Valet VC4...Up Close and Personal...The ABC Way...

[rabidus]

The razor is simply a modern marvel! It's construction with all its pieces is mind boggling. I really like the mechanics of it.

I started off shaving my face at a steep angle, not my preferred angle, due to lack of an actual cap. The shave seemed a lot like the AC system, not as efficient as I like but something I could work with. I managed a nice BBS shave after putting in the necessary work.

I wasn't going to shave my head with it at first but after learning of its mild nature, I went all in. I started the head shave carefully at a steep angle as well and again was reminded of the AC razors. Something told me to go as shallow as possible and so I did and...(((GOOD NIGHT IRENE!))) What a difference.

So I put the flat part of the razor flat on my head and tilted slightly to engage the blade. At first the shave seemed rough with the blade that shallow, but it was only the feeling of the blade try to cut through my dense hair, it was actually quite smooth. I finish with a my usually BBS results, had to touch some areas, tomorrow's shave should be better now that I have my plan of attack.

The shallowest angle that the razor allows you to get is probably the same angle for an efficient str8 razor shave.

It was not more efficient than my G bar, the guard bar is more in play on the G bar and I use that to my advantage. And I don't think the FHS-10 is quite as sharp as the GEM SS blade after today's shave.

I like the razor and am looking forward to tomorrow's shave.

 

[TheVez2]

Flat on your face is how you should start every shave with a Single Edge. That's how the instructions for the GEMs tell you to do it. Glad you came to the same conclusion.

As an engineer, I really appreciate the mechanics of these razors. Now go find yourself a Wilkinson's Empire!


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[Komboloi]

Thanks for the excellent review. Finding the right angle is part of the fun. But shaving with a Valet is just flat out cool, and shouldn't shaving be fun?

 

[rabidus]

The first few strikes were shallow, but I didn't like the feel and was thinking this razor is going to tear my skin up, so I went steep, I was looking for a certain feel. Steep for my head shave with any razor is not very efficient at all, I can get away with it on my face though.

None of my razors came with any instructions sadly.

The guard bar is basically non existent at the shallow angle, which is something I'm not use to. Once I found the angle, I was fearless and able to move about my dome as if I was using the G bar.

And I can't flip the blade over, it only goes in the razor one way.

 

[rabidus]

The weight of the razor came in at 66 grams, with the handle alone weighing 36 grams. It is well balanced and between 60-70 grams, where I like it. The handle length is nice also, I didn't measure it though.

 

[rabidus]

@Komboloi

It was mentioned somewhere that Gillette bought Valet, the razor looked unused and there was a Valet blade in it that looked unused with a S1 date code. Does that make the blades born on date first quarter of 1947 like the DE blade date codes? And was the razor possibly made that same year?

 

[Komboloi]

I'm not familiar with Valet date codes, but Gillette owned Valet at that time, so it would be odd if they used a different date code system for Valet razors. And the Valet VC4 was produced through 1946. So it all lines up. Yours may be one of the very last Valet's ever produced, produced in 1946 and sold in early 1947?

 

[rabidus]

I'm not familiar with Valet date codes, but Gillette owned Valet at that time, so it would be odd if they used a different date code system for Valet razors. And the Valet VC4 was produced through 1946. So it all lines up. Yours may be one of the very last Valet's ever produced, produced in 1946 and sold in early 1947?

Thanks...

How would you compare the performance and smoothness of vintage Valet blades to Feather FHS blades?

 

[Komboloi]

I have a face that accepts most blades, so I may be an outlier on the issue of blades. But I find the old carbon steel Valet blades work great. Still, the Feather FHS-10 is better, at least for my face. I find it a bit smoother, and it lasts longer for me. I think there's probably good reason why carbon steel has been largely replaced by stainless steel. But I don't mind at all shaving with a Valet carbon blade. I don't do it all that often, but the shave is always ok.

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

@Komboloi

It was mentioned somewhere that Gillette bought Valet, the razor looked unused and there was a Valet blade in it that looked unused with a S1 date code. Does that make the blades born on date first quarter of 1947 like the DE blade date codes? And was the razor possibly made that same year?

