Valet die hard

[Vittoria]

Hi forum Im Smithy I am new to this site but have been a wet shaver since 1981
for the past 10 years or so I have more often than not use a Valet Auto strop Razor ( my fav is the gold tone one with slim runners)
the valet give a good close shave (after you learn the technique(or there can be lots of blood ) and you can sharpen the blade yourself back to new condition with just a few strops
I get about 70-100 shaves from one blade yes I have counted them to check.
I would be surprizing to some that this small and still eazy to get on the net and can also be 100 years old (although the blades and strops are getting rarer) can shave so close and and clean for a single edge razor
witch can by sharperned again and again
It would be great to hear from other valet fans
hey maybe try it for your self it a bit of shaving history in your hand
seeya
Smithy

 

[fcdiscus]

Hi Smithy- I have tried my Valet a few time and found it extremely agressive. I do have the strop and have used it- but I would kindly like your method for shaving with it as to not leave a bloddy mess on my face! thanks, Frank

 

[HoosierTrooper]

I've got a dozen or so Valet's and like to use them with the Feather or de-spined single edge blades. I don't have the desire, energy or time to fool around with stropping NOS Valet blades.

 

[Uncle Brian]

Welcome to B&B Smithy
Seeing as it's Sunday I decided to try out my Valet again, the last couple of shaves have been a bit bloody and I was just a little scared of this beast. I'm using Feather blades and yes I do have quite a few of the origionals but they are blunt and I don't know how to sharpen them ... anyone want to teach us how?
One thing I have noticed with aggressive razors is you should use almost no pressure and fewer passes and none on any part of the skin that does not have lather on it.
So shower thing then lathered up the Arko did some gentle passes more lather more passes.
Result is only a few weepers a smooth face and no irritation.
Not so scary sfter all, might use it more often.

 

[Slash McCoy]

It is best when using the NOS blades, to have two or more strops. One kept clean, the other or others pasted with one or more grades of diamond paste. I used .5u on mine. You can easily make a suitable strop... Tandy is your friend. If I were still messing with it I think I might try some finer pastes, maybe even going down to .1u or finer. Pasted leather before clean leather will really keep those NOS blades sharp.

This razor has a serious cool factor. You do have to watch your angle really well, though, and stretch the skin a lot harder than for a DE razor.

The Feathers are nice but half of the cool is in stropping the blades. Coated, stainless, compound beveled blades don't do well on the strop. Stropping them, to me, seems to hardly make any difference.

 

[Vittoria]

Hi Uncle Brian thanks for the welcome from across the trench, Its great to hear about your valet experence your method is more or less the same as I us (shower, lather up and shave)
I first shave up to the jaw lie but not over (unless your careful eg,not late for somthing) I use short strokes around the jaw line and edge of the chin(or you can start to look like a vampire has just had lunch on your face) just as you said with no pressure let the razor do the work the in the time I have not had a tash I am very careful under the nose.
another tip is I always use cold water on the blade I think it stays keener witch is important with this little beast (I like your term form my weapon of choice).
As for stroping the razor you need to get an original strop (still avalible on the net eg ebay ...) or a copy made from thin leather you tube has a video of a bloke stroping it and insurting the strop into the razor but he don't shave with the valet (coward ha ha!)
I also have never use other blades in my valets, feather you said ? I surpose I never looked for new replacements I guess Im a bit nostalgic about the old things
I will try In the near future to take some pics of my collection of razors and blades to upload to the B&B but im not sure were to post them?
seeya mate
Smithy

 

[Vittoria]

Hi mate dumb as it may sound from me what is NOS blades?
and also i have never used paste only a little minneral oil (clipper oil)
can you tell me the details of its use and were I can get some to try it sounds interesting?
Smithy

 

[Uncle Brian]

I got my feathers from here

http://www.razorbladesandmore.com/content/feather-single-edge-blades-5pcs

expensive little buggers and I hear they don't last long but at least you can get them.

This is mine all armed and ready for blood

 

[Uncle Brian]

New Old Stock

Stuff from the good old days that is in new condition

 

[Vittoria]

oh Im not up to date with the lingo yet
thanks
Smithy

 

[mvk]

The feathers didn't work in my valet - the holes didn't line up. Mine is different from the one pictured. It covers up most of the blade. I was wondering what your stropping procedure is - about how many times before or after you shave. Since you have used it so long, you must have a pretty good way of going about it. Thanks for any helpful hints.

 

[Vittoria]

Hi frank good to hear from you as you already know this innocent little razor can chop you up.
my method is simple I always shave after a hot shower first I don't wash my face with soap only hot water,lather up with your fav product im trying gel at the moment but I think cream works better
as uncle brian siad in his post don't apply pressure just let the razor do the work I shave up to the jaw line first but not over the only real point here is to take care along the jaw line,tip of chin and under your nose as it will cut you up
oh and use cold water it keeps the edge keener and as already metioned (ak U/B) keep lather on your face no shaving bare skin
after use I strop the blade three to five times in each direction
I hope this helps?
by the way if Im in a hurry and don't have the time for all this
I use a gillette DE razor much quiker when your in a rush and no blood
Smithy

 

[Vittoria]

Hi Mark start with a brand new blade (I only have NOS valet blade as I have only just learned feather make new ones) but I surspect they are stainless and may not hone well
ok insert your valet strop into the razor (the lower gap) oh yeah i use a few drops of oil on the strop first (minneral or clipper oil) rub it in I do this about every tenth time i use the strop
take the strop in your left hand if your right handed keep the razor at right angles to the strop ( on your first pass you can check this) only apply very gentle pressure to the blade for good results
one a new blade only strop 2 times each direction after you shave about 3 to 5 each way and use cold water to rinse razor when shaving
I hope this will help you
Smithy
PS stroping is all about the angle of the blade on the strop with abit of practice yoou will be using the same blade again and again.

 

[Vittoria]

hi mark their are some models that take smaller blades I have found these hard to get
your other option is just get another (very cheap on ebay)
I have attach a pic of three tpyes that take the blade
Smithy

 

[alitkty]

Hi forum Im Smithy I am new to this site but have been a wet shaver since 1981
for the past 10 years or so I have more often than not use a Valet Auto strop Razor ( my fav is the gold tone one with slim runners)
the valet give a good close shave (after you learn the technique(or there can be lots of blood ) and you can sharpen the blade yourself back to new condition with just a few strops
I get about 70-100 shaves from one blade yes I have counted them to check.
I would be surprizing to some that this small and still eazy to get on the net and can also be 100 years old (although the blades and strops are getting rarer) can shave so close and and clean for a single edge razor
witch can by sharperned again and again
It would be great to hear from other valet fans
hey maybe try it for your self it a bit of shaving history in your hand
seeya
Smithy

Amazing. 70 shaves!

 

[themba]

I prefer the original AutoStrop razors, before the company became Valet AutoStrop.

 

[fcdiscus]

Interesting thread- I will need to muscle up the courage to try my Valet again!

 

[Uncle Brian]

Interesting thread- I will need to muscle up the courage to try my Valet again!

Make sure you have a sharp blade
Don't use any pressure
Short strokes
Be gentle
Lots of lather

Then it's not so bad and gives a great close shave .. enjoy.

 

[Chester]

I really like the VAS. I keep only 2 razors at the GF's place -- a slim and a VAS. I have so many razors that it's hard to revisit any one for more than a couple weeks a year, but it's always a happy return to the VAS. I don't mess with the old blades and all that stropping. I use the feather SE blades with the cutouts and get about 10 shaves from each. Interestingly, I get better shaves from the VAS models with the safety bar, as opposed to the open-combs. That part seems a little counter-intuitive to me.
-- Chet

 

[michiganlover]

I use the feather SE blades with the cutouts and get about 10 shaves from each.

Wow, really? 10 shaves from a Feather!! In my experience the Feather blades have been good for exactly two shaves. They tugged and pulled pretty badly on the 3rd shave. At nearly a dollar a piece, the Feather blades are quite expensive when they only last for two shaves.