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G.B.S. Roanite Long Handle Art Deco Weirdness Set

mjclark

mjclark

This weird and beautiful set just arrived:
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It's made in Scotland of Roanoid (a relative of bakelite) and Waite's dates it at c.1936 but doesn't have much else to say about it.
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The set has two razor heads and two handles one of which is six inches long, giving the whole thing a weird dreamlike feel (at least to me!)
There's a similar set on ilrasoio with literature explaining that the super long handle works like an artist's brush, improving manouverability and reducing shaving time by 40% - bizarre and the grandest grande handle I've ever seen.
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Also included are two elegant white roanoid bladeholders and 24 truly pristine NOS blades: GBS Super Blade and John Watts Gleaner which is barrel holed and Wardonia compatible.
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And the blurb inside the G.B.S. blade wrapper suggests that they've gone the Wardonia route with the geometry too - big blade gap and intelligent guard.
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I am so excited about this set it reminds me of when I very first started wetshaving!!

Will this be the world's best shave as the blade wrapper claims?
Possible but unlikely.

Will I be using those immaculate NOS blades?
You know it :)
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mjclark

mjclark

Lookee here - this explains the purpose of the long handle:
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Somehow this just makes the whole thing even more surreal and bizarre.

I can't wait to shave with this but do not have enough stubble yet after using that chopped cap R41 last night...
 
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mjclark

mjclark

...And check out the cutouts on the G.B.S. Super Blade:
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This makes it Wardonia and Gillette compatible and perfect for all of those competing DEs in that interwar shaving wacky races.

And yes that Roanoid set is the "perfect adjunct" to my dressing table!
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Perhaps I've been swayed by the G.B.S. hype but with that carbon steel Super Blade loaded in it, this is an incredibly comfortable shave.

Unlike the Wardonia, there's absolutely no blade feel (which is weird given the big blade gap) yet this is very efficient indeed.

And after the shave, my face does indeed feel massaged and conditioned, not like I've shaved at all apart from the BBS result.

This isn't just zero irritation, my skin feels positively soothed, better than before the shave.
How do they do that?

But that 6" handle is just a gimmick that understandably didn't catch on.
I tried it and it seems to have no advantages over the standard handle, and also looks silly...

...Using the standard handle however I got a truly brilliant shave.
How much of this is due to the superb NOS blade, ans how much is due to the razor geometry?

I need to try this with a modern stainless blade to find out but for sure the G.B.S. easily outclasses the Wardonia for comfort with efficiency.

My only concern now is how long the shave result will last.
This is a period of DE revelation for me. First the devette, then the Wardonia, then the narrow cap R41 have all taken shaving to new levels of efficiency, shave longevity and comfort and I only need to shave every 36 hours with those magnificent razors.

And now the G.B.S. has given a shave of such amazing comfort that I am once again astonished.
If this shave is also long lasting then perhaps the G.B.S. bold claim to be the "World's best" has some credibility.
I'll let you know tomorrow morning, and until then the G.B.S. has pride of place on my dressing table :)
 
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mjclark

mjclark

So let's try this with a modern stainless blade:
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Result: superb!

Actually this was just as good as with the NOS carbon steel - so it must be the great geometry that makes this razor so outrageously smooth.

The shave is as long lasting as the Wardonia - I'm looking really good for 14 hours and then there's very smart regrowth up to 24 hours, but this can't compete with the devette or R41 which both give me 36 hours.

The G.B.S. is still streets ahead of most other DEs I've yet used in terms of efficiency though, and it's one of the best looking razors there is as well as absolutely the smoothest and most comfortable and it leaves my face feeling absolutely great and conditioned.
As I said before, this isn't just zero irritation, it's positively soothing and it's incredible that the G.B.S. can produce this effect with a modern stainless steel blade.

So the World's best? Well it's certainly winning me over :)
 
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mjclark

mjclark

gdgeorge said:
Nice looking outfit. Glad it shaves as good as it looks!
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Thanks - I know a lot of razors that look great but shave badly for me (viz. PAL Adjustable Injector and ER Streamline) and a few that look meh but shave superbly (viz. ER 1924 and Wardonia) but this G.B.S. has the top Art Deco looks and magnificent performance to go with it.
Yeah... the World's best :)
 
mjclark

mjclark

Another shave with the GBS and a Bic Chrome this morning.
This razor is so astonishingly smooth and the chunky toothcomb intuitively guides you to the right angle.
I'm very interested to see what the longevity of this shave is like - it's certainly very close and once again my face feels fantastic.
Actually this really is a superb razor...
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Cash_Stronomer

Cash_Stronomer

I can't keep it out of my head that an old Bakelite or plastic razor may result in smoother shaving than metal somehow? I'm sure in the end it doesn't matter, but you know when a thought nags at ya! It almost has me wanting to try a Feather razor just to see. But I've accumulated quite a high cost of things over time now 'just to see'.
 
mjclark

mjclark

Cash_Stronomer said:
I can't keep it out of my head that an old Bakelite or plastic razor may result in smoother shaving than metal somehow? I'm sure in the end it doesn't matter, but you know when a thought nags at ya! It almost has me wanting to try a Feather razor just to see. But I've accumulated quite a high cost of things over time now 'just to see'.
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I wonder. Most of the interwar bakelites I've tried have been very aggressive and also very light and perhaps this combination of qualities is a winner.
The less aggressive ones like the Minora and Double Six have also been less smooth and I found the mild Knockout (which looks amazing) to be a rough shaver, but the fiercer ones have all been gorgeous shavers.
I really want to try a Neillite.

I really don't understand how this is possible but after shaving with the GBS my skin felt softer for the rest of the day.
And the shave lasted well too with a very smart regrowth, like I was in "The Maltese Falcon :)
 
mjclark

mjclark

A very nice shave indeed with the G.B.S. this morning:
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This is a very efficient razor - it has considerable blade feel and works well with steeper angles but it's also very very smooth and not at all bitey.
Is this characteristic of toothcombs? All the ones I've tried have been lovely shavers...
...and once again my skin feels conditioned, massaged and moisturised after the shave, almost greasy.
Perhaps this is something to do with the Roanoid.
This really is a delightful razor.
 
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derekfaeberwick

I've just received a GBS deluxe model, it has a black 'roanite' base plate, chrome cap, and the handle is silver plated, very like my Leresche 77 one.
It comes in a white roanite case. I'm just about to try it out for the first time now.
 
mjclark

mjclark

derekfaeberwick said:
I've just received a GBS deluxe model, it has a black 'roanite' base plate, chrome cap, and the handle is silver plated, very like my Leresche 77 one.
It comes in a white roanite case. I'm just about to try it out for the first time now.
Click to expand...

Ha ha - I put a bid on that one.
Let us know how it performs.
 
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