Let's start with the DE shavers.
In Bali, the local druggist had a couple of little plastic DEs, the Gillette Click and the Apache Click...
The Apache click was particularly interesting because of this little tidbit:
I didn't even know the American Safety Razor Company still made razors! Unfortunately there wasn't much else available in the shops I visited.
On the way back from Bali, we stopped in at Singapore for a day, and I made a beeline straight for Little India. I know just what I'd find...and I was right!
Cheap DEs!
There are some 3 piece shavers, and a couple of TTOs as well.
This was interesting...a three piece from China with a lovely copper colored travel case with included mirror. It was cheap as crap, about US$1, and of the expected quality. The others ranged in price from about US$2-US$3, and are of considerably better build. I particularly like the Indian made Concord TTO. I haven't tried any of them yet, so I can't speak to the use...but they're cool!
Then there are the expected creams:
Nothing too unique, but fun to be in a place where you can find them in shop after shop.
Way fun!
The thing of interest to straight shavers, particularly the rock hounds among us, are these bad boys:
These are two natural hones from Bali, of a stone known as Paras. Paras, according to my research, could be limestone, Tuff, Volcanic Pumice, or sandstone.
Based on the brief honing I did on a kitchen knife, I'm leaning toward tuff, because of some similarities in look and feel to the Japanese Nagura, though these seem coarser. It's a soft stone, but doesn't react to acids like limestone. It eats steel fairly quickly, and leaves an edge somewhat comparable to my Aoto, though a bit rougher. I'm thinking it might be a reasonable natural bevel setter. However, coming from Bali as it does, it might be pretty hard to find...I got mine in a huge market called Pasar Badung in the capitol Denpasar, where they were pretty plentiful at most of the little knife and sundry stands inside. My guide helped me negotiate the price from 50,000 Rupia (about US$5) down to 10,000 Rupia (About US$1) each...so if you're going to Bali, they surely can be had.
I searched in vain for old razors, though if I had had more time I might have been able to meet a village blacksmith (known as "Pende" in Bali) as they are still pretty plentiful in the countryside, though their steels tend to be recycled due to the lack of raw materials. I saw some of their work at the market, and the tourist crap was just that, but the kitchen knives and cleavers showed some real skill in my opinion...Next time, I'll see if I can't swing a visit.
So that's the shaving representation from Bali and SIngapore...the other stuff will pop up soon at my other blog, so keep an eye out!
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