FAQ about shaving with a double edge and blade angle. Curious? Check out the article and photos http://www.shaveinfo.com/shaving-information/blade-angle.htm

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! UPDATES and SPECIALS Please check out our new section "Deal of the Day". Here you will find products on special for yourself or to give as gifts. Also take a look at the "What's New" section to stay up to date with new arrivals. Back in Stock: Gold Dachs (aka "Rivivage") European classic shaving soap from Germany

Whisker Pattern

When we talk to men about getting a more comfortable shave many have never considered their whisker pattern into the equation. Have you? What's your pattern?

Check out our article about how the direction of growth, aka grain, can affect your shave... Shaving - Whisker Pattern

Trumpers Shaving Products Update:

Correspondence today from Geo. F. Trumper in England suggests it will still be a while before we can update our "out of stock" for Limes Shaving Cream in the screw top tub and the tube. This is due to sourcing issues at this time for raw materials of the following products:

~ Limes Shaving Cream (Screw Thread Bowl and Tube)
~ Sandalwood Shaving Soap (Wooden Bowl and Refill)
~ Coconut Shaving Soap (Wooden Bowl and Refill)

Trumpers doesn't expect these products to be available again until December... They suggest customers look at the GFT fragrance as an alternative to the Extract of Limes as it fits firmly into the subtle tangy citrus & woody group.

While we are currently out of the Limes Shaving Cream, Em's Place Inc. is fully stocked with the Wooden Bowl and Refill soap items.

Check out our current Trumper Products

This week Merkur-DOVO representative, Ms. Rothstein from Solingen, Germany, visited us on her annual trip to the US.

As always, we had a good time visiting and here are some updates:

Straight razors - factory edge versus professionally honed edge: Customers shopping around for DOVO straight razors may notice some web sites offer what they call "professionally honed" razors either in addition to, or instead of, the DOVO factory edge. Because of this, DOVO is making it clear to merchants/vendors, and hence to the public, that any straight razors that are honed by someone that is not authorized by them voids the warranty. Therefore, a customer needs to be sure the company they purchase a professionally honed straight razor from is willing and able to accept the warranty responsibilities.

DOVO states that their razors are "shave ready" from the factory. This of course does not preclude the need for stropping before use. The use and care of a straight razor is an art as much as it is a function needing education and skills for use. While there is an initial investment of time and funds to get started, straight razors save money on blade replacement costs, can last generations when properly cared for and may give some of the closest shaves possible.

Timeline for products: The good news for merchants is the production time for DOVO straight razors has decreased from 6-9 months to 3-5 months. They now have more skilled workers that have moved up the apprenticeship ranks and have increased the number of grinders.

In regard to Merkur double edge razors and related products the shipping time to merchants has increased to about a three month backlog. According to Ms. Rothstein, worldwide demand has been growing with the US and Canada as the largest markets.

Gold plated items: Going forward the only remaining Merkur razors that will be available in gold plating are the 34G (heavy duty regular length handle) and the Futur double edge razors. Consistency issues in color tone variations due to product quantity for gold plating is part of the consideration for this decision. Therefore, once the stock of the other gold models are gone there will be no replacements.

Other discontinued products: In addition to the gold items talked about above, the Merkur chrome double edge travel razor will now only come in the leather pouch - the plastic one will no longer be available. The DOVO Renaissance straight razor blade will now come with a Spanish Oak handle. The DOVO red and black Bismarck straight blade will now come with an Ebony Wood handle with the Solingen logo laser etched with an antique gold wash.

Packaging: Merkur is going to be updating their packaging for safety razors based on an orange and blue-gray color scheme. This change will happen gradually and not to every item at once.... so you will start to notice those changes later in the year and into next.

Ms. Rothstein returned to Germany today. The factory is on holiday until August 15th.

News Updates and Summer Greetings:-)
	A) It's Official! The US Patent and Trademark Office has registered our logo... We decided to use a stylized "M" with the word Em's for several reasons: Because a) We have been selling online since 1997, and "Em's" brand/font is recognized as being associated with the Em's Place, Inc. brand of quality and naturally based wet shaving products, b) When addressing "Em" personally, it sounds like the letter "M", and c) Since the business specializes in Men's wet shaving products the letter further goes to the "M"ale body care segment...
B) Check out the social networking area of our web site in the upper right corner http://www.shaveplace.com/. We have added a Google +1 button viewable in most web browsers. Please take a moment to share our site with your friends and also give us a Google +1 click. What is +1 - Google says, The +1 button is shorthand for "this is pretty cool" or "you should check this out" and you can read more about it here http://www.google.com/+1/button/. C) We have added a Master Polls page where all of the currently running polls are compiled on one page http://www.shaveinfo.com/polls.htm. When visiting our web site please take a moment to answer a poll when you see one or have not already done so. They are random, so will change when the page is refreshed or you travel to another page on the site that has a poll. Have a great summer!

