Thomas Hargrove
Traditional Wet Shaver — 20+ Years of Craft
My grandfather handed me a double-edge safety razor when I was seventeen and told me that anything worth doing was worth doing properly. I didn’t fully appreciate that lesson until I was in my late twenties, shaving badly with a five-blade cartridge razor, and finally got fed up enough to dig out that old DE. I’m Thomas Hargrove, and that frustrated moment twenty-three years ago started a practice that has genuinely improved my life in ways I didn’t expect.
Over two decades, I’ve worked through hundreds of razors — vintage Gillettes pulled from estate sales, modern precision-machined safety razors, straight razors I had to learn to hone myself, and almost every serious brush and soap combination you can name. I keep notes on everything: blade feel, lather quality, how a razor handles difficult spots, and whether something holds up after years of daily use. I’m not interested in hype. I want to know what actually gives a close, comfortable shave.
ClassicBlade is for men who are curious about traditional wet shaving — whether you’re completely new to it or already deep in the hobby. I’ll give you honest reviews, practical guidance on building a kit that suits you, and the kind of straightforward advice that helps you enjoy the shave instead of obsessing over the gear.