I put away my cartridge razor

[Tmuir]

9 hours ago, TexasDon said:

 I also use a silvertip badger shaving brush, a hand thrown mug and an artisan produced shaving soap. Shaving each morning is a pleasure, not a chore.

My budget didn't stretch to a silvertip badger brush, I settled for a best badger brush which is one down from silvertip.

I bought one of the apothecary style mugs, but can see me replacing that for a hand made one at some point in the future, but did buy artisan soap, one scented with Australian native plant essential oils. It takes me longer to shave now, but I agree that's its more enjoyable than hacking away with a cartridge razor in the shower.

[Marc]

16 hours ago, canthus said:

Thinking again I believe my dads old razor was a 'Rolls' not Ronson. Anyone else know this type?

I have a Rolls in the collection. It's a kind of evolutionary step between a straight and a safety in that it comprises what appears to be a 1.5 inch section from a straight razor with a safety razor type handle attached. It all comes in a cunningly designed case which contains a honing surface on the inside of one lid, and a stropping surface on the inside of the other lid, and a fiendishly devised mechanism to allow the blade to be honed and stropped at the precisely correct angle within the case.

I have used mine and does deliver quite a good shave but being a half way house between a straight and a DE it's neither as good as the straight nor as quick as the Gillettes.

I have also had pass through the collection a number of Gem and Ever Ready single edge safety razors, a couple of Valet Autostrop razors which also use a SE safety razor blade but are cleverly designed so that a specially made strop can be threaded through the razor head and the blade stropped in situ, and a Wilkinson Sword 7 day set which is like a cross between an Autostrop and a Rolls; it uses blades that look similar to the Rolls blades and has an Autostrop type arrangement for keeping them stropped. It's called a 7 day set because it comes with 7 blades, marked with the days of the week, so that you only have to bother with a (marathon) stropping session once a week and just use a different blade each day.

[nichod]

13 hours ago, yankeedog said:

Now you guys went and got me started, that old razor is around here somewhere !!!!!!!

Guys, shall we let him in on the carbon fiber toilet paper also?

[yankeedog]

No my wife wouldn't go for that...unless there was a sale.

[jaycey]

I've been using straight razors (cut throats) for around 15 years, I also own a Merkur Future clone (available for around £13 on Ali Express) 

Some of my straight razors are 100-150 years old and I am extremely proud to be part of their history. Most were manufactured in either Sheffield or Solingen and I have purchased them from all over the world. It would be wonderful to see their journey through time!

I must add...They have, if cared for, a few hundred more years life in them

 

The Merkur Future clone is for when I have a hangover, it's a excellent DE (safety razor) with a Gillette 7 o'clock blade

[Tmuir]

Nice collection, I've looked at a few on ebay but havent purchase any, but I have been learning about what is worth buying and what is not (blades smiling or frowning, rust) etc

[ro63rto]

Found this while trying to make some room in my garage.

Dare I try it [emoji47]

[oldhippy]

All those razors you chaps have. I hope none of you are feeling depressed.

[nichod]

1 hour ago, ro63rto said:

Found this while trying to make some room in my garage.

Dare I try it

The blade handle on the left is attached to the honing mechanism lever via a spring-loaded bearing. The nickel plated blade on the right side is attached to the honing bar that slides on the red leather strop. The grey honing stone is part of the closing lid. The leather strop and the hone lids are not interchangeable as the blade needs to push against the hone but pull against the strop. The blade has a safety guard with pivot action that allows it to vary the shaving angle while providing safe operation. The head of the blade handle locks perpendicular to the blade using a slide type of action with the spring-loaded bearing providing additional stability

Sheesh!  That was gleaned from Wiki.  Fascinating contrivance!  I've never encountered such a thing.  Good find!

[nichod]

But seriously, folks.......

If you have an old razor laying round, it's cheap to try.  Couple dollars will get you a blade sampler on the auction, I paid around 20 dollars for a badger brush and chrome holder for the brush and razor (Muisco, Amazon), and 10 dollars gets a tube of Italian shaving cream.  Proraso is amazing stuff.  Incredible amount of lather from a centimeter of cream and a little water.   I can't recommend this product strongly enough.

I had seen Clark Gable shave with something from a tube in a 30's movie.  Can't say I ever encountered it otherwise until recently.  And this is part of the deal.  Nostalgia.