YEAH, spring and better weather is upon us...

A few new things to talk about. Please take a look at our newest Wet Shaving Essential Concepts video narrated by Mark Herro (aka @mantic59). We have also made some updates to www.shaveplace.com, especially in the Sale, What's New and http://www.shaveplace.com/Brush-and-Razor-Stands-and-Holders-s/23.htm categories - check it out.

Also, ShaveInfo now has a new look on the home page... and we have a poll asking "What is your favorite Em's scent' on several of our web properties so if you use our products please talk a moment to respond:-)

Hope everyone is having a great start to the new year:-) We
are getting organized after the holidays and have added a "What's New"
category on ShavePlace, check it out!

Also, take a look at our latest Video called "Inferior
Shaves?" Watch on ShaveInfo or YouTube ...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and yours!

Thank you to all of our customers and suppliers. 2011 looks to be even better:-) Oh, and look for new items in the coming year...

NEW items added to the web site:

_______________________________

From Merkur for 2010 - Just in:

Heavy duty satin stainless steel long handle safety razor. Turning knob at base of handle releases the screw rod top for blade replacement. 4" inch total razor length. Weight is approx. 5.2 ounces making this the heaviest model Merkur makes. This is a two part razor modeled after their barber pole design with a heavy weight stainless steel satin body finish.

_______________________________

Also by request we now have:

Double edge razor blade sampler pack. We have brought together our most popular DE blades for you to sample. Men have different styles of razors, different beard types and different techniques and not all blades perform the same in various circumstances. The answer: try a variety to see what works best for you.

As you may recall from an earlier post: this summer when I met with the Merkur/DOVO representative, Ms. Rothstein, she let me know that the Science Channel http://science.discovery.com/ and TV program "How It's Made" http://science.discovery.com/tv/how-its-made/ would be airing a segment on the making of straight razors. The segment aired this past Friday, October 8, 2010.

Since DOVO is located in Germany they couldn't see this segment so I sent a link to Ms. Rothstein. She enjoyed seeing how the clip turned out and said it's her hands in the final scene putting the straight razor into the metal box and cardboard sleeve and chuckled that her "hands are famous now:-) I laughed too because I knew it was her hands in that part of the video - having met her many times over the years...

In case you missed the making of DOVO straight razors clip check here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ACJrAI3SxM

Merkur/DOVO Updates:

Per Merkur/DOVO: The DOVO straight razor segment on the "How It's Made" TV show will air on The Science Channel Friday, Oct. 8, 2010 at 9pm EST. Check it out http://science.discovery.com/tv-schedules/weekly.html for the channel in your area.

On another note: Merkur also let us know that "due to technical problems with the machines at our gold platers, we will not have any gold plated MERKUR razors this year. Don't know yet when it will be fixed." Therefore, if you have been thinking about a gold plated Merkur double edge safety razor you may want to take action...

The Vicious Circle

Any of you not shave daily because you hate it and it irritates your skin? Or do you have sensitive skin? Today we are highlighting one of our articles called "The Vicious Circle". Read about why we think only shaving every few days can be the cause of shaving problems http://www.shaveinfo.com/Shave_info/vicious_circle.htm

If you haven't seen it yet why not check it out now!

ALERT and call to action! Why H.R.5786 - "Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010" may NOT be safe:

If you have sensitive skin and/or use (or interested in using) naturally based niche body care and shaving products please take time to read this post and help....

There is a bill that has been introduced into the House of Representatives called the "Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010" - but it is anything but safe! This legislation is not necessary and we already have the FDA. Do we really need more government bureaucracy and red tape at the expense of consumer choice and small business?

Here is a good article that explains what is going on http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/08/5-ways-the-%e2%80%9csafe-cosmetics-act%e2%80%9d-will-harm-consumers/ and another good resource http://naturalperfumersguild.blogspot.com/

Our company has been in business since 1997 and specializing in naturally based body care and wet shaving products. If the law makers get their way and this bill passes our customers my be forced to purchase mass-market heavily synthetic products without natural aroma and loaded with preservatives and synthetic colorants. For people like me and many of our customers who are sensitive to synthetically derived and man-made chemicals that would be devastating and bad for my/our health and skin!

In summary, it will cause many small business and naturally based body care manufactures to shut their doors. In addition, many natural ingredients could be banned. Why, well there are many opinions but mine is A) if a large mega-company can't control the market and the ingredient/s used in products then nobody should be allowed to and B) see "A".

