LRod's Acquisition and everything else Thread!

[JAHE]

Thanks!
They're just getting started so I'm guessing they'll eventually add handles & head only options. That's what I'd do anyways!
Man, I don't have have a micrometer to measure that. I need to buy one!
I'll try using a standard ruler and my eyes in order to give you an idea of the width whenever I get the chance.

Thanks , that's totally fine.

PS: I've amended my initial post and added another question while you responded, lol.

 

[LRod]

Thanks , that's totally fine.

PS: I've amended my initial post and added another question while you responded, lol.

I've just ordered a micrometer on Amazon and it arrives tomorrow, Lol!!
So I'll have an accurate measurement tomorrow night.
I needed one anyways!!

Yes both the Jupiter and Saturn are more efficient than the Primo. The Primo is efficient but not to the level of the Reggie's razors.
The Reggie's shave lasts me longer than the Primo. The Primo's efficiency is very acceptable though. And it's cheap!
It's still on my "favorites" list!
I don't know what the blade exposure is on the Primo but I'm guessing it's either neutral or positive but not to the extent of the Reggie's.

 

[JAHE]

Thanks for your evaluation and comparison, that's super helpful... well, perhaps not for my wallet...

WRT to the Primo, I totally agree. Imo the Primo features a very small level of positive blade exposure. Highly enjoyable. Resonably priced. A nice little razor.

PS: In any case pls stick with that one micrometer. I didn't seek to open another rabbit hole on your end

 

[LRod]

Thanks for your evaluation and comparison, that's super helpful... well, perhaps not for my wallet...

WRT to the Primo, I totally agree. Imo the Primo features a very small level of positive blade exposure. Highly enjoyable. Resonably priced. A nice little razor.

PS: In any case pls stick with that one micrometer. I didn't seek to open another rabbit hole on your end

I think I'll be ok with the one I bought (as long as it works). I'm not gonna become a micrometer collector, Lol!!

 

[LRod]

You're going to have to give us a list of your current den at some point, L-RAD.

Here you go:

Razorock Hawk SE

Merkur 37C slant

Feather Popular

Fatip OC Grande nickel

Fatip Ibrido chrome

Fatip FOCS gold

Ikon Tek

Ikon Short comb

Muhle R41 OC

Rex Envoy

Henson AL23 +++

Dovo Primo II

Dovo Shavette

Phoenix Starling aluminum GEM

Asylum Injector

Stando NG AC (slight polished finish) with 90mm. x 012mm. Nova handle

Stando Cat Claw OC polished with Classic 95mm. x 012mm. handle

Blackland Sabre machined Level 2

OneBlade Core black

OneBlade Hybrid white

Pils 101NE

Hone Aluminum

Timeless .68 OC with Barber pole handle

Executive Shaving Outlaw Evolution

Shield aluminum GEM

Shield stainless GEM

Shield stainless DE

Merkur Progress 500

Merkur Futur Matte

Reggie's Razors Jupiter

Reggie's Razor Saturn

Tatara Nodachi OC

Yates Winning razor (waiting to get shipped)

1974 Gillette Superspeed black handle U1

1 "NOS" 68-77 Schick Krona

1950's GEM Featherweight

GEM Contour

GEM Clog Pruf

GEM MMOC

GEM 1912 Junior

GEM G-Bar

Ever-Ready 1924 Shovelhead

Schick Injector type L

Gillette Spiral tech

 

[LRod]

This looks amazing, great polishing work!

It's a pity they don't offer a longer (90-95mm) SS handle to fit the Saturn head (or at least a more wallet friendly "head only" option). I'd be all over it...

Could you pls tell us the width of the Saturn /Jupiter OEM handles?

Do you think the Saturn razor is more efficient than the Primo?
And what about the Jupiter v. Primo?

Asking for another Guido

OK so I've received my new micrometer today.
Please note that this is a cheapo Amazon digital micrometer so it's
not supposed to be made for any super precise measurements.
But I first measured the length of both handles in order to verify it's accuracy.
We already know from the manufacturer that they're 85mm & 100mm in length.
The micrometer's length measurements were spot on!!
Not bad for a $10 tool, LOL!!

Saturn handle: 85mm x 11.8mm
Jupiter handle: 100mm x 11.8mm
Same width for both!
I'd say it's a "middle of the road" width that would suit most people.
Hope this helps!

 

[JAHE]

OK so I've received my new micrometer today.
Please note that this is a cheapo Amazon digital micrometer so it's
not supposed to be made for any super precise measurements.
But I first measured the length of both handles in order to verify it's accuracy.
We already know from the manufacturer that they're 85mm & 100mm in length.
The micrometer's length measurements were spot on!!
Not bad for a $10 tool, LOL!!

Saturn handle: 85mm x 11.8mm
Jupiter handle: 100mm x 11.8mm
Same width for both!
I'd say it's a "middle of the road" width that would suit most people.
Hope this helps!

