The Association of Lather Catchers: TALC

[Old Hippie]

I've been in a coupla bars in my life that we joked were the kind of place where you had to show a razor to get in the door. [shrug] I lived through it.

But this is the first time I've actually showed a razor to get in. [grin]



This is my little birthday present to myself: A Kampfe Bro. Star travel set. It has two wedges with it, one of which has a chip out of one corner. The other may be salvageable. Not a huge priority for me just yet.





I was amused to find this:



Not overly smelly, but I'll never use it! The can for the soap stick is there, but not the stick. Likewise the "Cosmetic" can is empty but everything's pretty clean. Not too sure about the spring at the back -- I managed to get a wedge in and it held it securely but I'm not sure the spring is "right."

I will see if I can shim a new PTFE blade into it, and if not I'll do the next thing.

Any advice or insight gratefully received!

O.H.

 

[jmturley]

Wow that is a beauty and I believe I was watching that one a couple weeks back but never went for it.

 

[GAW9576]

I've been in a coupla bars in my life that we joked were the kind of place where you had to show a razor to get in the door. [shrug] I lived through it.

But this is the first time I've actually showed a razor to get in. [grin]

View attachment 1010555

This is my little birthday present to myself: A Kampfe Bro. Star travel set. It has two wedges with it, one of which has a chip out of one corner. The other may be salvageable. Not a huge priority for me just yet.

View attachment 1010556

View attachment 1010557

I was amused to find this:

View attachment 1010559

Not overly smelly, but I'll never use it! The can for the soap stick is there, but not the stick. Likewise the "Cosmetic" can is empty but everything's pretty clean. Not too sure about the spring at the back -- I managed to get a wedge in and it held it securely but I'm not sure the spring is "right."

I will see if I can shim a new PTFE blade into it, and if not I'll do the next thing.

Any advice or insight gratefully received!

O.H.

My star is a little different in design than that one, mine shaved best with no wedge just a modern gem blade no modifications.

 

[riverrun]

This is my little birthday present to myself: A Kampfe Bro. Star travel set. It has two wedges with it, one of which has a chip out of one corner. The other may be salvageable. Not a huge priority for me just yet.

Not too sure about the spring at the back -- I managed to get a wedge in and it held it securely but I'm not sure the spring is "right."

I will see if I can shim a new PTFE blade into it, and if not I'll do the next thing.

Any advice or insight gratefully received!

O.H.

Well, Happy birthday. A very nice set.
The spring at the back: you hook it over the back of the frame, push it all the way down, then insert the blade and push the spring upwards, so it engages with the back of the blade and pushes it forward.
Your razor has blade stops, so you can use a modern GEM blade without shimming.

 

[Old Hippie]

The spring at the back: you hook it over the back of the frame, push it all the way down, then insert the blade and push the spring upwards, so it engages with the back of the blade and pushes it forward. Your razor has blade stops, so you can use a modern GEM blade without shimming.

Thanks! I kinda felt like the ape in "2001" turning that bone around trying to figure it out.

Man...weird to be actually holding one of these. Suddenly things start to make sense.

Probably I'll use it Monday morning!

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

My star is a little different in design than that one, mine shaved best with no wedge just a modern gem blade no modifications.

That's great! I have a little shim if I need one, left over from experimenting with a Gem 1912. I also understand they're maybe a little rougher than a Gem Jr. Bar. Can't say about that; I don't have one.

Figured it was best to just jump in and see what happened -- tweak from there if needed.

O.H.

 

[Ron R]

I've been in a coupla bars in my life that we joked were the kind of place where you had to show a razor to get in the door. [shrug] I lived through it.

But this is the first time I've actually showed a razor to get in. [grin]

View attachment 1010555

This is my little birthday present to myself: A Kampfe Bro. Star travel set. It has two wedges with it, one of which has a chip out of one corner. The other may be salvageable. Not a huge priority for me just yet.

View attachment 1010556

View attachment 1010557

I was amused to find this:

View attachment 1010559

Not overly smelly, but I'll never use it! The can for the soap stick is there, but not the stick. Likewise the "Cosmetic" can is empty but everything's pretty clean. Not too sure about the spring at the back -- I managed to get a wedge in and it held it securely but I'm not sure the spring is "right."

I will see if I can shim a new PTFE blade into it, and if not I'll do the next thing.

Any advice or insight gratefully received!

O.H.

Happy birthday old hippie good way to spoil yourself on one of the first razors produced in North America.
Have some great shaves!

 

[Flintstone65]

I've been in a coupla bars in my life that we joked were the kind of place where you had to show a razor to get in the door. [shrug] I lived through it.

But this is the first time I've actually showed a razor to get in. [grin]

View attachment 1010555

This is my little birthday present to myself: A Kampfe Bro. Star travel set. It has two wedges with it, one of which has a chip out of one corner. The other may be salvageable. Not a huge priority for me just yet.

View attachment 1010556

View attachment 1010557

I was amused to find this:

View attachment 1010559

Not overly smelly, but I'll never use it! The can for the soap stick is there, but not the stick. Likewise the "Cosmetic" can is empty but everything's pretty clean. Not too sure about the spring at the back -- I managed to get a wedge in and it held it securely but I'm not sure the spring is "right."

I will see if I can shim a new PTFE blade into it, and if not I'll do the next thing.

Any advice or insight gratefully received!

O.H.

Well sir, when you make an entrance, you MAKE an ENTRANCE!!! Welcome, Happy Birthday, and Congratulations on that beautiful razor. You did VERY well in your choice of Lather Catchers. Nice strong looking blade stops, so you should have no problem an straight-up (unmodified) modern GEM blade....and I agree with @GAW9576, mine shaves best unshimmed. And please keep us posted on the inaugural shave!!!

