PAA Starling V3 dropped

[GoodShave]

My V3 Starling was delivered today and I plan to try it out tomorrow.


It is a pretty heavy razor combination. I was too lazy to pull out a scale so I just compared the weights to other razors I have. The head feels in the ball park of my 2016 ATT SE1 head (which I find pretty heavy). The handle is also pretty heavy. I would say the handle (with the tip attached) is in the ball park of my Yates 3.25" stubby SS handle, my Rocnel SE-P handle (older version) and maybe not quite as heavy as my Stando King handle. Making the handle lighter may be one reason for the screw off tip (in addition to making the handle shorter). The threads seems a standard size so I could swap out for a lighter handle (or one of different length) if need be.


The machine marks make for an interesting texture on the base plates and don't detract from the razor like I feared they would. It has a nice feel to it.


I plan to give it a test run tomorrow if schedule allows. I am debating doing A/B shaves out of the gate (the V3 OC on one side of the face, MMOC on the other side for example). If I go that route, I would have to decide which razor to compare against the V3 SB. Maybe go with MMCP, MMBT or Blackand Sabre L2. If the SB turns out to be really efficient, then maybe a better comparison would be with the ER 1924 or 1914. Will see.

 

[Whiterook]

I sm looking forward to your report. Personally I would give it few shaves before making any comparsions, trying both plates.

 

[GoodShave]

I found the Starling V3 handle so close in weight to the Blackland Sabre handle weight that I decided to weigh them to see how close they were in weight.

The V3 Starling and Blackland Sabre weight comparison:

Blackland Sabre handle: 75.1
Starling V3 handle with tip: 79.4g

Blackland Sabre top cap plus L2 plate: 32g
Starling V3 top cap plus SB plate: 51.6g

Starling V3 handle with top cap and SB plate: 131g
Blackland Sabre handle with top cap and L2 plate: 107.1g

I also had my first shave with the V3 Starling this morning:

I shaved the left side with SB and right side with OC. Both gave a comfortable shave and I did not notice much difference between the two plates on 2 days' growth as far as comfort or efficiency. I am thinking with 3 days growth that maybe the OC place would be better for the first pass. The XTG pass (horizontal pass) with the V3 was a little awkward due it the weight and mass of the razor head. That will take some getting used to. I would say that the V3 is more efficient than most of my GEM style razors (modern or vintage) especially when it comes to the mustache area (without resorting to ATG/Fool's passes). I liked the handle better with the tip than without it as the handle was too short for me without the tip. This razor is a welcome addition to my den. It was an excellent shave!

 

[GoodShave]

When loading a blade in the V3 Starling, after placing the blade over the two posts on the base place, you have to gently place the top cap over the base plate or the blade will come off one (or both) of the posts and be out of alignment.

 

[steelwindmachine]

Having been a machinist, I find it mildly amusing that PAA explains away the errant machining marks with marketing language. I suspect that the price doesn't afford the level of machining quality and cleanliness that you find with many other boutique razor manufacturers like Blackland, Karve, etc. Thankfully, it doesn't appear to be anything that impacts the function or is significantly detrimental to the overall aesthetic.

Iit's nice to see more GEM options as opposed to less.

 

[jgreenlee70]

Nobody in the world is called “Douglas Smythe”. Not even the last living Victorian big game hunter in darkest Congo. Does anybody know what this guy’s actual name is?

"Erik Hodges" is what I've heard.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

"Erik Hodges" is what I've heard.

I’m not sure how plausible that one sounds either, for an American. I’m thinking now this is a guy who has a dozen fake passports in a drawer, all with different names. Possibly an interplanetary visitor who hasn’t quite got the hang of human names, like Ford Prefect. Or he’s just on the run or maybe an ex-mobster turned informant, in witness protection. Or maybe that’s what he wants us to think and he’s just a quite boring guy who wears colourful bow-ties in lieu of a personality - we all know someone like that.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Nobody in the world is called “Douglas Smythe”. Not even the last living Victorian big game hunter in darkest Congo. Does anybody know what this guy’s actual name is?

Isn't he the dude that's in "business" with John Doe?

 

[Dave himself]

The witness protection programme. Now it's making sense. The pith helmet, sun glasses and dodgy looking goatee beard, I think he's Jimmy Hoffa. In disguise .

 

[Old Hippie]

he’s just a quite boring guy who wears colourful bow-ties in lieu of a personality - we all know someone like that.

Harrumph.

O.H.

 

[Never Picked]

How about a V2 vs V3? I'm calling considering the V2 as it's available and about half the price. I'm not counting concerned about the aluminum vs stainless steel difference. The handle I'll replace for a heftier longer one regardless so it really the head shape.

 

[Whiterook]

The handle I'll replace for a heftier longer one regardless so it really the head shape.

Yeah, I was going to do that too, but I like the original handle so much that it hasn't happened. For me, the V2 with the sold bar is on the MMOC side of the spectrum. The OC plate puts in the Clog-Pruf zone.

 

[Never Picked]

Yeah, I was going to do that too, but I like the original handle so much that it hasn't happened. For me, the V2 with the sold bar is on the MMOC side of the spectrum. The OC plate puts in the Clog-Pruf zone.

I have a lather catcher that I like but the handle is not to my liking. I don't believe it's replaceable. Any comparison to the V2? Not my picture but I have the longer handled one like this.