Sandalwood has an aroma I had not encountered since childhood.  It brought images of my grandfather immediately to mind.  That's what that orange colored shaving soap smelled like!  Always wondered.  No idea what brand it was, likely from a door to door company called Watkins, no longer in existence.

Shaving this way is tedious and time consuming.  Expect cuts if you have soft skin such as mine.  But the accoutrements, chemicals and the precision required all combine to give me another hobby.  It makes a terribly mundane task enjoyable.

My Gillette is sadly lacking.  It was probably their last model and dates to early in 1977.  The blade in it is from early in 1978.  I kept the blade.  It probably gave Granddad his last shave and was probably given to him in the hospital by my father toward the end.

It's a terrible razor!  Part nylon, crooked head and guides.  It was toward the end of Gillette's production of DE types.  

Thanks to TMuir, I have a Rockwell coming.  I got the 2C in gunmetal as don't really need all of the adjustments.  I was planning to buy the Australian Viking Emperor, but can't really see needing the complications of all the adjustments and the thing is too fat to fit my razor holder!  Glad I checked this out first!  It could have been disastrous .   The proprieties must be observed!

[canthus]

On 5/19/2019 at 2:44 PM, ro63rto said:

Found this while trying to make some room in my garage.

Dare I try it

Yes that's the one, just like my dads. No leather wallet though.

[nichod]

I received the Rockwell 2C yesterday.  Works great.  Gunmetal very well done and looks like black chrome.  Very heavy.  May be the best deal out there for $30 US.  Only two light settings.  That's good enough for me.

Silly thing to be excited about, I know.  I am easily amused!

[yankeedog]

All right you guys.... In a fit of nostalgia I went on ebay and ordered myself a safety razor. Well to quote the great philosopher Yogi Berra."NOSTALGIA AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE "! it arived in all it's chrome plated glory along with a package of TREET razor blades..Made to Pakistan standards, I cast a dubious eye upon them, but none the less loaded the razor. I put on my glasses and got busy. I leaned something in the process , the reason why Sikhs don't shave .the blade was awful. I used the lightest possible touch ,and it was still a blood letting. Or is this normal ? is the point of the first shave to slice off all the irregularities  on your face so the second shave is smoother? I also remembered why I put the stupid thing down after wilkinson sword stopped making blades in the UK. I am not going to give up just yet. I am going to try another sort of blade, 

[transporter]

Personally i use an electric during the week, wet shave at the week ends with 3 blade safety razors, but I do like a treat and use my single blade razor, it is a ritual and an enjoyable one, the learning curve wasn't too bad. I found the position of the razor was something to learn as the mass produced multiblade razors are very nicely angled.

[nichod]

1 hour ago, yankeedog said:

 is the point of the first shave to slice off all the irregularities  on your face so the second shave is smoother?

Yeah.  Once it gets smoothed out there's nothing for the blade to catch on

As I said earlier, Personna blades are my best find so far.  The Rockwells which came with my new Rockwell razor seem pretty good also and are Swedish made.

It took me a few tries to get the hang of it, but I can cut myself with a Norelco - seriously.  The Rockwell on setting 1 didn't nick at all, however I had to go over a few spots a couple of times.

[jaycey]

This is the DE (safety razor) I use https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Men-Double-Edge-Safety-Shaving-Razor-Adjustable-1-6-Files-Classic-Double-Edge-Razors-1-handle/32792086455.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.35754c4dNqTT3h

 

It's a copy of a well regarded razor the Merkur Futur which retails at £55

They have done an excellent job at copying it, it has 5 adjustment stops for aggressiveness & the top cap just clips off for blade replacement.

I highly recommend the copy, it's very well made.

 

The blades supplied with it are usable but not brilliant. I use Gillette 7 o'clocks or Astra Platinums, available on eBay for peanuts.

Edited May 22, 2019 by jaycey

[vinn3]

On ‎5‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 4:24 AM, Marc said:

I have a Rolls in the collection. It's a kind of evolutionary step between a straight and a safety in that it comprises what appears to be a 1.5 inch section from a straight razor with a safety razor type handle attached. It all comes in a cunningly designed case which contains a honing surface on the inside of one lid, and a stropping surface on the inside of the other lid, and a fiendishly devised mechanism to allow the blade to be honed and stropped at the precisely correct angle within the case.

