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The Great Southern Land (Australia)

Speaking of Adelaide, anyone have any secret supplies around town? About the only place I know of is the foodland in North Adelaide, who stock proraso products and of course the shave shop that has C&E, a few TOBS soaps and Col. Conk.
 
About the only place I know of is the foodland in North Adelaide, who stock proraso products

Good to know.

Rio Coffee have a good range of Proraso stuff. I found some Lord safety razors up on north Prospect Road last weekend. The Persian/Arabic grocers up there have a few bits and pieces.

In terms of vintage stuff, my mate has obtained about 100 old Gillettes and Gems and Valets from various second hand places about town in the past 3 months.

Apart from that, there doesn't seem to be much around.
 
Still on the topic of supplies in Adelaide, I just went and had a haircut at Frank's Gents just off Rundle St. Anyone been there? Frank is an old Italian barber and very easy to talk to. He stocks Proraso Green, and still has a few tubes of the old formula. I nabbed 1, so you better be quick if you want one. He also has the large and small size tubs of the old formula. He has some bay rum aftershave that comes in 1L bottles and another brand of shaving cream that I've heard of on the forum but can't remember right now.

I noticed he had a strop hanging up so I asked whether he uses a real straight still. He said he used to but doesn't any longer, citing the decline in quality of modern straight razors. I asked whether he thought that modern German razors like Dovo and Boker were so bad and he said it was mainly the scales but that the steel was also relatively poor compared to the past. I then asked why he doesn't get second hand razors and he mentioned micro rust. I asked him whether he knew mastro Livi, he didn't, but said people these days are fooling themselves, especially in Italy where they place far too much emphasis on brand names. .

I'm not sure whether I agree with all of his views, especially as I haven't yet tried a vintage straight, but it was certainly interesting talking to him. I would recommend going in for your next haircut. He opens at 7:30am on most days.
 
Still on the topic of supplies in Adelaide, I just went and had a haircut at Frank's Gents just off Rundle St. Anyone been there? Frank is an old Italian barber and very easy to talk to. He stocks Proraso Green, and still has a few tubes of the old formula. I nabbed 1, so you better be quick if you want one. He also has the large and small size tubs of the old formula. He has some bay rum aftershave that comes in 1L bottles and another brand of shaving cream that I've heard of on the forum but can't remember right now.

I noticed he had a strop hanging up so I asked whether he uses a real straight still. He said he used to but doesn't any longer, citing the decline in quality of modern straight razors. I asked whether he thought that modern German razors like Dovo and Boker were so bad and he said it was mainly the scales but that the steel was also relatively poor compared to the past. I then asked why he doesn't get second hand razors and he mentioned micro rust. I asked him whether he knew mastro Livi, he didn't, but said people these days are fooling themselves, especially in Italy where they place far too much emphasis on brand names. .

I'm not sure whether I agree with all of his views, especially as I haven't yet tried a vintage straight, but it was certainly interesting talking to him. I would recommend going in for your next haircut. He opens at 7:30am on most days.

Cheers for this great info. I'll be sure to pop by some time.
 
Evening gentlemen.

Hope everyone is well.

Well Tassie razor prices have certainly gone up since last time I looked. Rode the bicycle (my latest obsession ) 75 kms ( there and back) up to New Norfolk ( Kirk's country and well known for it's antique shops). Found 2 cased Fatboys, no blade case and after I saw the price tag ($95 each ) didn't look too hard at their condition. In addition, a brown bakelite bush, $30...... Wowsers !
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
Evening gentlemen.

Hope everyone is well.

Well Tassie razor prices have certainly gone up since last time I looked. Rode the bicycle (my latest obsession ) 75 kms ( there and back) up to New Norfolk ( Kirk's country and well known for it's antique shops). Found 2 cased Fatboys, no blade case and after I saw the price tag ($95 each ) didn't look too hard at their condition. In addition, a brown bakelite bush, $30...... Wowsers !

Good to see you Ian!
 
Evening gentlemen.

Hope everyone is well.