Great! Thank you for your efforts!

 

[LRod]

Hello friends!
So I've been shifting razors around the last few days. Using a different one everyday and taking notes in my head. I'm right now in the phase of mostly using te latest ones to get a good feel for them. But I'm also bringing out some older ones to revisit in order to eventually see who the real contenders are for the Top 5!

So I guess I'll call this the top 5 of 2023, Lol!!
Since I go through so many razors, the title suits these tests.
I'll probably start compiling a yearly list of what I find best for that given year, Lol!!
Seriously though, I'll try my best to really hang on to most of what I've got, use it, enjoy it and get down to an actual best of the best (or a few best!)

So this week it's been:
-Henson AL13 aggressive +++
-Shield stainless DE
-Shield stainless GEM
-Reggie's stainless Saturn

The true winners here are the Saturn and the stainless Shield DE!
The Saturn I've spoken plenty about and find it to be "as good as it gets". It's just wonderful!
Silky smooth, super efficient, etc.
A definite masterpiece!
The Shield DE is probably the biggest surprise of them all. I wanted the stainless GEM and also threw in the DE on a whim. I said, what the heck, I'll just try it.

Wow in an understatement. It's a hidden gem that everyone needs to try.
In my opinion, It's pound for pound the best stainless for under $60.
Excellent fit and finish, balanced, smooth, efficient. It's got it all.
I highly recommend this razor.
I like it so much that I'm waiting on the brass one to arrive. (Yes I ordered it). Oh well!
And it was $50!!
So anyways, that's what's going on in my shaving world !

 

[huck1680]

I like it so much that I'm waiting on the brass one to arrive. (Yes I ordered it).

Of course you did Larry. It's what we've all come to expect from you. We can't even bet on whether you'll order something because generally...you do! Which is why I like reading about your purchasing adventures because your reviews etc tend to mirror my own shaving preferences as well. Which is a long winded way of saying...I'm pretty sure I'll be ordering the Shield DE in SS as well.
My RAD "Shield" seems to have been rendered useless in "shielding" me from impulsive purchases. BADABOOM! Just leaving.

 

[LRod]

Of course you did Larry. It's what we've all come to expect from you. We can't even bet on whether you'll order something because generally...you do! Which is why I like reading about your purchasing adventures because your reviews etc tend to mirror my own shaving preferences as well. Which is a long winded way of saying...I'm pretty sure I'll be ordering the Shield DE in SS as well.
My RAD "Shield" seems to have been rendered useless in "shielding" me from impulsive purchases. BADABOOM! Just leaving.
View attachment 1840530

That was funny!
Well, I guess I'll give myself the credit that this purchase was the same razor in just another metal (stainless vs brass). I didn't go nuts seeking something totally different this time. But it goes to show how much I like & respect that razor. And it's cheap enough to justify!
I did resist the Bayonetta though!
You all have suggested it and I haven't bought it. Something about it's look just doesn't jive for me.
But as always, we'll see what the future brings!

 

[Phoenixkh]

That was funny!
Well, I guess I'll give myself the credit that this purchase was the same razor in just another metal (stainless vs brass). I didn't go nuts seeking something totally different this time. But it goes to show how much I like & respect that razor. And it's cheap enough to justify!
I did resist the Bayonetta though!
You all have suggested it and I haven't bought it. Something about it's look just doesn't jive for me.
But as always, we'll see what the future brings!

I’m sending my Bayonetta out for a 24K hardened gold face lift. I think Chris will make it beautiful.

 

[huck1680]

Yeah the Shield DE SS is on its way...

 

[LRod]

Here's something fun and interesting (I think!)
Backstory:
I bought two "new old stock" 1968 Schick Krona's quite some time ago.
I didn't think it was necessary to keep two so I sold one to fund other
razor purchases. Might as well give the same joy to another razor enthusiast!
Anyways, I've pondered whether to keep it as is or open it and enjoy it.
Well, today was the day that made me decide that I'll open it.

I thought about how you need to enjoy stuff instead of just having something sitting there
for no reason. I guess I already had enough time staring at it and marveling at the fact that
it hasn't been opened for 56 years.
I tried cutting the packaging minimally in order to remove the razor and blade pack with
minimal damage. My plan is to store it back in it's box when it's not being used.
The plastic on the packaging had a tiny hole that I guess allowed the elements in.
So the razor had a miniscule amount of grime that got taken care of with my ultrasonic cleaner.
It's now as it looked when it left the Schick factory!

The blade pack was interesting where all 4 blades were practically fused together,
it's something I had previously read about with vintage blade packs! They all slid out
together and I carefully separated the blades and also ultrasonically cleaned them. They're perfect now!
For the inaugural shave, I want to use one of the included Schick Krona-Chrome blades!
This will be my first time ever using vintage blades and the Schick Krona-Chrome blades
are supposed to be excellent. We'll see!
I've also got a "new old stock" GEM Contour that's waiting to be opened and used.
Maybe in the next few weeks I'll get it opened as well.
Anyways, here are some pictures. It'll be the razor for tonight's shave!

