When King Camp Gillette invented the first safety razor circa 1900, he probably knew he was onto a good thing. But would he have predicted his design – economical and effective – would still rule the world of shaving 120 years later? In a world of 2.0s, we expect constant iterations to blow old models out of the water. That’s not the case here. Done using the correct sequence, after about five seconds, the heat from the bristles causes the soap to foam and in the process cools the brush slightly, making for a safe, smooth lather. With a closed comb it takes a lighter touch than you might expect. Just take care not to drop it too often, as happy reviewers point out, it’s not entirely indestructible.

During the Ottoman Empire, barbers were like peddlers. They didn’t have shops. Barbers would shave people in Turkish coffee houses or on the streets. Sometimes they would go to customers’ homes and shave them there. These barbers were called “Perukâr”. Aram concurred on the question of hot water. “Using hot water is very important in case there are any microbes on the blade, and it makes the shave more comfortable and softer,” he said.And trust between barber and client is essential. After all, one of them is wielding an open razor.

While Tekin and Aram prefer to see their clients for a proper shave, there are a few fundamentals of any good shave – whether in a shop or at home. Then there are some razors that can’t be described in either of the above categories. The Leaf razor uses DE blades snapped in half and it can accommodate one, two, or three edges, on a pivoting head. It’s large razor head can make shaving in tight areas a challenge but it can make for an interesting diversion for the intermediate shaver who may want to cover large areas like the skull or legs. As time passes, if the master accepts that this child has the skills to make it as a barber, then the child can become an apprentice. But it still takes many years for him to master his craft.Finally, the razor itself is different. It has a single blade, rather than multiple blades, and it’s sharpened on both sides. This makes for a very close shave. What are the benefits of a Turkish wet shave? The comb style dictates the aggressiveness of the shave. “Closed is more common and safer for beginners,” advises Alex.