I am my razor...The Valet VC1...

[rabidus]

Received my Valet VC1 yesterday. Had to wait all day for it, the mail came late, glad I shaved early.

Used a despined GEM SS PTFE blade. It was real easy to despine, the spine is simply pressed on to the blade.

I grabbed the very edge of the spine with needle nose pliers on the end, not to much or you'll grab the blade also, and basically flexed the blade up, down, and then up again and the spine was bent enough to release the blade, it slid right out.

I started my face shave and was waiting for the razor to jump out if the woods and shred me to pieces, never happened, the VC1 is mild and efficient.

I BBS'd my face with ease.

Proceeded with caution on my head shave, no caution was needed. put in the work for my usual BBS results.

For me, the VC1 is mild, but very efficient. No real feedback from the razor, it's very quiet.

I'll try it with a Feather FHS blade and compare it against the GEM blade. As it stands, I find the GEM SS PTFE blade to be the better blade.

These Valet razors are awesome.

 

[rudyt]

Have you tried a B1 or VB1 yet? I've never tried the VC1, but the B1/VB1 is supposed to be more efficient. They're my favorite AutoStrops.

That said, there are B1/VB1 variations. The most obvious are the blade stops. Some face backwardsb like yours, while others are just vertical nubs with "tabs" that hold the blade down coming off the side of the razor. Some are smoother than others, but it has nothing to so with the different blade stops.

I've PIFed away most of my AutoStrops and just kept my best three shavers; an A1, a B1 and a VB1.

 

[Member357]

All the talk of these Valets has really piqued my interest! I'll have to keep an eye out for one. We can always use one more razor, right?

 

[rudyt]

We can always use more razors, right?

Fixed that for you ;-)

 

[Member357]

Fixed that for you ;-)

I already have a couple en route so I thought I'd stick with the singular even though we know the truth.....

 

[rabidus]

Have you tried a B1 or VB1 yet? I've never tried the VC1, but the B1/VB1 is supposed to be more efficient. They're my favorite AutoStrops.

That said, there are B1/VB1 variations. The most obvious are the blade stops. Some face backwardsb like yours, while others are just vertical nubs with "tabs" that hold the blade down coming off the side of the razor. Some are smoother than others, but it has nothing to so with the different blade stops.

I've PIFed away most of my AutoStrops and just kept my best three shavers; an A1, a B1 and a VB1.

Looks like I have a VB1 coming! According to @Komboloi thread.

AutoStrop/Valet Razors: A Typology in 13 Parts

 

[imatabor]

I love my VC1 with a Gem despined. I wish the new Gem razor makers would learn from these old favories.

 

[rabidus]

while others are just vertical nubs with "tabs" that hold the blade down coming off the side of the razor.

I saw a few like these, didn't buy those though.

 

[rudyt]

I saw a few like these, didn't buy those though.

Those side tabs are fragile. If they've been bent and straightened, they're prone to breaking off.

 

[rudyt]

I love my VC1 with a Gem despined.

Since I already have an A, B1, and VB1, I should get a VC1 to complete the GEM SE compatible set. It's the B&B way, right ;-)

 

[Komboloi]

Since I already have an A, B1, and VB1, I should get a VC1 to complete the GEM SE compatible set. It's the B&B way, right ;-)

Oh but it's worse than that. There's the A1 and the A2 and .... This rabbit hole is deep.

 

[rudyt]

Oh but it's worse than that. There's the A1 and the A2 and .... This rabbit hole is deep.

I actually have an A1. I noticed the typo too late and the post was locked out for editing. I am watching a couple of VC1s too ;-)

 

[Komboloi]

I actually have an A1. I noticed the typo too late and the post was locked out for editing. I am watching a couple of VC1s too ;-)

Very cool. Post a photo if you feel like it. According to Robert Waits, the earliest models show knurling on the handle all the way down; later A1's had more smooth surface. But it's still pre-WWI.

Hold out for a good price on the VC1. They come up a lot on the auction sites.

 

[rabidus]

The only benefit from the VC1 and VC2 is blade choice.

I used both in a side by side for my face shave, both with the FHS blade. Not sure how many shaves was on both blades. They both seemed to perform the same, I think the blade in the VC1 was used more, the VC2 was slightly smoother, but I blame the blade, the VC1 was smoother yesterday with the GEM blade.

I like the VC1 better than the VC2 because I like the GEM blade more than the Feather FHS blade. The Feather blade falls off fast for me.

I'll see how the carbon blades perform when they come.

 

[BSAGuy]

Glad the Valet worked so well for you, rabidus.

 

[rabidus]

Glad the Valet worked so well for you, rabidus.

Thanks.

The SE razors have taken over me. The MMOC and CP are at the top with the Valets following close behind.

 

[rabidus]

I love my VC1 with a Gem despined. I wish the new Gem razor makers would learn from these old favories.

The modern razors competition are the vintage razors and the vintage razors are hard to beat!

 

[Komboloi]

All brass razors that give you great shaves and which you can buy for $15 or less all day long? That's just plain nutty.

 

[pbrmhl]

I only have one Valet, and I love it--the VC1.

 

[rabidus]

Have you tried a B1 or VB1 yet? I've never tried the VC1, but the B1/VB1 is supposed to be more efficient. They're my favorite AutoStrops.

Received my VB1 yesterday. Haven't used it yet. Looks like the only difference between VB1 and VC1 is basically weight from the added roller on the VB1. That's about it!