Well Tassie razor prices have certainly gone up since last time I looked. Rode the bicycle (my latest obsession ) 75 kms ( there and back) up to New Norfolk ( Kirk's country and well known for it's antique shops). Found 2 cased Fatboys, no blade case and after I saw the price tag ($95 each ) didn't look too hard at their condition. In addition, a brown bakelite bush, $30...... Wowsers !

Evening mate, long time no see.

Those sort of prices are common nowadays ...
 
Ahhh a little place some Aussies I've bumped into elsewhere hang out. Interesting. :a28:

Anyway a g'day from out near Canberra way. Don't tar me with the same brush as mark1966. I commute to Australia's Porn and Pot capital and I'm boring but I don't count numbers I administer legislat:20:

You fellas have any advice on how to refine the BST search to show Australian goodies only? Best I've come up with so far is "ozseller" but noticed that I still miss a fair whack.
 

Legion

Staff member
Ahhh a little place some Aussies I've bumped into elsewhere hang out. Interesting. :a28:

Anyway a g'day from out near Canberra way. Don't tar me with the same brush as mark1966. I commute to Australia's Porn and Pot capital and I'm boring but I don't count numbers I administer legislat:20:

You fellas have any advice on how to refine the BST search to show Australian goodies only? Best I've come up with so far is "ozseller" but noticed that I still miss a fair whack.

Yeah, that is a tough one. The OzSeller preface was about the best idea I could come up with to separate them from the pack, but it still isn't perfect. The only answer is check BST regularly, and try to not let all the CONUS only sales get you down.
 

Legion

Staff member
Oh, the winner of the Akro stick is Ross0133. I'll PM you for your postal address and get it to you this week.
 
Yeah, that is a tough one. The OzSeller preface was about the best idea I could come up with to separate them from the pack, but it still isn't perfect. The only answer is check BST regularly, and try to not let all the CONUS only sales get you down.

Don't let CONUS only sales deter you. I've purchased these many times and used www.shipito.com to get the items to Melbourne.

Also there is a group on Facebook called Wet Shavers Enablers. It's a wet shavers BST run by Chris (TSNevangilist from
The Shave Nook). I just purchased a restored 40's style Gillette SS from a well known guy in the US and shipping was $14.50.

Where there is a will there is a way :)
 
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Don't let CONUS only sales deter you. I've purchased these many times and used www.shipito.com to get the items to Melbourne.

Also there is a group on Facebook called Wet Shavers Enablers. It's a wet shavers BST run by Chris (TSNevangilist from
The Shave Nook). I just purchased a restored 40's style Gillette SS from a well known guy in the US and shipping was $14.50.

Where there is a will there is a way :)

Cheers!
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
I am beginning a 30 shaves with the Australian Palmolive in order to review it. Drop by if you are interested: Link
 

Legion

Staff member
Hey, Aussie watch fanciers and cheapskates. I was just passing the news agency and saw the first issue of this magazine for $7.95. It is actually a pretty interesting magazine if you are interested in watches, and I probably would have bought it anyway, but it came with a watch on the cover! Yes, it is a cheap Chinese watch, but it looks OK (a copy of a 60's Aussie navel dive watch), and if you have kids it might be a nice gift. Every two weeks there is a new issue with a different knockoff watch. Having owned a couple of the real issue ones, I fail to see how the Chinese knockoff could be less well made than some of the originals.

http://www.military-watches-collection.com.au/
 
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Hey, Aussie watch fanciers and cheapskates. I was just passing the news agency and saw the first issue of this magazine for $7.95. It is actually a pretty interesting magazine if you are interested in watches, and I probably would have bought it anyway, but it came with a watch on the cover! Yes, it is a cheap Chinese watch, but it looks OK (a copy of a 60's Aussie navel dive watch), and if you have kids it might be a nice gift. Every two weeks there is a new issue with a different knockoff watch.

Thanks for posting this - I thought I was going mad. I saw the ad the other night a couple of times. The first I was making tea and The GF wasn't paying attention and the second I was enjoying a scotch and reading a book. I'd more or less convinced myself I had imagined the whole thing.

Having owned a couple of the real issue ones, I fail to see how the Chinese knockoff could be less well made than some of the originals.

http://www.military-watches-collection.com.au/

Don't underestimate the Chinese. They have invented whole new ways of making things badly, beyond even the abilities of military contractors.
 
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