I signed the online petition here http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/oppose-hr-5786-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010 and included this personal comment

"As a small retail business specializing in naturally based men's care my customers appreciate products that are not mass-produced and provide consumer choice. Driving the small business out of the space will only be a win for the mega producers and make less options available to the consumer and drive many small business "out of business". What happened to the day when small business was the golden child and not the self serving mega-corps who want to dominate everything. PLEASE, Don't squash the many from the rhetoric of the few with hidden agendas by enacting legislation that strangles and prices out the small business and their happy consumers who want alternatives."

Please help me by Opposing HR 5786. You can also write your congress http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/ or your senator http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

But MOST IMPORTANT: Please sign the online petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/oppose-hr-5786-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010

It only takes a minute. THANKS! Em

New Category Added

We have added a "For Women" category that provides traditional wet shaving information for women.

http://www.shaveplace.com/Wet-Shaving-for-Women-s/170.htm

Tidbit from Merkur/DOVO in Solingen, Germany:

"How It's Made", the TV show on the Science Channel http://science.discovery.com/tv/how-its-made/ filmed DOVO straight razor production prior to Merkur/DOVO representative Ms. Rothstein's summer visit to the US. In addition, they put together a narrative with with her assistance that will be a part of the 4 1/2 minute segment. It's supposed to air in the September/October time frame.

We will let you about the air date as soon as it is scheduled. I am looking forward to seeing it - should be interesting. The Science Channel in my area is on Direct TV Channel 284. Check your listings to see if you get this channel. Shop for DOVO straight razors.

Did You Know?

Summer is upon us and many brands of shaving cream will start turning to liquid once temperatures approach 95 degrees or higher. This doesn’t affect the performance, only the texture and consistency. Therefore, if you notice this has happened to your cream simply place in the refrigerator or cool location overnight. However, it may never return to its pre-heated state - which is normal under these circumstances. Use and enjoy because the lather is just as good either way.

Therefore, if you live in a hot climate or shaving cream has traveled through heat and it arrives liquefied you will know why. Side comment: the Em’s brand of shaving cream is more of a liquid to start and should just be shaken before using.

Em’s Resources and Web Sites Explained

Em’s Place, Inc. has three main web sites to serve our customers in the wet shaving community.

1 ) www.shaveinfo.com is our FAQ/Knowledge Base site for shaving and body care information and videos. We also have a YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/shaveinfo with several videos that are also included on shaveinfo.com

In addition, we now have a twitter account at http://twitter.com/shaveplace to keep up with what’s happening.

2) www.shaveplace.com is our new shopping site. The emsplace.com site currently being used by most of our existing customers will eventually merge into shaveplace.com. Changing technology has prompted this new site which provides more of the features our customers deserve.

Due to major changes in the database structure we will not be able to bring over existing customer accounts so please assign yourself a password the first time you shop on this site so you can enjoy all the features available - including the ability to track an order from your account. For first time checkout on this site select "proceed to checkout" (bypass "returning customers") and assign yourself a password to initiate the account features.

3) www.emsplace.com is our existing web site and has been for many years and will remain in place.

Conclusion: We hope you will find the new site easier to navigate, enjoy the more streamlined look and appreciate the expanded customer features. Please be sure to bookmark any of these sites that may be of interest and we look forward to serving you for many years to come. Thank you for your business! Em

Sneak peek: Our new web site at www.shaveplace.com

Since the last post we have been hard at work programming a new web site domain. With technology moving ever faster we had to look at different options. During the transition we will be running both www.emsplace.com and www.shaveplace.com. New products will be posted only to the new domain www.shaveplace.com. Please check out our new site and get use to its feel and function. If you notice any glitches please email info@shaveplace.com

Also visit our Information site at www.shaveinfo.com

Hi All, it's been awhile (well there's an understatement:-)

A lot has happened since my last post over a year ago, wow! The biggest change is location. Our main operations are now located on the central Oregon coast about an hour from our other location. We now have a larger facility to take care of customer orders and more room to grow. A major move always takes time, and getting use to finding where things are located can be a little disorienting... The other major change was incorporating the business on advice from our accountant. That too meant some restructuring and reorganizing.

Now it's time to get back on track updating the web site and looking at new ideas. You may have noticed a number of out of stock items by the end of this summer. We are starting to receive the holiday shipments so be sure to check for items that are now, or will be soon, back in stock.

Hard to believe we have been serving the wet shaving community for over a decade - actually since 1997. Thank you to all of our regular and new customers for your business.