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Open Comb October

Had my last OCtober shave this morning, and also want to thank Shutterbug for administering this thread. It got me to revisit my open combs, and on the prompting of someone in this thread, scored a Gillette Sheraton that has become my favorite razor. What a great month!

This morning I used:
C.O. Bigelow cream
Custom brush with 22mm TGN Finest fan
Gillette Sheraton
Personna on it's 4th shave
Aqua Velva Ice AS

That's four shaves with the Sheraton, and not even a weeper. That's a first for sure, and the shaves were DFS, which is all I go for.
 
Here's another Thanks to Shutterbug 57 for a great thread.

I decided that I prefer the Maggard handle on my NEW after trying the SLAB for a week. Had a DFS with TOBS Saint James and Whipped Dog Silver Tip.

I have now become an OC convert.
 
Final razor for OCtober is my grandfather's Old Type. This is the one that got me started on vintage razors. It's a very nice thing to have, and I do think of him when I use it. As it's el Dias de los Muertos, I thought it appropriate to use today.

$GrandpasOldType.jpg

Additionally, it's a great little shaver, and really fun to use.

Thanks again to Shutterbug for hosting. It was a lot of fun. Happy Halloween!
 
Good evening everyone, tonight's shave for OCtober;

1900 Superior lathercatcher,
Blue Star blade,
1910's Mayd Well brush(re-knotted synthetic),
Dr Harris Arlington shaving soap,
Nivea post shave balm,
Pinaud Clubman after shave splash,
Avon Mesmerize cologne.

2 passes into it and I knew I had a tiger by the tail. I called it quits with an SAS for the shave. It was fun though. Thanks for this opportunity to use most of my OC razors and have fun doing it. Good night everyone, and God Bless.
 
Last OCtober shave (much) earlier today: GEM 1912 with a GEM stainless blade(3). It was an easy month as I'm definitely an open comb guy. Thanks to Shutterbug for starting the thread and keeping the running tally!
 
30 OCtober 2013 - Day 30/Shave 30

GEM 1912 Damaskeene
GEM SS PTFE blade
Rudy Vey keyhole brush
Mike's Rose/Cedar soap
Aqua di Gio AS

DFS, but I attribute that to not showering just before the shave as normal. I just splashed on some warm water and went to work. Very smooth and comfortable. I will try it again soon under normal circumstances. I have to do some more cleaning on the handle of this razor, but the head looks nice.

Just a follow-up on this shave. Today I used the Damaskeene with proper preparation and got a smooth, comfortable BBS. I gotta say, I don't see much, if any, difference between my GEM 1912 Damaskeene & my Ever-Ready 1912 (non-Damaskeene), but both give great shaves.

This just goes to show me, at least, the importance of the prep. The quick splash of warm water did not get it done like a full shower. Not much news, I suppose, but I proved it to myself in the "lab".
 
I'd like to see some more of you telling us about what you learned from your OCtober experience. It could culminate the event, inform all, and honor the efforts of our founder, Shutterbug.
 
I'd like to see some more of you telling us about what you learned from your OCtober experience. It could culminate the event, inform all, and honor the efforts of our founder, Shutterbug.

I started my OC shift a little before OCtober but what I've learned:

I still have a little discomfort shaving above my upper lip on first pass - maybe need more prep, different angle, etc. Everything else is awesome. Tips on this are welcome.

I don't even think about my prized Red Tip right now but I will give it a whirl to give it a fresh comparison soon.

The idea of an OC is the 2nd biggest revelation since I started over 2 years ago. The first biggest is the use of a Finest brush. Between those two the sheer enjoyment of DE for me has been totally reinvented. It is truly a subculture within a subculture and there should be a secret handshake and possibly mysterious ceremonies.

Oh and Shark blades are actually not too bad in my OC for some reason.
 
Here are the final stats for OCtober 2013. Guys, it was a blast and I am looking forward to next OCtober. Have a great holiday season and I will see you around B&B.

Garyg came in with 29 razors and MormanBridge had 27. Several of us had 31 shaves during the month.

