I'm with you on that one. We do hotels and B&B's. So far so good. I do love some of the horror stories about the Airbnb "false" descriptions etc.
BradWorld's Shave Journal
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- #462
Luckily the one we just used was really great. Even nicer than anticipated.
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- #463
Home RV SOTD
I have a 1985 Black Handle Super Speed with the rectangular baseplate inbound. It has been said that this particular configuration of the last gen Super Speed is quite a bit more efficient than most others. It apparently rivals the Red Tip.
Well I have a Red Tip, and dont recall it being any more efficient than any other Super Speed. I find Super Speeds fun to use, and very nostalgic. When I was about 5 or 7 years old, my paternal grandfather taught me how to shave with a Super Speed with no blade installed. So I always have love for the lowly Super Speed. And I wish that I had those Super Speeds that belonged to my grandfather. But they were tossed out many years ago unfortunately.
So I broke out the Red Tip today. I used the king of all blades. The vintage Wilkinson Sword Light Brigade. This blade has been providing remarkable shaves so far. With excellent sharpness, and amazing smoothness. My old tub of Passiflora. Paladin Lotus badger. And The Holy Black vampire Hunter splash. The top shelf stuff without a doubt.
The Red Tip was meh. Enjoyable. No doubt. Super mild and fun to use, like any Super Speed. But it does leave me with some light scratchy remainders on my challenging areas, like the jaw line, and the swirling spots on my neck.
So there you have it! The Red Tip is no miracle of shaving adventure. It is just the same as a regular old Super Speed. At least to me anyway. I am very excited to try the 1985 Super Speed and see if it is the beasty that people say it is. I doubt it. But sometimes the chase is more fun than the catch!
Stay smooth gents!
I have a 1985 Black Handle Super Speed with the rectangular baseplate inbound. It has been said that this particular configuration of the last gen Super Speed is quite a bit more efficient than most others. It apparently rivals the Red Tip.
Well I have a Red Tip, and dont recall it being any more efficient than any other Super Speed. I find Super Speeds fun to use, and very nostalgic. When I was about 5 or 7 years old, my paternal grandfather taught me how to shave with a Super Speed with no blade installed. So I always have love for the lowly Super Speed. And I wish that I had those Super Speeds that belonged to my grandfather. But they were tossed out many years ago unfortunately.
So I broke out the Red Tip today. I used the king of all blades. The vintage Wilkinson Sword Light Brigade. This blade has been providing remarkable shaves so far. With excellent sharpness, and amazing smoothness. My old tub of Passiflora. Paladin Lotus badger. And The Holy Black vampire Hunter splash. The top shelf stuff without a doubt.
The Red Tip was meh. Enjoyable. No doubt. Super mild and fun to use, like any Super Speed. But it does leave me with some light scratchy remainders on my challenging areas, like the jaw line, and the swirling spots on my neck.
So there you have it! The Red Tip is no miracle of shaving adventure. It is just the same as a regular old Super Speed. At least to me anyway. I am very excited to try the 1985 Super Speed and see if it is the beasty that people say it is. I doubt it. But sometimes the chase is more fun than the catch!
Stay smooth gents!
Thank you for this, I was debating on snagging a Red Tip, but I already have a few Super Speeds and a Rocket 500 HD, all seem similar, this saves me a purchase, I think, hope, we shall see.
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- #465
The one thing that sets the Red Tip apart for me is the thickness of the handle. Not sure if it is perception or reality. I have not measured. But the handle always seems thicker.
There is no doubt that the Rocket 500 is a more efficient razor than this. But not by much.
If you want to try a Super Speed variant that has the potential to be more efficient for you, try the 1941 Range Tech. It is the father of the Super Speed. They only made it briefly for two different years, spread apart by WWII. 1941 an 1946. The only difference is the 1946 has endcaps and the 1941 does not.
Also i find the 1947 Super Speed to have a more efficient shave. This is the only Super Speed without the blade grabbing notches in the center bar. The head is indeed similar to the Ranger Tech.
Lastly, dont forget about the wonderful open-comb Super Speed variants, the Senator, and whatever else it was called in the opposite finish color.
It is quite a nice step up from the Super Speed efficiency level. Hope that helps!
So much for not buying another razor, haha. But really, thanks for all the valuable information.The one thing that sets the Red Tip apart for me is the thickness of the handle. Not sure if it is perception or reality. I have not measured. But the handle always seems thicker.
There is no doubt that the Rocket 500 is a more efficient razor than this. But not by much.
If you want to try a Super Speed variant that has the potential to be more efficient for you, try the 1941 Range Tech. It is the father of the Super Speed. They only made it briefly for two different years, spread apart by WWII. 1941 an 1946. The only difference is the 1946 has endcaps and the 1941 does not.
Also i find the 1947 Super Speed to have a more efficient shave. This is the only Super Speed without the blade grabbing notches in the center bar. The head is indeed similar to the Ranger Tech.