 

[LRod]

So I had my first shave tonight with the Krona. We went out for dinner so it was an earlier shave than usual. I previously had a Krona so I'm familiar with how it shaves.
Its an autopilot razor that's not angle dependent and it shaves mild. A very easy razor to use that is excellent for daily use.
For me it's much better than any of the vintage Gillette DE's that I've tried. Schick is known for injectors but they did great with this razor. But I'm guessing it never made a dent in Gillette's sales. A shame because it's excellent!

One slight problem with tonight's shave:
The Schick blades that came with the razor!
They were horrible!
4 strokes in on the right side of my face and it felt like I was using sandpaper (rough & tuggy)
Does anyone know if blades degrade after such a long time in storage or are these just bad?
I had read that they were nice blades.
Anyways, I stopped half way and switched the blade out to my trusty Lab Blue's and got an excellent shave.
I'll never use those blades again, or any vintage blades for that matter.
I'll stick to the modern ones!
Bottom line: great razor, bad blades!
The Krona isn't on the upper end of efficiency but it's smooth and very easy to shave with.
A+

 

[APBinNCA]

I don't want to point fingers and say that you destroyed those blades, but... you really have to sacrifice the dispenser in order to save the blades. What you have to do is pry open the metal tabs on the back to separate the front from the plastic body. Then you can try to pry the blades apart without letting them touch anything. Also, any kind of cleaning is an iffy idea, you might remove the coating. It sounds like the edges were damaged or degraded, but that's pretty rare with stainless blades. Vintage blades are a niche hobby and there is no harm in just leaving things intact as a display piece if you aren't into it. I am glad that you finally opened this thing up and used it!

 

[LRod]

I don't want to point fingers and say that you destroyed those blades, but... you really have to sacrifice the dispenser in order to save the blades. What you have to do is pry open the metal tabs on the back to separate the front from the plastic body. Then you can try to pry the blades apart without letting them touch anything. Also, any kind of cleaning is an iffy idea, you might remove the coating. It sounds like the edges were damaged or degraded, but that's pretty rare with stainless blades. Vintage blades are a niche hobby and there is no harm in just leaving things intact as a display piece if you aren't into it. I am glad that you finally opened this thing up and used it!

Well, I did disassemble the dispenser. I did exactly what you said to get them out. I couldn't get them out otherwise since the 4 were stuck together. No way I could slide out 4 blades fused together through that little slot! I then took the 4 out and gently separated them. They didn't touch anything!
Now maybe the ultrasonic cleaning might have done it?
I put each through a cycle in the machine individually with nothing else in there.
So unless that machine can mess something up, I don't see what else might have been the cause. Maybe like you said, the coating might have come off, but even then I believe they should have shaved ok since the edge is still intact (I believe!)
I don't know!
I guess it doesn't matter anyways, I had never tried a vintage blade and doubt I'll ever try one again. The new stuff works well and I'm not gonna become a vintage blade collector, Lol!!
Thanks for the input though!

 

[Eric_75]

Have a great week ahead, Larry.

 

[LRod]

Have a great week ahead, Larry.

You too My friend!

 

[LRod]

Hey I was wondering if you have shaved with the hybrid yet and could tell the difference in aggressiveness between the hybrid and genesis.

Update on this!
I know you asked back in February and I just tried the Hybrid yesterday for the first time.
My comparison between the Genesis & Hybrid is that they perform identically.
Matter of fact, I'm certain that the heads are the same on both.
Looks the same, shaves the same!
The handle would be the only difference but weight wise they feel almost identical as well.
The hybrid handle is polymer but it's got a metal core which makes it as heavy (or almost as heavy) as the Genesis.
So the bottom line is that the Genesis is simply a more luxurious razor due to it's materials and price.
YMMV!

 

[LRod]

I guess I'll start biting my tongue from now on..
Here we go once again!
Every purchase has a story so here's this one:
For those that don't know,
This razor is hard to come by because they were built in very
limited quantities in Turkey. The artisan originally collaborated with
Rocnel but eventually broke that off and started making his own stuff
using a different machine shop(s).

The first ones were polished and apparently some didn't make the cut
up to his satisfaction so those were sold as "imperfect".
A few weeks ago I browsed and found that a few were selling.
They had them on eBay & their Etsy store (same amount of stock on both sites!)
Brand new, not imperfect and in the last finish they made which was brushed
matte. I watched as the current inventory started waning and when I saw that,
I made an offer that I wouldn't be able to refuse.
Well, he accepted and it's on it's way to me from Turkey!

The Barbaros website has been permanently closed as of this week (It was online last week!)
Looks like this might be it for these!
The Etsy store still shows one in stock and they've added it to the eBay stock as well, so
I'm guessing that one more is left.

The Barbaros TR-3 Open Comb with the Kalyon handle: