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Travis' Tech Talk

My lone Tech, a postwar fat-handle in gold, is excellent and deserves a replate soon. Right now I'm tempted to pick up a bakelite-handled Tech because I like the look, or a ball end to use as a travel razor (if I ever get to take another road trip).
 
My lone Tech, a postwar fat-handle in gold, is excellent and deserves a replate soon. Right now I'm tempted to pick up a bakelite-handled Tech because I like the look, or a ball end to use as a travel razor (if I ever get to take another road trip).

I enjoy both my Bakelite model and the Travel Tech (with a full ball end handle added) very much!
 
This thread inspired me to get a pre war fat handle. Won the auction last Saturday. Looking forward to it’s arrival. I plan to compare it to the post war versions I have.

This makes me feel good - and sorry because I know how many other threads on here have led me straight to the Bay to spend my money LOL
 
Another Tech arrived for my collection today compliments of a message from a fellow B&Ber.

These are the pics he sent me because I forgot to take pictures before I started soaking it to clean.

It is an English Raised Flat Bottom 4-Piece Tech!

Cool thing is the member warned me that the handle didn't separate but I could try soaking it. I had specifically asked for a user grade selection so I was cool if it didn't.

Well, when it arrived I decided to try but as the water was warming up I decided to see how stiff it was.

Turned it gently and .... it opened like butter.

Of course, it's been sitting in the shipping box in a black metal mailbox for at least 3.5 hours and it's 94 degrees here today! Just needed a little heat I guess!

I'm so excited because I've wanted both a RFB and a 4-piece model and this is both!

More pics after cleanup!
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That’s what I’m awaiting. Everyone says they shave just a little better so I’m gonna find out. And I’d also like a fat handle tech that isn’t gold plated abs this accomplished that.
They are very good razors and for me work with just about any blade I have.
It's worth the wait, and for a vintage Gillette they have a low cost to buy.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
 
Yesterday I took the Flat Bottom English Tech for a spin.

So far it's the most "aggressive" Tech I've used. It was still "smooth" but not as smooth as some of my other Techs. I also hadn't shaved the day before so that could have played a part but it felt more aggressive, but slightly less smooth on the second pass as well.

Definitely like it - but I would rank it behind my Fat Handles.

Today I used the Prewar Fat Handle Canadian Tech and it's definitely in the top 2 of my Techs - right alongside the Prewar Fat Handle USA Tech I have. It has that slightly more efficient feel to it than some other Techs without sacrificing any other the smoothness of those Techs.

But I've still yet to have a bad shave with any Tech!

I've got a new razor on the shelf (Holy Black SR71 Slant) and another in the mail (Every Ready Shovel Head) but after I use those I'm planning on taking a few days to do comparison shaves with all of my Techs (currently at 8 but with my eye on at least two other models).

Plan to sort of think in general terms of how I like them to get a rough ranking and then compare them left side/right side against each other each day to rank them overall.
 
Well she arrived today. A few days early to my surprise. Plating is in good shape, no flaking or bubbling up. A quick dip in the ultra sonic and what little dirt was in the nooks and crannies was gone in about 30 seconds.

I waited until this evening to shave. I loaded up my Astra SP (8) and went at it with some A&E La Cosa Nostra. While I didn’t do a side by side shave with this razor, I don’t think what I experienced was entirely a placebo effect. The razor had a hint of blade feel that I dont recall with my other techs. The efficiency was among the best I have had from a tech. Nothing earth shattering, but notable.

not the best lighting for the pics, it’s silver, not brass/gold tone.
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Finally started my side-by-side Tech comparison shaves and I decided to start with my two favorites so far.

On the right side (of face and picture) is my prewar FH Canadian Tech. On the left side is my prewar FH American Tech.

Both had unused GSB’s loaded in them.

Pre-shave I held them up side by side at various angles and honestly really couldn’t see much difference in angles or shape. Maybe the slightest hint that the safety bar on the USA Tech was ever so slightly bigger than the Canadian Tech.