No.NameRazor(s)Notes
1Shutterbug57Senator
Every-Ready 1912
Aristocrat
NEW SC
GEM MMOC
Sheraton
Old Type/ATT Titan handle
Lunawerk
GEM 1912 Damaskeene
NEW LC
2DrAwkward
3mastershakeFatip
4Lothar101
5bryan1980
6ChadoiKon Deluxe/OSS handle
NEW SC
Shavecraft
NEW LC
7Ollie4ISU
8Chongo Gordo1914 Single Ring Old
1911 Single Ring Old
French Market Big Fellow
French Market Single Ring
Old Type - Ivory Soap Advert
1907 Single Ring
Gillette Bulldog
Old Type
It has been reported that French Big Fellows get a bit grouchy if they are hurried.
9TeppanyakiAristocrat
10Suggy
11tiernan22
12k200817
13CornishmanEnglish NEW LC/Tornado
Brit Army Razor MM&S
Fatip Grande Chrome
NEW Improved/ATT Atlas
Souplex OC
NEW Windsor Set
Merkur 1904
Pearl Cadet/RR SLAB handle
Milady Decolletee Parisienne with Weber Bulldog Handle
Mayfair Deluxe English Old Type
Fatip Grande Anthracite
Cadet 02S
Engraved New Improved/Atlas
Very nice job of engraving on the cap of your NEW Improved - it looks great.
14ThomasB989080
15hdjj001918 Bulldog Old Type
Benz 1930s - bakelite handle
Benx 1930s - brass handle
Gold Big Boy Deluxe
Barbasol Non-floating
Barbasol Floading Head
NEW LC Black & Red
Fatip Grande Chrome
1930 Gold CDN #77 NEW LC
Aristocrat
Muhle R41 ('11)
'30s #15 British Aristocrat
'20s Handy Travel razor
Royal Crown DE
Cadet TP-01SS
Fasan Double Slant
Sheraton
NEW LC Common bar
Darwin Limited
16JSB33Cadet TP26
17DaveL
18Rawskin
19oldbluelightBerkshire NEW
Cadete
20cpacamperOld Type
New LC
Cadet TP-02S
MMOC
Is the Cadet correct? Post 634 seems to say not, but I put it here from the thread. I may have mis-posted to the wrong person.
21coyotewhisperConard
Classic OC
1905 Old Style
'20 Old Type
22RichieMerkur 11C
Fatip Grande Chrome
Fatip Grande Chrome/Parker 91R Handle
23KQY61Fasan OC 2X Slant
Grandpa's Old Type
British NEW LC
New SC
Isn't great when we find old friends we thought we had lost. :)
24RockminerNEW LC
NEW SC
R41 base w/ R89 cap
25GHCHambone
26JasmanMerkur 41C
27briggs06 Single Ring
NEW LC
NEW SC
Old Style
Gave it the old college try, but, in the end, the Old Type and NEW LC were too aggressive. Glad you joined us. If you find a bargain on a TTO OC Aristocrat, I think you would really like it. Smoother than the NEW SC by a lot.
28SteveWYGoodwill NEW LC
NEW SC
Triple Header - OCtober, Highlander & Tabactober challenges.
29mswoffordNEW SCTriple Header - OCtober, Highlander & Tabactober challenges.
30zombiemannNEW LC
Old Type
Autostrop OC
NEW LC/FHT handle
31KindestCutofAll
32mikelz777
33dpmtherrien
34chgruverCDN NEW LC/MR20 Handle
35rotarygov
36garygBrit #15
NEW SC/Cooncat Bull M.
Star Lather Catcher
Ikon OC
Old Type '21
Big Fellow
Federal w/ Bakelite handle
Muhle R99
New Improved Richwood
GEM MMOC
Senator
Fatip Picollo
AutoStrop Model C
Schick Magazine Repeater C-1
Cooper's of Brooklyn
1918 Old Type Khaki set
Goodwill
New Improved Tuckaway
Merkur 12C
Old Type Pocket Edition
Frankenrazor
NEW LC
NEW Improved Milady Decolletee
British #20 All England
Tradere OC
Horny Handled Joris
GEM Streamline
Bostonian - 1924
Henkel's Rapide
Nice looking Streamline!!!
37segnodNEW SC
Cadet TP-02s
NEW LC
38SocalRickNEW SC
Every-Ready 1912
Cadet TTO OC
That Cadet TTO OC sounds like it might be a winner, especially at its price point.
39TonyJoeNEW LC
Old Type
New Improved
GEM 1912 Damaskeene
40docfoxNEW SC
Cadet O2S
NEW LC
41Sceptic PencilMerkur 41C
Aristocrat #15
Big Ben
Muhle R101 (2010)
Merkur 11C
Tradere OC
Muhle R41 (2013)
FaTip Piccolo
FaTip Grande
NEW LC with Tornado handle
Ikon Deluxe
MerTip Tornado (frakenrazor)
MerTip Tornado is a Merkur 41c cap, Fatip Grande comb & UFO Tornado handle.
42dymaxionOld Type Ball End
43GuanYuIkon OC Deluxe
44pwc123Ikon OC Deluxe
Ikon OC Deluxe/Feather handle
45shepRazoRock Little Bastone
46civilengineerOld Type
47joostNEW LC
Fasan OC Slant
Albanio OC
NEW LC/FHT handle
48Morman BridgeCDN 07/08 Single Ring
Aristocrat De Lux
'10 Single Ring
Pocket Old Type
WWI Old Type
1912 Single Ring Old
NEW LC
Senator ('38)
Crappy Mystery Razor OC
1916 Single Ring
1919 Single Ring
NEW LC Debutante
'20s Gillette 4 piece Traveller
NEW Standard
Cadet model 12
GEM MMOC
NEW Federal set
Goodwill
'20s Basket Weave Pocket Ball End Old Type Gold set
20s Old Type Brownie set
NEW Red & Black
WWI Valet Autostrop US Army
Gillette Autostrop (gold)
'07 US Single Ring
NEW SC/Gold Tech handle
1900 Superior Lathercatcher
See post 622 for more on the Gillette Autostrop
49BaritoneJPNEW LC
NEW SC
The following joined during the fun of OCtober
50duderubbleNEW SC
New LC
Goodwill LC
1912 Single Ring
CDN Old Style
Black & Gold NEW
Red & Black NEW
51mikemullin6Razor description not complete enough to post
52coonskinnerOld Type
53TaborcarnCadet TP26
NEW LC
GEM MMOC
54Son of Sceptic PencilNEW LC
55danpassOld Type
56parsifal54Fatip
MMOC
57CapslockOld Type
NEW LC
NEW SC fat handle
Sheraton
58gus1942NEW LC
NEW SC
59KerrplunkNEWLC or SC???
60RucheNEW LC/Maggard MR1 handle
NEW LC/RR SLAB handle
61LaTuFuFatip Grande
Muhle R41
NEW LC/Weber Bulldog handle
Cadet OC
62Lothar101Old Type
New SC
Cadet TP-02S
63Matt BloodletterNEW LC
Old Type
64nocutsnonicksno
weepers
Old Type
652Deuce2Plisson
66CholliRazoRock Little Bastone
67HeresyLeresche
Sheraton
Aristocrat
Kampfe Bros. Star New Model
NEW SC/BRW Bull Mastiff
R41
Old Type/BWR Custom
FaTip/Tuckaway
Aristocrat #15
68firemedic1343R41 ('13)/RR SLAB Handle
Cadet/RR SLAB handle
69Ender78Merkur 1904
70Phil1-6Cadet w/ Lord 1822L cap
71olmstead25NEW LC
72ckang79iKon
NEW LC
73jtodaroNEW LC
74jsdkdonkNEW LC
75larzoneNEW Deluxe/Ikon Bulldog
76OneBadBadgerOrder filled wrong - 1904 was the safety bar version.
77ok2shaveRR JawsRR Jaws on order - will it make it in time?

