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What do you use to shave?

Dulouz

Familiar Face
Messages
76
Location
Porterville, CA
My father in law picked this up for me as a birthday present. He found it at a gun show in Bakersfield. The scales aren't in great condition but the blade is. I can't wait to get it honed up and ready to shave.

58558_148865651813417_100000699499389_285419_8162478_n.jpg


57895_148865671813415_100000699499389_285420_2629106_n.jpg


57895_148865675146748_100000699499389_285421_2881792_n.jpg
 

davestlouis

Practically Family
Messages
805
Location
Cincinnati OH
I had a little victory today...I was killing time before an appointment in a small town called Highland IL this morning, wandered into a small pharmacy, and they had Schick Injector blades...first time I've ever seen them in a local retail establishment, so I bought their entire stock(2 boxes of 7 blades). Genuine Schick in the blister pack with the yellow background. Made in China for Schick, copyright 2007, lots of French on the back of the package and a reference to Energizer Canada.

I know I can order them online, I just like the immediate gratification of buying them in a store.
 

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
I finally have a complete razor-kit!

fullkit-1-1.jpg


Soap,
Scuttle,
Brush,
Brush-stand,
Safety-razor.
Razor-case.
Razor-blade sharpener.
Straight-razor.
Paddle-strop.
Dual-grit honing-stone.
 

LordBest

Practically Family
Messages
692
Location
Australia
I've started using this (15300) from Taylor of Old Bond Street:
taylor-original-safety-razors.jpg


A wonderful shave, though I tend to get so enthused at the experience I proceed to cut myself. The razor came with a Merkur blade, I would be curious to know who manufactured the actual DE, there are no indications on the body itself. Not that I can find, at any rate.
 

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Some razors can be impossible to ID accurately. I assume it's a three-piece razor? Pull it apart and photograph each part in detail and upload shots to internet. Someone might know what it is.
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
David Conwill said:
Mine lacks the "clog pruf" slogan, and just has "GEM MICROMATIC" in a deco font. I wonder if that's older or newer?

-Dave
Like this one? I absolutely love the font!
DSC08637.jpg

I am probably wrong but I think this is the earlier version to the clog pruf.
 

MikeBravo

One Too Many
Messages
1,301
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Does anybody else do this?

Once I have used a blade for as long as useful, I flip the blade over and get a bit more use out of it using the other side. By this I mean turning it on its back

I used to do it as a young fella and remembered to do it now. Works for me
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
Straight and sharp.

Feraud said:
How could this work? Doesn't any edge only have one edge?

Yes but what happens is the razors edge gets bent in one direction as the cutting of the whiskers is done in one direction. The edge leans over and as such doesn't shave as well. By flipping the blade the edge is exposed in an angle that allows it to cut better. The fine edge is bendable and the angle changes with use over time.

An explanation I have read puts this as that it's similar to a sharp chef's knife that loses cutting ability. Until really dull one can use a "sharpening steel" to bring back the edge. The edge is actually not as dull as it is crooked and so not cutting as well as it should. A sharpening steel straightens the edge more than it sharpens the edge.;)

The same thing happens when you strop a straight razor, it's aligning the edge more than making it keen.
 

dnjan

One Too Many
Messages
1,690
Location
Seattle
Feraud said:
Using MikeBravo's technique of flipping the blade and your kitchen knife analogy (which I like btw..) this means when your kitchen knife gets dull you can flip it over (right handed folks switching to left hand) and get more use out of it?

Something doesn't seem right here..
No - the angle of attack for a kitchen knife is close to 90 degrees (equal effects on both sides) while the razor blade has a lower angle (and one-sided effects).
The kitchen knife effect ends up being somewhat random, with the microedge being bent one way in some places and the other way in other places. So a quick couple of strokes on the steel (on each side!) to straighten the microedge on a kitchen knife is the useful approach.
 

Mid-fogey

Practically Family
Messages
720
Location
The Virginia Peninsula
Flipping...

...the blade either works or it doesn't. Not knowing why or thinking it can't work is irrelvant.

Haven't tried it, but I noticed that many blades have numbers on them that appear to be there to allow the shaver to keep track of which side they've used.

Give it a try and see if it works.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
Feraud said:
Using MikeBravo's technique of flipping the blade and your kitchen knife analogy (which I like btw..) this means when your kitchen knife gets dull you can flip it over (right handed folks switching to left hand) and get more use out of it? Something doesn't seem right here..

No, a razor cuts by being pulled in one direction and applied only in a limited range of motions. Chef knives cut in a variety of angles and directions as well as getting used to chop. The blade bends slightly in a variety of directions and needs to be straightened to work best. The razor tends to bend one way.

The quickest way to dull a straight razor is to accidentally roll it over (while stropping) on the edge instead of the spine. It roles the edge and in some instances the edge can break off.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/using-a-steel.aspx

From their site:
"Contrary to popular belief, a sharpening steel does not sharpen a knife, instead the purpose of a steel is to align the edge of the knife. As a knife is used, the edge will become curled. While you can't see the curl with the naked eye, a microscope reveals that the edge is askew. The tiny microscopic fibers bend over and dull the edge of the knife. The sharpening steel will straighten or re-align these fibers. Regular steeling is recommended. The more often you steel, the longer the sharp edge will last. Steeling is an effective way to help maintain your knife's edge between sharpenings. Eventually though your knife will become dull and need to be sharpened."
 

dnjan

One Too Many
Messages
1,690
Location
Seattle
John in Covina said:
The quickest way to dull a straight razor is to accidentally roll it over (while stropping) on the edge instead of the spine. It roles the edge and in some instances the edge can break off.
AMEN!
As I mentioned here, from my experience, proper stropping technique significantly lengthens the time between sharpenings.
 

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