you can shave with your VALET blades.

[D.Irving79]

(bob, i officially owe you that apology )


i was talking to someone via PM last night mainly about feather SE blades for use in an autostrop razor, and we somehow came on the topic of using NOS valet blades to shave with. having tried in the past and failed horribly, i dismissed it as a waste of time. however, my curiosity began to spark after about 15 minutes and i decided to try again with a tweaked approach. all i used in the process was a DE hone (stone) and the rubbery valet strop (model C). i was using the entire curvature of the hone during the process, pressing down with significant pressure back and forth, and then repeating for the other side of the blade. i did this for about 5 minutes. i would then strop the blade for a good 3 or so minutes and then do a face test. i had to go back and do the process a few more times, but the shave i got this morning was on par with those that i get many morning with modern blades. i got a nice, clean 2 pass shave that im really happy about.

 

[the real monkeyboy]

I have been so underimpressed with the Valet blades in general. I'll try stropping them for a bit longer next time. But I want to be able to shave with them as they come out of the box, not invest half an hour trying to get them up to just plain acceptable. I like the razors, as they are cool. But the blades have sucked for me regardless.

 

[D.Irving79]

I have been so underimpressed with the Valet blades in general. I'll try stropping them for a bit longer next time. But I want to be able to shave with them as they come out of the box, not invest half an hour trying to get them up to just plain acceptable. I like the razors, as they are cool. But the blades have sucked for me regardless.

throwing one in your razor and having it work wont happen. i just wanted to get one to work, partly b/c one up to par MIGHT outlast a current blade for it, and lastly for the old fashioned sentement of it.

 

[BobK1]

Dave, that's good to hear. No apology is required, I asked because I did not know. You are taking the time to find out, and therefore we will all be better off for the effort you are putting into this. I will be curious about the longevity of the blade now that it is in good order. i.e. will stropping alone be enough to keep it in good order for the advertised "norm" to be expected of the blade (like maybe 50-100 shaves) as that would make the razor's "effort" worth it. It sure would be nice to have to only use three or so blades a year, just like the razor's advertising promises.

 

[D.Irving79]

im going with it again tomorrow, so well see how it does. a very exciting project indeed.

 

[spinyeel]

I've just honed and stropped the guts out of a Valet blade.I'm going to give it a whirl tonight. Feels sharp enough.On a par with a sharp Rolls blade if not sharper. You've opened a can of worms again Dave.

 

[spinyeel]

Well that wasn't too bad.Didn't do an ATG pass,but the resulting shave was actually quite close.The potential of sharpening older carbon blades on halfpipe hones and folowing it up with a damn good stropping has really got me interested. By the way,the Valet blade I used was extremly blunt before the workout.Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

[D.Irving79]

im excited to hear someone aside from myself good acceptable results.

 

[clonesharky]

how many shave did you get out of one blade? any advace for a newbee to this

 

[D.Irving79]

max - 12
min - 3