Kriton Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 That is the cool thing about straights - you can buy one at a local flea market for $5 bucks, and is it is not warped, or chipped, you stand a good chance with a little time or sending it away to be honed, that it will be a good and maybe great shaver - I have used electrics, BIC's I even have one of those vibrating monstrosity Fusions somewhere, and I have never gotten as good or as close, or as satisfying a shave as with a straight... Go check the website I posted, look at the information for newbies tab, just full of good info! If you are still interested, let me know and we can work something - I used this morning a pristine Joseph Rodgers & Sons, Cutlers to their Majesties, Sheffield England made razor that I have reasonably dated to approximately 1873-1890 as it still has its original vulcanite scales (handles) - which are a precursor to celluloid and eventually plastic. How many devices around your house that you use daily from the century before last? Except for Colter of course - he probably drives something that old, collector that he is... K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 If you want to try a DE PM your address. I'll send you a Gillette 'SuperSpeed' and some good blades. Very cool thanks for the offer... sent you a PM. The ones I remember from my dad was a razor that unscrewed and the top opened up, you dropped in a razor blede into it and screwed it back down. The blade was really really sharp but I also assume the shave was too? I think over time you learn your face and where and how to not cut yourself. Isn't that what a syptic??(SP) pencil is for anyhow?? LOL. Been years since I have cut myself bad that I needed one, but I seem to remember my dads face being ULTRA smooth when I was a kid after he shaved. Or maybe what helped was the really cool shaving cream warmer we bought him for christmas? Now a real long blade on one side ultra sharp, I will leave that to the barber...LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 "The ones I remember from my dad was a razor that unscrewed and the topopened up, you dropped in a razor blede into it and screwed it backdown." Yup, this is what I'm sending you... You twist the bottom and the silo doors up top open up to put the blade in. This one was built first quarter of '55. "The blade was really really sharp but I also assume the shave was too? I think over time you learn your face and where and how to not cutyourself." First week with the DE is the worst. You have to unlearn anything you learned with a cartridge. Short strokes, no pressure and keeping the right angle is key. You also do multiple passes with re-lathering on each pass. When done well you get a fantastic shave with no irritation at all. Literally I had razor burn on my neck for 20+ years no matter if I used an electric or any of the various cartridges.With the DE that is gone and if anything the (one) straight edge shave so far had even less irritation. (based on the alum block) "Isn't that what a syptic??(SP) pencil is for anyhow??" Yup, but once you get good at it it won't be needed. " Or maybe what helped was the really cool shaving cream warmer we bought him for christmas?" I use what is called a Moss Scuttle for that. "Now a real long blade on one side ultra sharp, I will leave that to the barber..." That is a straight edge. It is easier then it looks once you get the feel for how you have to shave which the DE will help you learn. Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 "That is the cool thing about straights - you can buy one at a local flea market for $5 bucks," Sure... get 'em hooked with the promise of a $5 shave........ .....neglecting to mention the badger(s), bowl, soap(s)/cream(s), wetstone(s), strop(s)....etc...etc...etc... If you have a straight from the 1800s that you want to part with PM me. I'd love to get one shave ready that old. Thanks, Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 When two bladed razors first came out, the theory was that if it didn't cut the whisker, the first blade would stretch it out and the second blade would snip it off. Dad (who was entirely a crazy man) said that he'd invent a razor where that first blade was just dull enough to grab the whisker, pull it out by it's roots, putting an end to this arcane morning ritual once and for all. I have to say I'm sure this pre-dated the SNL skit of the same topic. I use two or three. Five is beyond ridiculous. And I usually use soap and a brush. Because that's how Dad taught me how to shave, that's why. The deal with the straight razor sounds cool. I'm a baby face, I have to shave about twice a week. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Whats that white powder that stops the bleeding called? I need some of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Shawn that looks like what my dad used as a kid... Wayyy cool! THANK YOU.. He would (of course) take the blade out.. lather my face and hand it to me so I could (Fake) shave next to him too.. hehehehehe I will let you know how it all works out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 So I bought and tried the five blade Fusion marvel. Just as three blades feels better than two and four better than three, five blades feels better than four. At a promotion price with a small bottle of gel, the Fusion is the same price as the Quattro. For the same price, you get a heavier, nicer feeling handle and a shading head that feels as big as a Midwest grain combine. It feels smoother on the skin and the skin feels slightly smoother also. At the end of the day though, none seem to retard the roughness of the five o’clock shadow. Guys with dates are still going to have to shave before rubbing cheeks with the fairer sex. If I can buy blades for about the same price as the four blade Quattro, I will pay the few dollars more for the Fusion. Otherwise, I just as soon save my bucks and stick with generic three blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 The best deal on the Fusion blades seems to be buying the handle over and over again for $10 (at least for now), so the 3 blades are about $3.33 each. The five blade model feels heavy, like Daddy’s metal razor. It also feels smooth, like Daddy took the blades out. In fact, the first time I used it, I checked to make sure the plastic cover was off. Wanna know how five blades feels? Hold two other plastic blades