The Gillette/Auto Strop story is fascinating, the stuff of case studies and business school lectures. In the late 1920s Henry Jacques Gaisman, President of Auto Strop, developed and patented a DE blade design to go with his new Probak brand of DE razors. His blades would fit Probak and other (including Gillette) razors, but only Probak blades would fit the Probak razors. Meanwhile, Gillette announced a new blade design that they had spent a ton of money re-tooling for. The problem was, the Gillette design infringed on Auto Strop's patents. Rather than fight it out in court (and probably losing), Gillette offered to buy Auto Strop. Gaisman drove a hard bargain and forced Gillette to pay several times Auto Strop's book value, and got a seat on Gillette's board of directors to boot. As the auditors went over the books in advance of the sale, irregularities were discovered at Gillette that resulted in King Camp Gillette being forced out. Eventually the board approached Gaisman to take over as President of Gillette, which he did. Gaisman was a prolific inventor, and not just in the shaving realm.

 

[rabidus]

Gaisman was a prolific inventor, and not just in the shaving realm.

Thanks for the info!

I had to put the razor down and slowly back away. I kept playing with the lever, watching how the guard bar locks into the blade holder. Before I got it, I was wondering how it all locked together. It's genius.

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

Thanks for the info!

I had to put the razor down and slowly back away. I kept playing with the lever, watching how the guard bar locks into the blade holder. Before I got it, I was wondering how it all locked together. It's genius.

Some of the earlier models are adjustable, using the thumb lever.

 

[TheVez2]

Some of the earlier models are adjustable, using the thumb lever.

Adjustable? I thought the thumb lever was just to lock the blade in place? Got a link?


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[BSAGuy]

The Valets are definitely cool. Very intricate manufacturing. Glad you liked it.

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

Adjustable? I thought the thumb lever was just to lock the blade in place? Got a link?


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Check the first panel in the Model B instructions. This is the only scan I have at the moment; you can probably find a larger/more legible one online somewhere.

 

[spidey9]

Be gentle when you clean your VC4. The gold plating is extremely thin, and yours appears to be in excellent condition.

The Auto-Strops may not be the very best shaving razors in my collection but they are some of the most interesting.

I like to leave an Auto-Strop in my razor stand in the bathroom when we have house guests. This will invariably provoke a "What on earth is that thing?" followed by an incredulous "You mean you actually shave with it?"

--Bob

 

[rabidus]

Be gentle when you clean your VC4. The gold plating is extremely thin, and yours appears to be in excellent condition.

The Auto-Strops may not be the very best shaving razors in my collection but they are some of the most interesting.

I like to leave an Auto-Strop in my razor stand in the bathroom when we have house guests. This will invariably provoke a "What on earth is that thing?" followed by an incredulous "You mean you actually shave with it?"

--Bob

Thanks for the cleaning tip!

It's looks like it was never used, there was a Valet blade in it with S1 on it that doesn't look used. I soaked it in Dawn, and gave it a once over with a tooth brush and dried it.

I bought 2 VC4's and they both came on the same day, so I still haven't used the one pictured.

The one pictured was $25 shipped, the other one, which is in good shape, was $10 shipped.

 

[rabidus]

Day 2 with the VC4 and I can say with a certainty that SE razors are simply the best! The VC4, in all its glory, showed me the way.

The Feather FHS blade is only good for one head shave and two face shaves. Probably a one and done blade to be honest. My head shave probably accounts for 3 face shaves. When I used the FHS in my G bar, it was done after about 5 face shaves.

I went in shallow as possible and it was great, even with the dying blade. I got the usually BBS face shave I'm use to. Started my head shave, completed my WTG pass, same blade, took one stroke ATG and retired the Valet. <-- Take a bow...

This is where the fun begins. You're probably thinking, I picked up my G bar and finished up. Well, I picked up the G bar and took the blade out that had two face and head shaves on it.

I put the blade in the GEM I liked least, the MMOC and (((HOLY COW IT'S THE MONEY STORE!)))

I went with my new plan of attack learned on the Valet and finish with the smoothest, most efficient shave ever, and it wasn't a fresh blade. I started off cautious and then it was off to the races. I did level a small bump during touch up. As I grew more confident, I kept thinking I was going to rip my skin to shreds, but it didn't happen. BBS'd my head with ease. The MMOC did not feel aggressive at all, it was smooth as silk! I thought I was shallow with the MMOC previously but was not. This is a major breakthrough all thanks to the Valet VC4.

 

[rabidus]

Day 3 with the VC4 and fresh Feather FHS-10.

A very nice BBS face shave.

Went with the MMOC for my head shave. The MMOC has went from my least favorite razor to possible the best razor I have. 2 face shaves and 4 head shaves on the blade and it performed great for a nice BBS head shave.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Great review @rabidus

Those are classics in every sense of the word.