Star 100 Owners Club

[Alum Ladd]

Here is a thread devoted to the Star 100/PAL/ Personna DE razor, the first DE razor that The American Safety Razor Company ever released.

A competitively priced razor with great looks, it seems to have been positioned to compete directly with the great Gillette Tech. Introduced in 1946 and produced till the very early 60's the Star/PAL gave the Tech a run for it's money and was poplular in the US and the UK.

They are lovely shavers, some saying that they find them preferable to the mighty Tech!

So, come one, come all, owners of any version of the Star 100 and PAL DE razor. Show off your Stars, post shaves with them, and chat. Any new information on the type welcomed.

I will start things off. Here's my lovely little English made PAL aluminium lightweight from the 1950's. A lovely smooth and efficient little shaver!

 

[Whiterook]

Here is my gold Star 100. It gets a shave on occasion.

 

[Whiterook]

This is my early 1940s Star DE, some were used to our troops.

They started making these in 1940, per Waits.

 

[LRod]

I'm in!
The Star 100 is one of the few vintage razors I've kept. It's an equal favorite of mine along with my Schick Krona.
LRod

 

[jason2]

Here's mine

 

[ewk]

@Alum Ladd I am glad you devoted a club to the wonderful Star -- the razor that made square patterned knurling cool LONG before the Rex Ambassador. I was inspired to give the Star some "game time" tonight.

 

[Whiterook]

The Streamline, made in England by Star's sister company Ever-Ready had similar knurling. It began production in 1936.

 

[Alum Ladd]

Razor: English PAL razor
Brush: Simpson's Duke 1
Cream: Palmolive Classic
Blade: Nacet (1)
A/S Balm: Boot's The Chemist Freshwood (Sandalwood)

Had a nice easy shave with the PAL/Star 100 tonight.

Paired with a Nacet blade this lightweight razor gives an excellent shave. Again I have to compare it's performance with the best of the Tech's, and I have many examples except for the RFB.

Using a minimalist setup, this shave was excellent. The Nacet pairs with the PAL wonderfully.

As I was somewhat rushed tonight I only managed a two pass shave, using a first WTG and second ATG but this got me to DFS+. On reflection a hybrid second XTG/ATG pass would have easily achieved a BBS result.

Excellent, comfortable and smooth shave, with a lovely razor that's good looking and efficient.

 

[den fly]

After 8 shaves I think I can give my (non expert) review on this acquisition: Handle is just about perfect. Thought it might be a little short but feels just right. The knurling is as good looking and gives as good a grip as any razor I've used. As far as the head: I like the look of the curved cap and the Silver Star logo- even if the "Silver" part is a little quirky on a gold plated razor. The gap and exposure are walking on the mild side. The head is very light. Others who know more than I have said it is a Zamac alloy. I do wish the head had some more heft to it. Between that lightness and the mild gap I believe this razor calls for a blade on the sharper end of the spectrum. I've been using a Personna Lab Blue and find that if I leverage the weight of the handle a bit, this razor really gives DFSs. May not be the most efficient razor in the den. But its such a fun (even charming) little tool to use.

 

[Whiterook]

Razor: Star Model 100 Double Edge Razor
Blade: Personna Lab Blue
Brush: Simpson Emperor 3 Super Badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso White
Lather: Long Rifle Hunting Lodge
Aftershave: Shannon's Soaps Indigo Oud Aftershave Splash
Additional Care:
Thayers Facial Tonic Witch Hazel Unscented

 

[LRod]

Just brought out my Star 100 from storage for tonight's nightly shave. I hadn't used it in quite a while!
2 pass WTG/XTG using a Personna Lab Blue blade. End result was a nice & close uneventful DFS but it wasn't as smooth as I remembered it. Maybe the Lab blue blade was the cause, I don't know!
I don't remember what was the blade that I previously used for a smooth shave.
I'm gonna use it all week and will try different blades to see what works best.
LRod

 

[Alum Ladd]

Just brought out my Star 100 from storage for tonight's nightly shave. I hadn't used it in quite a while!
2 pass WTG/XTG using a Personna Lab Blue blade. End result was a nice & close uneventful DFS but it wasn't as smooth as I remembered it. Maybe the Lab blue blade was the cause, I don't know!
I don't remember what was the blade that I previously used for a smooth shave.
I'm gonna use it all week and will try different blades to see what works best.
LRod

Hi @LRod a very nice report!

