Back to Glory: Razor Emporium and Shave Dad Collab Review

This weekend we’re marking 250 years. The birthday of America. Two hundred and fifty years ago this weekend those men put the whole thing together, and what a thing it was. So in the shave den, we’re going to look back as well. Not 250 years, but back to the early days of traditional wet shaving. Back to when King C. Gillette invented and patented the first double-edged safety razor in 1901, began producing it in 1903, and changed the way men shaved. That’s where this soap comes from.

Back to Glory

The soap is Back to Glory, a collaboration between Shave Dad and Razor Emporium, exclusive to Razor Emporium. Jerry and Matt got together and brought this one out, and the idea behind it is exactly what the name says.

There was a time when steel was built to last. The vintage razors Razor Emporium restores carry decades of history, craftsmanship, and character that modern manufacturing simply can’t replicate. Back to Glory was created to honor that tradition. The collaboration was inspired by the men of Shave Dad and the passion for restoring vintage tools. The belief that true quality never disappears. It simply comes back to life with care, attention, and a second chance.

Both Shave Dad and Razor Emporium share the same DNA. They’re both running toward the pre-cartridge era, not away from it. This collab is in perfect harmony with that.

The Razor and Blade

For the razor, I’m using the Gillette Heritage. This came out a few years ago in a nice case. At the time I thought they were going to start producing double-edged safety razors again. We were wrong. Gillette didn’t do that. They did come out later with a King C. Gillette double-edged safety razor, but it wasn’t like this one. This one is genuinely nostalgic. You can feel it.

Paired with the REX blade, though, I have to warn you: this is an aggressive combination. More aggressive than I remembered. If you run this setup, don’t press down. Let the weight of the razor do the work. Light passes only.

Building the Lather

The brush is the Chisel and Hound with a Pure Bliss knot. One of my favorite knots, period.

I scooped out the Back to Glory soap, pressed it into the bowl, wet the brush, rang it out slightly, and got the lather going. And right away, I could smell it. The lavender and cedar came through immediately. Wow. The lather came together fast and the loading was easy. This is a well-made soap.

The Shave

Two passes. With this combination, two passes was exactly right.

I’ll be honest: I did nick myself slightly under the nose on the first pass. That would be operational error. When you’re running an aggressive razor you have to slow down on the tricky spots and keep pressure off. My fault, not the razor’s or the soap’s. The residual slickness between passes was solid, which tells you something about the base.

Two passes, BBS. That close. That’s the Gillette Heritage for you, paired with a Rex blade.

The Scent

The scent notes on Back to Glory are bergamot, lavender, cedarwood, and amber. Clean, masculine, warm, and refined. That’s how they describe it, and based on building the lather, the lavender and cedar are the first things you pick up. On paper, bergamot up top and amber in the base should warm everything up and add some depth. It reads as a classic, well-chosen profile. Not chasing anything trendy. Just a clean, masculine set of notes that fits the name and the theme.

The Aftershave Splash

Back to Glory has a matching aftershave splash, and I used it to close out the shave. Same scent family, same character. I thought I’d cut myself worse than I had on that nick under the nose, but the splash set me straight. A little sting on one spot, nothing more. Good sign.

Using the soap and the splash together is the way to go if you can get both. They reinforce each other through the whole experience.

Sending a Vintage Gillette to Razor Emporium

I want to mention one more thing, because it connects directly to what this collab is all about.

My father-in-law passed away a few years ago. He left behind a Gillette razor. From what my wife and I have been able to determine, it dates back to the World War II era. It’s seen better days and needs restoration. So we’re going to send it in to Razor Emporium and have Matt work on it. They clean the razor up, repair what needs repairing, refinish it, and it comes back looking brand new.

That’s exactly what Back to Glory is honoring. That same care, that same belief that a good tool doesn’t have a shelf life if you treat it right. I’m wearing my Razor Emporium shirt in the video, and I mean it.

Availability

Back to Glory was available exclusively at Razor Emporium. If you want to pick this one up, check the Razor Emporium site.

Thanks for joining me in the shave den. If you found this helpful, please like, share, and subscribe. It helps the channel more than you know. Happy shaving, and I’ll see you on the next one.