It made it and post 623 has a reivew.
78Cheese & BaconNEW LCFirst NEW shave and he is loving life!
79rbthumJoris
Tradere
R41
80ScotinAZOld Style
81ironfistR41
English NEW/UFO handle
Old Type/RR SLAB
Lersche
Swiss head/RR SLAB
82dccFatip Grande Anthricite
Old Type
HMrockviperfuming - has no OC
 
Here is another interesting chart. I tried to group the razors used in groups. I was just interested to see what was the most used and how my favorites stacked up. NEWs as a group were the most represented followed by Old Types. Cadets and FaTips were next then we get down to a few of this and a few of that.

Aristocrat US5
Aristocrat Brit5
Sheraton4
Senator3
19124
NEW SC21
NEW LC35
NEW English3
New Improved9
NEW Standard3
Canadian NEW2
Old Type43
Canadian Old Type2
Lunawerk1
FaTip12
Ikon6
Shavecraft1
Gillette Bulldog2
Big Fellow/Big Boy3
Brit Army1
Souplex1
Merkur7
Cadet14
Cadet TTO1
Benz2
Barbasol2
R417
Handy Travel1
Royal Crown1
Fasan3
Darwin1
MMOC6
Conard1
Autostrop4
Lathercatcher3
Federal2
R991
Schick1
Coopers1
Frakenrazor3
Tradere3
Joris2
Streamline1
Henkel's Rapide1
Big Ben1
R1011
RazoRock3
Albanio1
Gillette Traveler1
Plisson1
Leresche2
Swiss1
 
Last edited:
Hi,

I really like that second chart. That must have taken some time to add up all those razors by type. What was best for me about OCtober is it made me use that new (to me) Fasan Doppleschrag for more days than I might otherwise have done. That, in turn showed me the better way to operate it so that the difference in aggressiveness between the two sides could get me to BBS in one pass.

Of course this means it is now my daily shaver, and my poor old Early Tech has lost the job of being my Second Pass razor. Of course, there will be Old Type and New SC and LC days, and the Tech will still work Second Pass to those three razors. OCtober has also seen to it that I will be reaching for an OC razor for first pass every day. It is time to let my Red Tip Super Speed go. It has completely lost its' job as a First Pass choice.

Stan
 
I shaved with my Red Tip today and didn't get nearly as close a shave as I did with my OC razors. I have a feeling my safety bar razors may be hitting the b/s/t soon. Well, the Superspeeds for sure. Even the Red Tip is too mild. I still like my Slim and, for some reason, my EJ DE89 w/Weber Bulldog handle. That shaves close and comfortable!!

I'll be expanding my OC collection for sure.
 
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