Do you use the Bic? I can't recall. I think that would pair nicely. I get great results from the Nacet and the Platinum so far.

 

[LRod]

Hi @LRod a very nice report!

Do you use the Bic? I can't recall. I think that would pair nicely. I get great results from the Nacet and the Platinum so far.

Thanks!
I've been using the Lab Blue's lately on pretty much every razor with good results. But yes, I use(d) the Bic's. Maybe that was the one that worked well. I previously used the Bic Astor's (red pack) a lot and also the German Wilkinson's.
Oh, and Gillette Platinum as well!
Those were really great but they started to give me a rash. I had to stop using them! I'm gonna try the Bic's tomorrow to see.

 

[never-stop-learning]

20230415

Razor: Star DE
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinum (3)
Brush: AP Shave Co White (@apshaveco 26mm G5C Fan)
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper
Lather: Cyril R Salter Indian Sandalwood Tub Cream
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum

Excellent DFS shave!

Please visit my Journal (link below) for shave notes and musings: never-stop-learning's Quest for Knowledge - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/never-stop-learnings-quest-for-knowledge.611194/post-12205061

 

[den fly]

Thanks!
I've been using the Lab Blue's lately on pretty much every razor with good results. But yes, I use(d) the Bic's. Maybe that was the one that worked well. I previously used the Bic Astor's (red pack) a lot and also the German Wilkinson's.
Oh, and Gillette Platinum as well!
Those were really great but they started to give me a rash. I had to stop using them! I'm gonna try the Bic's tomorrow to see.

First time using a razor in awhile sometimes takes me a couple shaves to readjust. I wonder if maybe it will feel smoother next shave or 2 even with that Lab Blue.

 

[LRod]

First time using a razor in awhile sometimes takes me a couple shaves to readjust. I wonder if maybe it will feel smoother next shave or 2 even with that Lab Blue.

Could be!
But as much as the Lab Blue is my favorite blade, I've noticed that it doesn't work with every razor. I'm a 30 degree neutral shaver and generally do well with that angle on most razors. I left the Lab Blue for the last couple days and it's been the same. Now I'll be trying a different blade!

 

[den fly]

Could be!
But as much as the Lab Blue is my favorite blade, I've noticed that it doesn't work with every razor. I'm a 30 degree neutral shaver and generally do well with that angle on most razors. I left the Lab Blue for the last couple days and it's been the same. Now I'll be trying a different blade!

I'm not much of a math- or geometry guy and it confuses me to start thinking in degrees so I always go by blade feel. Have fun with your blade experiments. They do differ used from one razor to another.

 

[purecro]

I did acquire one, will end up using it at some point.

 

[zoidberg]

I was delivered this today.

Does anyone know what it is? Looks like it could be relevant to this thread. The top cap seem to be brass and the baseplate/handle seem to be aluminium.

 

[Alum Ladd]

I was delivered this today.

Does anyone know what it is? Looks like it could be relevant to this thread. The top cap seem to be brass and the baseplate/handle seem to be aluminium.

View attachment 1645663

View attachment 1645664

Amazing! A PAL 'Traveller' or a ladies razor!?

If the Star/PAL 100 was meant to be a direct competitor to the Gillette Tech, then it is the equivalent of this

Incredible @zoidberg ! The first one I've ever seen. It's English. A PAL i'm pretty sure. Doubt if it's a contemporary knock-off, patent issues, etc. Looks 1950's

I wonder what it was marketed as and how it's case looked?

It looks to be a short handled version of this