 

[GAW9576]

Oh yeah, the beautiful razor distracted me and I forgot to say happy birthday @Old Hippie

 

[Old Hippie]

Well sir, when you make an entrance, you MAKE an ENTRANCE!!!

Heh...cue George Frideric Handel, "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba." Just because it's good music.

On Saturday I made a longer handle from some spindle stock I had in the shop, with an insert for a 6-32 screw to hold the head on. That changed the balance in a good way. This morning I gingerly inserted a PTFE blade for its 6th use.

Note: I find that shaving my head with Gem blades is probably best. They're not as wide as AC blades, yet stiffer than DEs. The conventional wisdom is that head shaving can dull a blade faster. I thought about that for a while, and have come to the conclusion that it's because a skull is round and mine has corners and points, while a face has planes. So a blade used to shave the skull is going to get a lot of wear right in the centre. Once the centre of the blade is dulled it will feel harsh and tuggy. I've checked that hypothesis by shaving with the sides of the blade (gently!) and they still are quite sharp. Consequently, 6 uses is pretty much it for a normal PTFE blade on my head. I can get up to 9 but 10 is miserable.

So there I was, a large cup of coffee (the best kind!), a warmed bowl full of hot lather, the scent of menthol and eucalyptus wafting up with the steam from the sink full of hot water. I beat up a nice cushiony foam and laid down a nice base coat all over. Then I dipped the Star in the sink and set to.

Very, very smooth WTG even with what was a basically dulled blade. Fooled around a little to find the right angle. Audio feedback is different from what I'm used to -- that blade basically hanging out there in space vibrates differently. Did a basic three-pass shave with more care ATG because the blade is getting a little tuggy AND I'm working upside down and behind my head (...nothin' but net...). Had to return to a couple of areas to clean up, but in the end got a shave I would classify as "OKFW."

Towelled off, cold water rinse, Nivea sensitive, badda-bing, badda-boom, zip-zap-shabam and Bob's yer uncle. Good to go.

O.H.

 

[Flintstone65]

Congrats and sounds like you did well, especially for a head shave AND your first time out of the gate. I’m not a head-shaver, but whenever I’m shaving my neck, I think “how do those guys do it???” If you get a chance, I’d love to see the handle.

 

[Old Hippie]

I'll snap some pix tonight.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

As promised, pix of the handle:



I was standing at the lumber yard waiting for a guy to answer a question when I spotted some pre-turned oak chair back spindles. Each one has two handles in it. I simply cut off what I didn't want, made a copper ferrule for the end, put in a brass 6-32 screw insert, sanded the handle and gave it a good soak in linseed oil.

O.H.

 

[Flintstone65]

As promised, pix of the handle:

View attachment 1011719 View attachment 1011720

I was standing at the lumber yard waiting for a guy to answer a question when I spotted some pre-turned oak chair back spindles. Each one has two handles in it. I simply cut off what I didn't want, made a copper ferrule for the end, put in a brass 6-32 screw insert, sanded the handle and gave it a good soak in linseed oil.

O.H.

I like it....good job!!!

 

[Flintstone65]

Just had an awesome Gem Jr Bar shave with a handle made by a friend -- this was some of his early work and the ferrule is a touch large, but it fits great in the hand and even with a brand new GEM SS PTFE blade on its first shave, this 3-pass shave was CCS-DFS-BBS with zero irritation and completely comfortable!!! Here are the details and pic:
Pre-Shave: Cold water splash
Razor: GEM Jr Bar
Blade: GEM SS PTFE (1)
Soap: Arko
Brush: Yaqi 24mm Moka Synth
Aftershave: Krampert's Finest Frostbite

 

[GAW9576]

Just had an awesome Gem Jr Bar shave with a handle made by a friend -- this was some of his early work and the ferrule is a touch large, but it fits great in the hand and even with a brand new GEM SS PTFE blade on its first shave, this 3-pass shave was CCS-DFS-BBS with zero irritation and completely comfortable!!! Here are the details and pic:
Pre-Shave: Cold water splash
Razor: GEM Jr Bar
Blade: GEM SS PTFE (1)
Soap: Arko
Brush: Yaqi 24mm Moka Synth
Aftershave: Krampert's Finest Frostbite
View attachment 1012320

Is that arko in a repurposed deodorant container? If so I hope you washed it out well!

 

[Flintstone65]

Is that arko in a repurposed deodorant container? If so I hope you washed it out well!

It is....."strong enough for a man, but made for a woman!" I think I sufficiently butchered Secret's tagline. And believe me, that container was washed and rinsed many, MANY times!!! It works well as a stick/soap container; but you're right, it definitely needs to be washed out thoroughly.

 

[GAW9576]

It is....."strong enough for a man, but made for a woman!" I think I sufficiently butchered Secret's tagline. And believe me, that container was washed and rinsed many, MANY times!!! It works well as a stick/soap container; but you're right, it definitely needs to be washed out thoroughly.

That's funny, yet very clever.
Actually the tag line is how I exactly how I remember it, but we could both be wrong.

 

[Flintstone65]

That's funny, yet very clever.
Actually the tag line is how I exactly how I remember it, but we could both be wrong.

You're right. I have to say that the real danger is that it can be mistaken for the deo container that it is. That finally happened this last week. My wife and I were traveling, and I heard her swear from the bathroom....sure enough, she had put the Arko on by accident. Easy mistake to correct, and she took it in stride.

 

[GAW9576]

You're right. I have to say that the real danger is that it can be mistaken for the deo container that it is. That finally happened this last week. My wife and I were traveling, and I heard her swear from the bathroom....sure enough, she had put the Arko on by accident. Easy mistake to correct, and she took it in stride.

That's really funny, tell her I know someone who accidentally brushed there teeth with vagisil!!! She should feel much better about using Arko as deodorant.