toegther and leave the cover on one of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triceratops Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I use two or three. Five is beyond ridiculous... M Like many topics, I agree with Michael on this. I got a 5-blade razor free in the mail from Gilette and tried it. It seems too dang big for my face--like trying to park a bulldozer in a narrow parking space. But when I went to the store to buy blades for my two-blade razor a couple months back, there were none available. I had a handle that fit the two-blade units that flex in the middle and the manufacturers seem to have abandoned this format to concentrate on the bigger more expensive razors with 4 or 5 blades. The store still had blades for the second-generation Sensor (the one with two blades that pivots), but no handles and I didn't have a handle to fit those. After looking for a while I finally found a Sensor handle for sale and now I'm back to two blades again--just a different format. I don't like the disposables because of all the waste, and also because they are so lightweight I don't have as much control and more easily cut myself. Here's my audio equipment parallel: when CD's first came out I ignored them and continued to buy LP records. I imagine a lot of people did the same thing and after a few years the record industry stopped releasing new stuff on vinyl--to force the holdouts to buy CD's. I suspect the razor industry will do the same thing and get rid of all the replacement blades that aren't 4 or 5 blades. Maybe I'll start working now on my straight razor technique! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 "I suspect the razor industry will do the same thing and get rid of all the replacement blades that aren't 4 or 5 blades." The entire point of the disposable razor blade was to make money on the same item purchased many many times. Gillette changed the way their razors held the double edge blades numerous times over the years in an attempt to make third party blades not work with their razors. They didn't make money selling the razors but made it on the blades. Third party blades cut into that so they kept altering that. The move to cartridges was more of the same... lots of different people were making DE blades. The cartridges were again unique to their razors and because they had x number of blades marketing figured they could raise the price of the blade further. $3.33 a blade is expensive, my blades (which for me shave better then the Fusion did) cost $0.07. "Maybe I'll start working now on my straight razor technique!" Now that I started it last week I'm really enjoying it. Not sure I would suggest jumping right to straights from a cartridge though. Learning technique on a DE razor I think helped me quite a bit on the straight. Without that experience taking one of these: ... to your throat could be interesting. Shawn (Throat is really pretty easy, chin is harder....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Shawn arrived today! I will try it this weekend.. Wish me luck I come out alive! heheheheheeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Take your time, be careful and have fun! Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Those are beautiful Shawn. I have a couple of Grandpa's old straight razors around here somewhere. I wonder if they could be properly sharpened somewhere? Does anyone remember Mennen shave in a tube? The menthol-iced was awesome. Dad said that's what the astronauts used. But he was a bit off anyway... I think any proper razor should have a heavy handle with good grip. It just feels better in your hand. Those little playschool razors are horrible- reminds of the Zappa album 'Weasels ripped my Flesh"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Thanks, these three are probably the pretties I have. I'm going to get the big straight rescaled, wood is so much better then plastic. "I have a couple of Grandpa's old straight razors around here somewhere. I wonder if they could be properly sharpened somewhere?" Don't bring them anywhere to do it unless it is an old time barber. Anyone else won't know how to do it right and won't have the proper hones. Those that think they get a knife 'razor sharp' have no idea how sharp a straight razor really is. There are straight razor users online that will hone a razor for $15 or so plus shipping. Alternately I have a new set of hones coming. After I get more experience with them I'll sharpen them for you if you like. With the way you collect Klipsch be *very very* careful about coming down with a case of RAD. It is infectious..... Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted April 10, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 10, 2008 The big question is what brand of soap or cream do you prefer with the straight razor? I like Kiehls and Trumppers, but was wondering what other folks liked. To me, they go hand in hand, you have to have the right cream/soap to go with that cold steal or you might as well forget it. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Travis, I have a couple of different Trumpers soaps but my favorite is Mitchells Wool Fat shaving soap. If you haven't tried Mitchells consider picking up a puck. Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted April 10, 2008 Moderators Share Posted April 10, 2008 Thanks Shawn. Do you agree that the soap plays a much more pivotal role when using the straight compared to a disposable? Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triceratops Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Along the same lines check out: Caution: Adult humor! (triceratops) http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33930 Which came out about a year before Gillette released a 5 bladed razor.... Shawn Shawn, I was not familiar with The Onion, and when I read this I laughed until I almost passed out. When I regained my senses I read it aloud to my wife to provide the proper emphasis for all the expletives. Thanks for posting this link. I can't believe Gillette had the sense of absurdity to actually make a five blade razor after this was published. Truly amazing! Triceratops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Travis, I would assume so but I don't really want to try some foam from a can with the straight to find out. Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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