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Shave hunt - on vintage safari 4700 miles

Family business, I had to drive, might as well stop and hunt the wild razor at least once in a while.

3 weeks, 4700 miles, 11 western and midwestern states, this is what I found to buy:
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Cased: (7 items)

> Gillette Cavalier New Improved (minus 1 blade case), gold, first purchase, blew me away!!
> Gillette Tuckaway, silver, tarnish and corrosion, a bargain
> Aftermarket (?) Gillette fat handle prewar Tech, chrome in alligator (?)
> B-1 Gillette red tip Superspeed - looks NOS, case springs still function, 6 cased Blue Blades in cellophane wrapper. Will I keep it?
> E-4 Gillette Fatboy, case hinge receiver cracked, stiff mechanicals but fully functional, should clean up perfectly
> Gem Micromatic open comb, complete set, 1 used blade and 4 still wrapped
> Valet Auto Strop VC1, brownie-like case

Safety razor only: (4)

> 1920 Gillette Single Ring - painted (?) black M692687, the roughest looking item I bought
> Valet VC4, gold wash
> Star 1912 SE, nickel or chrome
> Schick J1, gold head and cream handle

Brushes: (4)

> Solid Set badger look, black and red
> Ever-Ready Badgerlon 500BN BADGER & NYLON cream
> Ever-Ready 100 striped boar, red and cream
> Ever-Ready 100T striped boar, black and cream

Miscellaneous: (5)

> Gunkel strop, might be usable, but another vintage strop will get the hardware
> Rolls Razor strop dressing, near full, looks good
> Old Spice late glass mug 04, a duplicate, maybe a PIF?
> Mennen Brushless Shave jar only, might even get it to open
> H.G.H. Co. Premier Razor Hone - aluminum case, instructions in English and German, I will be seeking B&B expertise on this item

Straight razors: (0)

I saw many, many overpriced rust buckets. Some had colorful or otherwise notable scales. Vintage dealers have decided that a heavily rusted straight with broken scales, even with a massively broken (not just chipped) blade is worth $40 or more.

The most tempting was a DublDuck "Short and Sweet" shorty with interesting scales. Only an expert would have been able to make it look good and the edge was probably very rotten. The only razor I seriously considered was a Wade & Butcher "Bow" razor that would probably have cleaned up and honed OK. By the time I saw it, I was about ready to abandon SR shaving entirely in fear and loathing of the equipment. Another day I would have snapped it up.
 
I have yet to find anything worthwhile in the wild except for some mugs that were acceptable for repurposing. I have not stopped trying though.

Your post gives me reason to keep trying.
 
That's a nice haul! I bet it feels good to be home again.

Incredibly good to be home. And in "self-isolation". Living conditions were unhygienic for about a week of it. Freeway rest stops for another week. But harpooning a whale (the Cavalier) was a rush.

I recounted. And looked at a map to decide if I'd been in Kansas (no). 12 states.
 
Wow, great score on the Cavalier!!!

Glad you made it home safe.

Thanks! Getting the Cavalier floored me in a good way. The travel floored me in a bad way, but I recovered and made it the rest of the way home.

I hereby endorse the caregivers of the Billings Clinic Hospital Same Day (urgent care) service! If you're in Billings, Montana and in need... go there.
 
I have yet to find anything worthwhile in the wild except for some mugs that were acceptable for repurposing. I have not stopped trying though.

Your post gives me reason to keep trying.

Good luck with your hunting! Anybody can fish them out of the bay. For me, an auction win is a pale shadow of a wild find.

Don't look at what @Maponis is up to. That guy is rolling in wild razors! I think razors are looking for him.
 
I'm working on getting these items "shave ready"!

The base plate on that Tuckaway is a bear. D.K.S. (initials engraved on case), a little protection from corrosion would have gone a long way! How did you get brass to do that!
 
Good luck with your hunting! Anybody can fish them out of the bay. For me, an auction win is a pale shadow of a wild find.

Don't look at what @Maponis is up to. That guy is rolling in wild razors! I think razors are looking for him.
Only problem is I really needs to stop but my rad has gone into overdrive. At the prices I’ve found them at it’s hard to say no. But, I have yet to find the elusive toggle or double ring or eclipse red ring if I found one of those... let’s just say my wife will have to pick me up Me up off the floor.
 
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