I have used mine and does deliver quite a good shave but being a half way house between a straight and a DE it's neither as good as the straight nor as quick as the Gillettes.

I have also had pass through the collection a number of Gem and Ever Ready single edge safety razors, a couple of Valet Autostrop razors which also use a SE safety razor blade but are cleverly designed so that a specially made strop can be threaded through the razor head and the blade stropped in situ, and a Wilkinson Sword 7 day set which is like a cross between an Autostrop and a Rolls; it uses blades that look similar to the Rolls blades and has an Autostrop type arrangement for keeping them stropped. It's called a 7 day set because it comes with 7 blades, marked with the days of the week, so that you only have to bother with a (marathon) stropping session once a week and just use a different blade each day.

  An imporant tool for me,  Ever  Ready - single edge safety razor blades -- excelent for opening a case back,  useing a "jewelers  hammer".   for shaving, - disposable, plastic, razors - in the wood stove      vin

[jdm]

Here's my angle an this. I have very little beard but as anyone else appreciate a perfect shave.

March 3 blades, the handle I've received yesterday from AliX for $15, it' solid machined from 304 SS. I find scandalous that the original handle starts turning into tacky pieces after few days of contacting water.

The foam is special variety of Noxzema, Italian made. Highly recommended. I'll need to find something similar in a travel size.

For years I wanted to try an electric shaver, but I never got to understand which brand/type is really the best. I'd like it small and battery operated, suggestions?
 

[yankeedog]

Electric? Stay away from the battery operated ones. I have owned one or two the battery will go bad and the razor will be junk. Or have to be plugged in.little microscreens are useless..your beard has to poke through too small a hole. Best one I ever had was a corded Remington from the seventies.large shaving surface with big holes. you probably could have used  It to shear sheep.

Edited May 31, 2019 by yankeedog
Grammar

[jdm]

Interesting reading

https://shavercheck.com/best-electric-razor/

Often times the model names make absolutely no sense, the manufacturer doesn’t make the slightest effort to showcase the relevant differences between the razors in a particular line and many review sites are filled with conflicting or useless information.

[Tmuir]

After nearly two months of using my safety razor I got brave and bought myself a Dovo half hollow ground straight razor.

I don't plan to make it my daily razor, I will stick to my safety razors for that, but just used the straight razor for the first time.

I've got to say the straight razor is another several magnitudes harder than a safety razor. Only used it to shave my cheeks tonight and then swapped back to my safety razor. Didn't cut my cheek but did give myself a nick on the ear.

I can see this taking some time before I feel confident with a straight razor, but it does certainly hone your concentration using it.

[yankeedog]

My Uncle, who fought in the pacific in the second world war told me about guys like you. I think the word was Kamikaze.

[vinn3]

On ‎5‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 11:40 AM, yankeedog said:

All right you guys.... In a fit of nostalgia I went on ebay and ordered myself a safety razor. Well to quote the great philosopher Yogi Berra."NOSTALGIA AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE "! it arived in all it's chrome plated glory along with a package of TREET razor blades..Made to Pakistan standards, I cast a dubious eye upon them, but none the less loaded the razor. I put on my glasses and got busy. I leaned something in the process , the reason why Sikhs don't shave .the blade was awful. I used the lightest possible touch ,and it was still a blood letting. Or is this normal ? is the point of the first shave to slice off all the irregularities  on your face so the second shave is smoother? I also remembered why I put the stupid thing down after wilkinson sword stopped making blades in the UK. I am not going to give up just yet. I am going to try another sort of blade, 

    "safety" razor blades are still available AND,  there were several types of "hand crank " sharpeners made.  thou i use a bic razer,  there are many uses for those blades,  including opening a watch case.  vin

[MrRoundel]

Well, with body piercings, ear gauges, etc., being all the rage, it's natural that the world would gravitate towards old-style self-mutilation with such implements .

My face is too precious , and my Mach (?) provides the easiest, smoothest shave ever. Preciousness is something it's hard to put a price on.

Edited July 15, 2019 by MrRoundel

[nickelsilver]

I generally have a beard but touch up with the straight razor, it's gotten to where I don't even bother with the strop most times, I just strop on my thigh... how's that for manly!