Lastly, dont forget about the wonderful open-comb Super Speed variants, the Senator, and whatever else it was called in the opposite finish color.
Hope that helps!
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- #467
I dug this one out from the darkest depths of my razor stash, and took it out on the road. Used it today. Wowzers! What a great shave. It definitely feels like it holds the blade much stiffer than a Super Speed. Very close and smooth. No drama. Very enjoyable!
What is it? I thought it was a Parat for a long time. Someone on here told me it was. But it’s not. It’s a non-HD Rocket.
Great razor needs a great blade! Brit London Bridge.
What is it? I thought it was a Parat for a long time. Someone on here told me it was. But it’s not. It’s a non-HD Rocket.
Great razor needs a great blade! Brit London Bridge.
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- #468
Travel SOTD from Yesterday:
This razor is one that was also buried down deep in my collection. I may have never shaved with this one. Its a Gold Single Ring OLD Type. This one feature straight teeth, a worn gold finish (I think), and no cracks in the handle. It shaves great!
The London Bridge blade (2) provided a sharp and smooth shave. Results were as expected. Close and smooth. The OLD Type is a very capable razor, which is much more efficient than a Super Speed or Tech. But if your technique is not up to the task, the OLD Type can make you bleed. That's for sure. It bites! But this shave did not have any drama. So we are good!
Same kit from my travel bag as last time. 23 mm STF, B&M Fougere Gothique shave soap, B&M 42 Splash.
This razor is one that was also buried down deep in my collection. I may have never shaved with this one. Its a Gold Single Ring OLD Type. This one feature straight teeth, a worn gold finish (I think), and no cracks in the handle. It shaves great!
The London Bridge blade (2) provided a sharp and smooth shave. Results were as expected. Close and smooth. The OLD Type is a very capable razor, which is much more efficient than a Super Speed or Tech. But if your technique is not up to the task, the OLD Type can make you bleed. That's for sure. It bites! But this shave did not have any drama. So we are good!
Same kit from my travel bag as last time. 23 mm STF, B&M Fougere Gothique shave soap, B&M 42 Splash.
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- #469
As promised some 10 or so days ago... I have tried the new-to-me 1985 black handled Super Speed. This is the very last version of the SS, with the rectangle base plate, instead of the usual baseplate with the diamond shaped raised portion in the middle. This SS is said to be more efficient, and more aggressive than other Super Speed razors. Some say it rivals the Red Tip. I am not impressed by the Red Tip, as noted in my journal entry from 4/24. So lets see how this one fares. I have never used one of these latest model SS before.
The first thing I noticed while loading the blade was that the gap looked much larger than a normal black handle SS. I also noted that the blade exposure is very small. This is quite similar to the principle design behind the Wolfman razors which I love so much. I have no scientific proof of this in a SS, as I never measured these parameters in this one, nor any other SS. But these are my observations.
So I popped in a Light Brigade (5) and lathered up with some B&M Passiflora using my Paladin Lemon Drop Polo. Even though this razor looks the same as a regular black handle SS, it felt much different from the first stroke. It felt hollow and cheap. I thought I felt some blade chatter, but that really wasnt what it was. The blade was held firm. But it had that weird feeling, like the first time you use an R41 and feel that free-wheeling blade having its effect on your face. This was similar, but not the same. It took me a bit of time to put my finger on it. Not sure if I really understand it, because it felt so odd. But I think the way this razor is constructed, the bigger feeling blade gap has its own unique sensation on ones face. Again, just my observations. No science was utilized here.
After three standard passes, there was a good shave result. This thing definitely left me with a better shave than the Red Tip. By a pretty wide margin. I used the exact same soap and blade for that shave as well. So there would be no deviation in any other factors. Just the razor was different. I still had a slight bit of scratchiness in my trouble spots, but it was much less than with the Red Tip. And certainly much less than with a standard black handle SS.
So this experiment was a big success! I am quite surprized by these results. I didnt think this razor would measure up. But it did. Does it rival the shave of a highly engineered modern razor like the aforementioned Wolfman? No. Of course it does not. But it does shave as good or better than any other Super Speed I have tried... except possibly the 1947 variety with the winged center bar without the blade notches. That thing is a beast, but its been a while. So futher comparison shaves must be done! But only after Modern May is done. Likewise the Ranger Tech is as good or better than this '85. The Ranger Tech is, after all, a Super Speed. Or at least the father of the Super Speed. And I love that razor. Again... more comparison testing will ensue.
Well, that was a fun one! Until next shave!
The first thing I noticed while loading the blade was that the gap looked much larger than a normal black handle SS. I also noted that the blade exposure is very small. This is quite similar to the principle design behind the Wolfman razors which I love so much. I have no scientific proof of this in a SS, as I never measured these parameters in this one, nor any other SS. But these are my observations.
