My shaving stuff

David Martin

David Martin

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Apr 7, 2008
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This is most of my shaving equipment and products I use on a weekly basis. That's a Van Der Hagen brush a Gillette Super Speed (1957) razor with a Feather blade and Udder Delight shaving puck. I really like this locally made soap as it gives a good lather and smooth shave with a slight fragrance. By the way that blade is the only blade I've used this year and so far it's given me around 120 shaves. I merely strop it once a week and shave every other day (about 3 shaves a week). Notice how stropping has worn the lettering off the blade. DM
 
That has to be a record number of shaves from a single blade!

Jeff
 
I keep thinking about switching to the safety razor and never knew one blade could last so long so that is great. I just haven't found the right one to get so I havent pulled the trigger yet! :)

I spend alot on cartridges, I do know that much!
 
Thanks, Jeff. I'm going to keep stropping it as I think it will give me one full year of good shaves. DM
 
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Well, yes I admit to changing my DE blades every week, or until they start to go dull. David, what do you use to strop your blade? Changing my blades once yearly my 100 pack of IP Reds would go to my grandkids! :D
 
120 Shaves! A real economy effort, most impressive.

How do you strop them though? I can't work that one out.

That's nice gear you use, very good.

Thanks, Will
 
Thanks gents. I set my blade up for stropping as in this photo. It's the same as straight razor shavers do. The layers of tape sets the angle. My straight is shown there as well. Then strop on a normal leather strop with hard backing (glued to a 2X4) and green slurry applied (chromium oxide). Then I merely lay it on the strop and gently pull/ sliding it toward me with each stroke, (flip and slide) resting one finger near the edge. I usually go around 140 strokes, or 70 each side. I've checked and it usually takes me 15mins.. Notice the lettering on that Feather blade is already beginning to wear off. DM
 
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Tomorrow morning I'll close out another month of shaves with the same Feather blade in the top photo. I'm currently at 136 shaves with this blade. I've noticed on one side the blade developed 9 burrs at some point. These burrs are slowly disintegrating because of much stropping. In October I could see them using 2.5X this month it requires 7.5X to see them and the number is down to 6 burrs. Still, that's after at least 1600 passes on a slurry applied 15" strop and a very thin blade. So, a LOT of stropping is required to eliminate a few burrs on a very thin blade. Perhaps this burr removal could be done faster on more coarse slurry than on the fine I'm using. I've since gone to 200 passes, (100/ side every 2-3 shaves) in order to get the close shave I like. So, to keep a razor well tuned requires a lot of stropping. DM
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maybe I'm lazy but I think I would just change blades rather than spend the time stropping, but your dedication to shaving empresses me.
I love your razor its as old as me:)
 
hwm, Yes every time I post about this I get comments like this. i.e. just change the blade. Still, hardly no one else is doing this and it brings to light some points on shaving/sharpening that's normally not discussed. Many just don't realize this can be done and shaving is one of the few areas OCD is accepted. Thanks, DM
 
Hey, it's something to do! I got more shaves than I could count out of a NOS Personna 74 without touching it. No wonder they quit making those blades, a 5 pack would last a guy a half a year! Can't make much money selling guys a dollars worth a blades a year.
 
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