So I went into the shave from experiences in previous shaves and visual inspection assuming I really wouldn’t be able to tell a difference.

I was sort of surprised!

The USA Tech is one of my top 3 favorite razors. I still remember my first shave with it telling my wife MULTIPLE times “I really like this razor”.

I love it because it’s the perfect blend of smooth and effective. I never have to worry about weepers or nicks or irritation.

But side by side to the Canadian it is ever so slightly and I mean slightly less smooth.

I actually stopped shaving and made sure I had a blade in the Canadian because it’s that smooth.

If I gave the Canadian a 10 for smoothness the American would be like 9.85 - still extremely smooth but side by side I could actually tell a difference.

Again, had I shaved on two separate days I don’t believe the difference would be significant enough to notice or remember but side by side it was, to my face, undeniable that the Canadian was just a smidge smoother.

I did a 3 pass shave but didn’t do touch ups because I had a bad shave when I rushed a Schick E3 without a shower this weekend so my skin is slightly tender still.

The Canadian side is ever so slightly closer to BBS as well. Under the jaw line is where I usually have a little scruff if I don’t do touch ups and both sides have some but the right side has less.

Really a 1A and 1B kind of situation but if I had to choose to keep only one it would be the Canadian. Fortunately that’s not a decision I have to make 😉

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never-stop-learning

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Finally started my side-by-side Tech comparison shaves and I decided to start with my two favorites so far.

On the right side (of face and picture) is my prewar FH Canadian Tech. On the left side is my prewar FH American Tech.

Both had unused GSB’s loaded in them.

Pre-shave I held them up side by side at various angles and honestly really couldn’t see much difference in angles or shape. Maybe the slightest hint that the safety bar on the USA Tech was ever so slightly bigger than the Canadian Tech.

So I went into the shave from experiences in previous shaves and visual inspection assuming I really wouldn’t be able to tell a difference.

I was sort of surprised!

The USA Tech is one of my top 3 favorite razors. I still remember my first shave with it telling my wife MULTIPLE times “I really like this razor”.

I love it because it’s the perfect blend of smooth and effective. I never have to worry about weepers or nicks or irritation.

But side by side to the Canadian it is ever so slightly and I mean slightly less smooth.

I actually stopped shaving and made sure I had a blade in the Canadian because it’s that smooth.

If I gave the Canadian a 10 for smoothness the American would be like 9.85 - still extremely smooth but side by side I could actually tell a difference.

Again, had I shaved on two separate days I don’t believe the difference would be significant enough to notice or remember but side by side it was, to my face, undeniable that the Canadian was just a smidge smoother.

I did a 3 pass shave but didn’t do touch ups because I had a bad shave when I rushed a Schick E3 without a shower this weekend so my skin is slightly tender still.

The Canadian side is ever so slightly closer to BBS as well. Under the jaw line is where I usually have a little scruff if I don’t do touch ups and both sides have some but the right side has less.

Really a 1A and 1B kind of situation but if I had to choose to keep only one it would be the Canadian. Fortunately that’s not a decision I have to make 😉

View attachment 1113909
Nice write-up. :)
 
Another side by side comparison today.

On the left is a 1952 black plastic handle Tech. On the right side is an English aluminium Tech from the 50's.

I started off with the English Tech and had to check to see if there was a blade in it - and realized, oops, there wasn't. I had forgotten to load my GSB's from the other day into the next set of Techs. LOL!

Once I actually put a blade in them I noticed that the Black Plastic handle Tech was ever so slightly smoother than the English Tech. Not a ton, but definitely could tell.

However, after a three pass shave the English Tech resulted in a slightly better shave overall. Very minimal scruff under my jawline whereas I'd say the Black Plastic Tech left a normal level of scruff for a shave without touch-ups for me.

So overall I'd go for the English.

How they rank so far:
1. Canada Prewar FH Tech: 10
2. USA Prewar FH Tech: 9.85
3. English Alum. Tech: 9.7
4. Black Plastic Tech: 9.69

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