Aficionados of wetshaving and longtime readers of this blog will be aware that there's a range of opinion to be had regarding the quality of Gillette double-edge razor blades, those in the blue package, affectionately dubbed "Swedes," being widely praised, those in the red package, allegedly for the Russian market, despised and feared, and those available in America falling somewhere in between. I myself love the Swedes and have never tried the others.
But what is this? A trip to Moscow? Now here's an opportunity: I figured I'd at least get some Russian blades and try 'em out, and probably some shaving soap, and even, if possible, maybe a razor or brush. Or a mug. Something.
Not a chance. Maybe it's because I'm staying in trendy Tverskaya Street, but I haven't seen any of the above old-fashioned stuff. I'd like to, but no: I have seen plenty of Gillette Fusion products (razors and blades and canned
shave foams), a fair number of Schick items, and some Nivea for Men. That's it.
Well, okay, that's not all of it: I saw six Rembrandts at the Pushkin Museum, but I can't shave with any of those, and even if I could, I can't see being allowed to bring them back to El Paso. Hell, even if I found an old Soviet military straight razor I'd have trouble bringing it out of the country: items 50 years old and older have to remain in Russia, by law.
So I return to Moscow tomorrow, and I don't have high hopes of success in my search for Russian wetshaving gear. I'll pick up a cake of Williams at CVS before I leave, and use it with what little is left of my Proraso tube. I'll still keep an eye open for the blades, but I'm not going out of my way again.
Items over 50 years old must stay in Russia? How the hell are you getting back?
*ducks*
Posted by: Mariah at December 11, 2009 04:56 PM