So I popped in a Light Brigade (5) and lathered up with some B&M Passiflora using my Paladin Lemon Drop Polo. Even though this razor looks the same as a regular black handle SS, it felt much different from the first stroke. It felt hollow and cheap. I thought I felt some blade chatter, but that really wasnt what it was. The blade was held firm. But it had that weird feeling, like the first time you use an R41 and feel that free-wheeling blade having its effect on your face. This was similar, but not the same. It took me a bit of time to put my finger on it. Not sure if I really understand it, because it felt so odd. But I think the way this razor is constructed, the bigger feeling blade gap has its own unique sensation on ones face. Again, just my observations. No science was utilized here.
After three standard passes, there was a good shave result. This thing definitely left me with a better shave than the Red Tip. By a pretty wide margin. I used the exact same soap and blade for that shave as well. So there would be no deviation in any other factors. Just the razor was different. I still had a slight bit of scratchiness in my trouble spots, but it was much less than with the Red Tip. And certainly much less than with a standard black handle SS.
So this experiment was a big success! I am quite surprized by these results. I didnt think this razor would measure up. But it did. Does it rival the shave of a highly engineered modern razor like the aforementioned Wolfman? No. Of course it does not. But it does shave as good or better than any other Super Speed I have tried... except possibly the 1947 variety with the winged center bar without the blade notches. That thing is a beast, but its been a while. So futher comparison shaves must be done! But only after Modern May is done. Likewise the Ranger Tech is as good or better than this '85. The Ranger Tech is, after all, a Super Speed. Or at least the father of the Super Speed. And I love that razor. Again... more comparison testing will ensue.
Well, that was a fun one! Until next shave!
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- #470
A very enjoyable shave with the Charcoal Goods Level 2 Stinger in brass. Gen 1. Wonderful razor. In my top three. The old Crown King “Dorm” soap is amazing. The performance of this ancient PAA offering was well ahead of its time. The resulting lather put most other soaps to shame back in the day. There are endless great soaps now. But ten years ago, or whenever this was, there were not the high tech soaps. This was an early one. I have used it down to the bottom of the tub. There are only scraps left. The scent is intoxicating. Well it does smell like weed after all. Think about the smell of your college dorm room after a big party. It’s not that. lol. Despite what good ole Douglass wrote on his website back then. In reality, it has a good mix of incense, light patchouli, and a good whiff of the ole Mary Jane just for good measure. It smells way better than it should. It smells wonderful. I savor every last bit of this stuff, as it’s been discontinued for years and years. The Light Nrigade blade (6) performed flawlessly in the Stinger. Perfect shave.
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- #471
I had not used the R89 or DE89 in a long time. So for this Modern May Travel Shave of the Day, I thought I would bring along this beautiful Muhle R89 Grande. Before I got into high end razors, the 89 was a staple my den. And it was my dedicated travel format for years. I had a Maggards version of the 89 with a MR18 stainless handle that traveled around the world with me several times over. Then I moved on to a real EJ DE89 on a Weber Classic handle. What a beautiful razor. Even long after I sold my many 89 platform razors, this R89 has stayed in my den. It is an incredibly good looking razor. And it shaves like a dream. It’s not as close as my top tier favorites. But it is definitely close enough, and comfortable too! With a fresh British vintage London Bridge, this setup gave a solid DFS+ result without much effort. Very enjoyable shave this morning.
Absolutely! I have replaced my Fatip with a R89 for travel. It’s autopilot with great results.
I also liked Leviathan but not enough to replace it - I always had a harder time lathering up.
Enjoy your trip!
Guido
I also liked Leviathan but not enough to replace it - I always had a harder time lathering up.
Enjoy your trip!
Guido
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- #473
This is a write up for yesterday's shave. I kept everything the same except the blade. I switched from the vintage British London Bridge, to the Chinese London Bridge. The British version seems to be more refined, and has a level of sophistication and control in the shave feel. The Chinese version does feel sharper. But less refined. Both are great blades. And using them in the same exact setup is very telling. The R89 is a mild and forgiving razor, but it does produce some great shave results. I will move both blades to the R41 with the SLOC top on the next shaves. Cheers!
I use my ShaveIt "Shadow". The company went out of business so I got two, one for travel. It's a great razor and you can shave with it on auto-pilot. So far I haven't found a blade that doesn't work with it.
Cheers
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- #475
Switched from the R89 to the R41. Same blade. British London Bridge. Great shave. I use the SLOC top cap to remove all the blade chatterbox. The R41 has the most efficient first pass in the business. But the overall shave results are not any better than anynother top tier razor. But the first pass... super close. This blade was quite smooth and enjoyable is this razor. Next up is the R41 with the Chinese London Bridge.
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- #476
Yesterday's travel shave with with a SLOC'ed R41 and a Chinese London Bridge. Good shave. Some tugging here and there. But overall good results. The rest of the kit was the same as before. Nice close results.
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