`57? Gillette Super Speed

I bought this razor days ago. From the date code it looks to me like it’s a 1957 model. Although it looks more recent than that. The Gillette date code guide I used leads me to believe this is the correct year for this Super Speed marked c-1. I could be wrong in my dating of this as it is in immaculate condition. I used some of that Flitz again, It worked wonders this razor has not a mark on it anymore. I dropped in a Wilkinson and this razor performed well. A close shave BBS with 2 passes. I just realized this morning that it no longer burns when I apply the after shave. FINALLY, a BBS without the buning sensation of the after shave! I would recommend this razor to anyone wanting a vintage razor for a great price. That is, if you can find one in this great shape. I have no pictures yet but they will be coming soon….. 

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‘69 Gillette Superspeed (Black handle)

I bought this Gillette months ago at a flea market. I paid next to nothing for it as it wasn’t in the best condition. It was tarnished, and the black handle had a small white spot showing through. I would usually clean it with Silvo or Brasso. This time I tried Flitz metal polish. I actually got the flitz for free from Ka-Bar knives company. They sent me 12 grams in sample packets for one of my high carbon knives. It worked wonders on this razor. It took off most of the tarnish and shined the steel right up. So, now I have this shiny old Gillette Super Speed razor. I pop in the usual Wilkinson Sword Blade and go to work. I don`t mind the shave. I`ve had worse, but I`ve had better. It`s an average razor. Three passes were necessary to achieve a close enough shave. It`s not my best looking shaver, but I imagine it will get a fair amount of use as a traveler.

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Grrrrr

It has been a long while since I have made any shaving related purchases. I am getting a little antsy. I can feel The itch of RAD(razor acquisition disease). Since my last post, I have made one purchase. A 1963?? Super speed. God you gotta love a vintage Gillette. I think I will completely remove shaving from my daily regimen until I can feel the steel of a new razor on my face. Perhaps the coming weekend I will hit the local flea market and antique stores. On a recent trip threw merrickville, I spotted about 4 antique stores in this small, but god help me trendy, town. I could almost vision hundreds of razors calling to me from behind the doors of these stores. I think a trip back to merrickville is in my near future.

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Colonel Conk Amber Shave Soap

Picked up some colonel conk amber shave soap. I really enjoyed the bay rum soap so I thought I would give some other of their soaps a try. My initial thoughts were that the scent wasn't as sharp as the bay rum but it did smell good and clean. Lather was ridiculously abundant. I would have thought the lather would be similar to the bay rum soap, but it was much much better. I would re commend this soap to anyone looking for an easy lathering soap. 

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Initial Thoughts On Face Lathering

Up until today -from my first de shave until my shave this afternoon- I have always been a bowl latherer. Today was quite different. First of all, it was my good friends birthday last night, so there was a sweet party, and I crashed in my trusty hammock. Secondly, I had no razor nor shave soap until I made it back home later this afternoon. I gathered all my shaving supplies and headed to the bathroom (there is no counter space on a pedestal sink. It is shenanigans) put everything in a sink full of hot water and took a shower. When I was finished, thr was when I realized that I forgot my trusty ol' lather bowl. Meh, I thought why not try a face lather and see what all the fuss is about. My first try left the lather rather thick and pasty on my face. After a short dip of the brush in water I tried again. Much better. It was a good way of doing it. Even though I didn't hate it, it feels like it was missing something, the bowl perhaps. I do however think I will face lather when traveling to save space.

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Gillette Tech

 I recently purchased a Gillette Tech razor. I have not been able to date it thus far, as this is a Canadian model and there are absolutely no date codes. From information I have gathered, It is most likely an early 40's model. It shaves decently, I tried it with classic Wilkinson blades and it didn't seem as aggressive as my travel tech. I later used feather blades and experienced a mildly more aggressive shave. This razor is more than capable of achieving a damn fine shave.

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Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum

I ordered this stuff from a seller online. I loved the smell of the Col. Conk Bay Rum Soap…. I learnt quickly that not all bay rums are equal. This Bay Rum was fairly weak in scent and did not linger long… It felt cool to then skin, and gave me a much welcomed sting after my morning shave. I couldn’t believe that the scent was so weak. I always liked the Conk Bay rum soap scent, It was strongly scented and went away quick. I was hoping with the Pinaud I would have a strong scent and it would stick with me for a few hours. Ah well, there are many more bay rums to try…..

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Trip to the Flea Market

After a very productive weekend of lounging in my new hammock drinking lemonade out of a coconut and having barbeques and such, A friend and I decided to go to the local flea market. Since I started shaving DE and SE, I always look for new items at antique stores, yard sales and flea markets. I found none this trip so we decided to go for a snack. While walking by a taxidermist table, I saw a glass showcase filled with razors and the like. There were straights, DE, SE, And mugs galore. I found many decent DE razors new and old alike. what caught my eye was a Frederick Reynolds straight razor and a (what looked like) a mid 60’s Gillette slim adjustable.  Of course, I didn’t bring enough for the 2 so, I will be returning next Sunday to pick up my finds and an old spice mug that I also saw……

Has anyone else found treasures or other good finds at flea markets?

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New Finds at Antique Store

I was browsing an antique store yesterday on my way to the country for the weekend. He had many, many scuttles and shaving mugs at ridiculous prices. There was one for 10 bucks but it had a huge crack. I found a pile of straight razors and DE razors. Maybe 6 of 10 of the straight razors still had their edge intact. I found a GEO W. Korn Straight with no rust, some staining, but more importantly edge intact. I have tried to research the year and market price to no avail. I have so far got most of the staining off using 320 grit sandpaper. I will continue sanding with increasingly lighter grit until i reach 2000. It should give it a nice matte look. I also picked up a 1973 Gillette travel tech DE Razor, which, after a quick wipe turns out to be in immaculate condition.

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Proraso Green

I have previously tried the Proraso White (for sensitive skin). I was at shoppers drug mart this morning getting a new Omega brush as I am getting sick of having that crappy Wilkinson sword brush in my travel kit. While I was there, I figured I would try the green Proraso. Haha, Try DE shaving they said, It will be cheaper they said....... Anyway, having skipped my shave with shower today, I tried my new acquisition when I got home. I must say it is a great smell (I guess menthol isn't for pussies after all), and every bit of a good shave as the white.Soon, I will have to try the red (sandalwood) soap. Proraso has definitely become my GO-TO soap, and the green is no different.

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Wilkinson Blades

I first seen these at shoppers drugmart. I recently switched from SE razor to a DE razor and wanted to see whats available locally as far as blades go/. I went to shoppers and I was disappointed to see that they were as expensive as cartridges $15.99 for a 10 pack. I decided to continue using the bluebirds that came with my razor. Although they were good, they just didn't shave close enough. Also, the feathers were too harsh on my face, which is odd because I love the feather SE blades. I scoured the city and found the wilkies at a different store for around $5 for the same 10 pack. I tried them out this morning and my god what a difference from the bluebirds. I had a great shave with these. They will be going into my rotation.

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Skin Bracer

Skin bracer.... Readily available at any drug store, I decided to purchase this as I ran out of Old Spice and my local store was out of stock. I never really liked Brut so this was my only option. It is very cooling and has that mild sting that makes me feel alive. It is also great as a moisturizer. I would give this a 2.5/5. A good AS and I am sure that once I acquire more Old Spice, will be going in my travel bag. Mennen, what an odd company, what do they have, like 3 products? For more information on Mennen products, have a look at the Wikipedia entry.

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Lord L6 LP1822L DE Razor

Well, it's finally here, the Lord DE razor that I ordered from Amazon. It came very fast, although the tracking says is it still in the USA at the point of departure. The Canada Post tracking says it is still to be clear of customs. So, my first thoughts upon opening the package are that it seems to be constructed well for such an inexpensive razor. For my first shave with this razor, I decided to use my go to soap... Proraso. I find this soap is the easiest to lather, and smells just great. I used the Lord blade that came with the razor. I have never used a Lord blade and hoped that it would give a good shave. It did just that. Granted, it did take me a little longer to shave but it may be due to the fact that I didn't know what to expect. I've been a SE shaver since I decided to toss out the cartridge razor. The first difference I noticed was how thin the blades are. The Lord blades, while giving a close shave, are not aggressive enough for me. Maybe tomorrow I will use a different brand. The razor itself is light compared to my solid brass Valet. But the handle is long which I like. My face did not get irritated, and I cut myself not once, (which is what I was afraid of). All in all, A great shave and I think that it would be a great razor for anyone starting out DE shaving. It will definitely be used often. I shall see how the other blades perform but for now, it doesn't beat my Valet. Then again, comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. 

What were some of your first DE razors? How many do you have now? 

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Slow couple of weeks

Well, It's been a slow couple of weeks in my wet shavin world. I have ordered a few items off amazon and hope they will arrive shortly. Among the items I have ordered are a new DE razor, a blade sample pack and a few packs of feather DE blades. I was going to order up a Parker DE for my first foray into the world of Double Edge razors (I currently use a Valet autostrop single edge razor). After reading many reviews I decided against it. I decided to get a Lord L6 instead. It was plenty cheap and I have heard many good things (more than I read on the more expensive Parkers) and purchased from a reputable dealer, Wish4Blades. I also purchased a blade sampler pack with common names. As I have been using the feather SE blades for the past while, I ordered 25 Feather blades as well. At first I didn't like Feathers but read my review on feather blades as it was one of the only products I have flip flopped on.
What else is new in my wet shave world? Well, I have found recipes at my favourite Shaving sites for Bay Rum aftershave (I absolutley love the scent of bay rum soap) and a nice pre-shave oil. I've never used a pre-shave oil but I think that I will finally try one... after I make it that is. Once I have the products I ordered, I will review them.

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My Gear

Ok, So I thought that I would review the shaving gear that I have accumulated in the entire almost month since I began wet shaving. First off I have this fucking sweet Onion Soup bowl that I use for lather. I have 2 of these bowls which I purchased for .50 cents each. (which were made in canada {fuck you china}).  These onion soup bowls are unlike others I have seen in the past. The color pattern is not what I usually see on these bowls and the handle is huge.

Onion Soup Bowl
Great for Lather

 Secondly I have a gay little Wilkinson Sword brush (lame I know), but I also have a somewhat better Omega brush. I prefer the Omega over the Wilki as it feels softer and lathers a hell of a lot better. My razor of choice (only because it is the only one I have at the moment) is a 1914 Valet AutoStrop, sans Strop.

I did have original blades for this monster, but without a strop they are now essentially useless. I did buy a few packs of Feather SE blades. My travel bag consists of the very gay Wilkinson Sword brush, a puck of Williams in a small pyrex bowl , and a pretty decent Wilkinson Sword cartridge razor. Since I figured out that I actually enjoy traditional wet shaving, I think that I will invest in a new DE razor.

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Valet Autostrop VC2

I figure It's time for me to write up a review on the Valet autostrop VC2, or the "Million Dollar Razor." I found. This is the only safety razor I have thus far (I have a Parker coming in the mail any day now). Pictured  above is the same model I own but mine is what looks to be brass instead of nickel. So, the first time I used this razor was with an original Valet blade I procured. The blade was very sharp. This being my first "Old School" shave, I think I made out quite well, I didn't cut myself even though it was a somewhat more aggressive have than I was accustomed to. I even got rid of most of the hair on my face. Now that I am comfortable with it, I can get all the hairs off my face. For other noobs, a word of advice that I was given, don't try to remove all the hair at once, use less pressure on the blade and make 2 passes to achieve desired effect. All in all this unit does the job, I say better than the modern Schick cartridge razor I used to use. One thing that I wold like to get is the strop for this. I shall order one off of eBay.

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Feather Single Edge Blades

I was checking out Connaught Shaving as I was in need of new blades for my Valet Razor. Awesome! 5 blades for like $2.50. I bought 4 5 packs as well as some Col. Conk bay rum soap. The soap was awesome (my review here). Everyone I talk to I have always heard the same thing, "Feather blades are the cats ass", well, I had no luck with them. The original valet blades I picked up were far superior I have not a single complaint with the old Valet blades; But, the Feathers are less than good. Fucking copious amounts of razor burn and irritation.  I thought maybe I just got a defective blade so I opened another pack and tried a different blade, same shit....Either I'm doing something wrong or these blades are plain shit.
****Update****
Ok, so after shaving with these for about a week, It seems that I was doing nothing wrong, and these blades are infact, not shit. This morning, after waking up and dreading the use of these blades, I set out on my morning shave. Absolutely no irritation. A friend has advised me that he experiences the same effects on a brand new feather blade. He told me to run the edge threw a cork. I assume this will work as The blade now gives me a very very good and close shave after about 5 shaves with no irritation. So, I will deffinately recommend these blades.

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Col. Conk

Ok so back whenever I was sporting a stache, but before I started making my own wax, I came across Col. Conk moustache wax. It did not disappoint. It kept ever strand of stray scottish stache hair in place. I had nothing bad to say about this product. I was hoping that their Bay Rum scented, glycerin based shaving soap would impress me just as much. I must say, it has undoubtedly impressed me. I ordered some feather blades for my Valet Autostrop (as the original ones Are now dull) from Connaught Shaving. Combined price of just under $35 (shipping from UK incl.) The blades were delivered 4 days later counting the weekend. Hey whats the deal? Where is my much anticipated Col Conk soap? I decided to wait a few days before complaining (or shaving) today, I received my Conk and an oak bowl. So, after a few days of not shaving and living like a bushman, I would finally get to use my new blades and new Conk. The conk lathered awesomely and this being the first time I have ever smelled the smell of bay rum I must say, that I was impressed. This soap had all kinds of cushion. Just like the Proraso, the lather was slick as anything. Plus a bonus, the logo has an old timey dude with a classic beard. Col. Ichabod Conk, you are a slick mother fucker.  As for the feather blades, I will save that for a different review.

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Wilkinson Sword

Ok so what can I say about this stuff??? First of all, Classy name must be god shit right? Wrong. I did not like the lather on this stuff. Good smell but shit lather. I cut my face, that's right schick ... my god damned face!! Anyway It cost about $4 at big gay wal-mart so it'll probably cost around $8 at my neighborhood apothecary. In conclusion, the smell was great the lather left much to be desired.

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Proraso Bitches!!

Proraso White

So I just picked up some of this soap.... Proraso, from Italy I think. After smellin the stench of Williams all week this soap was a welcome addition. I opted for the Proraso White because lets face it menthol is for pussies (yes I am aware that the white is formulated for sensitive skin making me infact, a pussy). So yeah this soap lathers up great (although I have noticed it lathers best in my...hot... onion soup bowl), and is slick as shit. My old Valet just glides over my face with this soap. So yeah a great soap super classic smell and I think I paid like 9$ for the soap and shit plastic bowl.

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Williams Mug Soap

So, For my first review, a classic....
Williams Mug Soap. Now, although it is apparently not the same soap formulation that yer granddaddy used, there seems to be much debate about the quality of then modern formulation. I myself am not much for debate. So, I think it lathers very well, but it is a thirsty slut. Now I am new to the whole wet shaving game, but I cannot believe when anyone says they can't get a decent lather out of this stuff. I find the lather lasted more than long enough to get the job done. It did however, stink like mosquito repellent. Total deet smellin. But luckily I wear old spice and the smell was murdered by the classic scent of the spice. I wold recommend Williams to any beginner. It's cheap ad easy to use.........

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Waldoe's Shavin Wetly

Hello all. My name is Tom but folks call me Waldoe. Recently, I decided to chop off my beard and stache, (thats right ladies, no more moustache rides... But I am still giving out upper lip rides). Shortly after I chopped that excess facial hair, I found a 100 year old single edge Valet Autostrop razor.

What the shit am I supposed to do with this contraption? I asked myself. I polished the shit out of that Valet, Found some original blades and went to town. It was a pretty damn good shave and kept my grizzly facial hair at bay. I guess this blog will be like a journey into the world of wet shaving. I will be posting reviews on different products etc. Honestly, I am very glad I found that old razor, wet shaving brings a sense of tradition to my daily routine.
What the shit is wet shaving? Some of you might be think... Well jesus friends, its only the most invigorating way to get rid of those hairs on your chin. You use a strait or DE razor, some shaving soap and a super soft brush. Anyway, I'm off like a prom dress.....

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