shaving stuff. I did not mean to suggest that you should limit your search to Trumper’s or D.R. Harris. I meant only to show the example of my own travel and preferences in this area. Additional merchants include Truefitt & Hill (which also holds a Royal Warrant), Coate’s, Taylor of Bond Street, and Simpsons Brushes, just to name a few. Some of the providers can be purchased at department stores like Nordstrom. And then there a number of companies that have sprung up across the U.S. like “The Art of Shaving.”

If by writing this I have saved one poor soul from the boorish practice of extracting foam from a can, or worse, electric shaving, then my work here is done.

John P.