 

[Whiterook]

Those are both mild, but efficient for me. The handles can be changed.

A forum member made this handle for me.

 

[Old Hippie]

I have a lather catcher that I like but the handle is not to my liking. I don't believe it's replaceable.

Most of the ASR lathercatchers used a now-obsolete thread pitch of 8-24 female, if memory works. More modern razors tend to have a 10-32 male thread. Even more modern razors tend toward M5x0.80, and the beauty of that is that it's functionally equivalent to 10-32 so most handles fit most razors. Some of the European razors had M4.5x0.75, which Fatip continues.

Someone with a small lathe can set it up to cut that 8-24 pitch (as one or two of our members have done). I've had and piffed several adaptors cut on 10-32 stock. Male threads on both ends; just thread the small end into the razor head and the larger end into a more modern handle.

If you are tempted to do the old trick of simply getting a 10-32 or M5x0.80 tap and running it up the hole in the lathercatcher, please put down the tools and go have a beer. They're not making any more lathercatchers, and destroying the threads on one is a real injustice.

Any comparison to the V2?

Lots noisier than the V2. Gem is milder, Ever Ready about the same as the V2SB, Star is a rough old cob for me which is why I no longer own a Star lathercatcher.

V2SB is too mild for me. V2OC is still rather mild, but I can get a good shave from it.

O.H.

 

[Never Picked]

Most of the ASR lathercatchers used a now-obsolete thread pitch of 8-24 female, if memory works. More modern razors tend to have a 10-32 male thread. Even more modern razors tend toward M5x0.80, and the beauty of that is that it's functionally equivalent to 10-32 so most handles fit most razors. Some of the European razors had M4.5x0.75, which Fatip continues.

Someone with a small lathe can set it up to cut that 8-24 pitch (as one or two of our members have done). I've had and piffed several adaptors cut on 10-32 stock. Male threads on both ends; just thread the small end into the razor head and the larger end into a more modern handle.

If you are tempted to do the old trick of simply getting a 10-32 or M5x0.80 tap and running it up the hole in the lathercatcher, please put down the tools and go have a beer. They're not making any more lathercatchers, and destroying the threads on one is a real injustice.



Lots noisier than the V2. Gem is milder, Ever Ready about the same as the V2SB, Star is a rough old cob for me which is why I no longer own a Star lathercatcher.

V2SB is too mild for me. V2OC is still rather mild, but I can get a good shave from it.

O.H.

Thanks, and yes, I will not vandalize the razor.

 

[Old Hippie]

It occurred to me last night that since I already own (and rather like) the V2 Starling, maybe I ought to haul it out and give it a run to decide whether I want to pursue the V3.

So I did. Lovely, albeit slightly noisy shave. I like the first shave on an uncorked, unstropped Personna PTFE blade. The V2OC doesn't seem to get as "deep" as fast as the MMOC, which I also like. SOTD posted elsewhere in this subforum.

Well. Something to think about while I'm watching the fires edge closer and trying to keep a few things alive in the gardens.

O.H.

 

[GoodShave]

I normally shave every other day, and I have three shaves with the Starling V3 so far. I have been well pleased with the closeness of the shave without being aggressive.

 

[Slock]

The witness protection programme. Now it's making sense. The pith helmet, sun glasses and dodgy looking goatee beard, I think he's Jimmy Hoffa. In disguise .

Yep he got in trouble with incorrect ingredient lableling so the feds set him up with a new company in phoenix. I know that doesn't make sense but the law never does.

 

[GoodShave]

The base plate of the Starling V3 bends downward beyond where the blade sits to give the razor head the angle of the design (bending downward at an angle). That bend area is the area where the top cap screw goes through the base plate. Having to align that screw with the base plate hole while at the same time aligning the rest of the top plate with the two base plate blade posts (that go into the side cut outs on the modern GEM style blades) is where the blade shifting issue comes into play. I think this is the consequence of removing the blade stops/front posts from the previous versions of the Starling (though I have not tried one of those versions). It is a minor annoyance that can be overcome with practice. There are other razors that are more difficult to load for sure. Is it a deal breaker for me? I don't think so. I think the shave more than makes up for this minor inconvenience.

I have learned to balance the large flat area of the base plate (before the base plate makes an angle) level using two fingers, then place the blade over the two posts followed by gently placing the top cap over the base plate. If I do it gently enough, the blade does not move.

Speaking of the area where the base plate angles down, if you like to use a washer to prevent the handle from scratching the bottom of the base plate, you will want to go with a washer that has a small outer diameter otherwise the washer will no sit flat against the base plate and your handle will not be able to screw down as many threads. I initially tried a washer with a larger outer diameter (that I bought form Maggard Razors) and the outer diameter was too large and basically made a bridge over the bend in the base plate, so the razor handle did not screw all the way down. I then tried a nylon washer that works with my Yates 921 and that was perfect.

The Yates 921 base plates have a slot in them that the washer needs to go into it in order to hit the bottom of the base plate. (If you use a few of those washers at the same time to fill the slot, then you can use just about any handle with a Yates 921 razor head as long is the threading is a standard thread).

The smaller outer diameter washer used on a Starling V3 will sit flush just on the smaller, bent portion of the base plate (where the top cap screw hole exists). The washer will not extend much beyond the lip of the handle. Just something to consider if you like having a washer between your handle and base plate. If that is too confusing and you would like a picture, let me know and I will take some pictures of the washer situation.