Shaving with a 1912 The Traditional Way

Great thread!

 

Hey that's a Compliment..Will look like an Old Grannys Butt soon enough..

Billy..

 

Well, Herm started it!

 

You guys are funny...

 

too funny!

 

Yeah, well...mom always liked you best.

 

Well I owe a big thank you to Billy for giving me the insensitive to get my finger out and finally sorting out my SE shaving. I stropped one of my cru steel every ready blades for abought 10 minutes and shaved with it yesterday and it wasn't bad at all I would give it 8 out of 10, I then stropped it straight after shaving 40 strops per side, today I again stropped it 40 times per side befor shaving and what a difference, 10 out of 10 from me l can't see why I can't keep this blade going indefinitely.

For anyone interested I made my stropping handle from a piece of K&S brass tube, I used one of the little drum sanding attachments that come with most multi tools, l just sanded out two depressions the size of the sanding drum down to half the thickness of the tube and cut the slot with a modelling saw. I quite fancied a handle like the old lather catchers, but it's really more about an means to an end. Once you have a blade holder the handle can be made of anything you can find, here's a picture to give an idea of an easy way to make a stropping handle.



Dave

 

Very good, Dave. Now I am going to have to keep my eyes open for some of those blades. I would like to do the same thing.

 

Hi I think that any of the old blades with the thicker spine will be similar steel.

Dave

 

Thanks. I will keep that in mind.

 

Three Pass Shaving Routine..

Hot Water prep & massage with Coconut Oil
Ever Ready 1924
Star Cru Steel Blade x 3
Leon Hardy Pure Badger
Monsavon Bol Tallow soap
Thayers Original Witch Hazel

I had the Shave of my Life with my Ever Ready 1924 with a an Original Cru Steel Blade Tonight..The Cru Blade Totally Changes the 24 to a Super Forgiving Razor..All this Feather Like Touch Guff is Right Out the Window..The 24 isn't any more Aggressive than an English Made 1912 with a Cru Blade..Its still an Aggressive Razor for Sure as is the English 1912 but Very Smooth & Forgiving..

The 1st Pass with these Blades is very different to a Gem Blade..Some folks might describe it as being Tuggy..I had 4 days of Whiskers to Cut Down & a bit of Pressure is required with these blades..They are different Animals & require a Different Way of Shaving..I wouldn't suggest they are Tuggy..They are just different to what you are used to with a Modern Multi Faceted Blade..These Blades come into their Own in Subsequent Passes & in my opinion just Blow Away a Gem Blade for Smoothness..In Sum..The 1924 is a Super Forgiving Razor with the Blades they were Designed to Shave with..Different Animal Altogether..

I ended up with the Most Perfect Dolphin Smooth All Over BBS Result..My face is Shining like a Pair of Guardsman's Drill Boots..Its probably just about Impossible to get even a Weeper with the 1924 with these Cru Steel Blades..Pure Comfort is the Order of the Day..As I said..The Need for a Light Touch just Doesn't Apply at All..


Billy..

 

Nice write-up. You're inspiring me.

 

Aye..They are 10 out of 10 for Sure..

Billy..

 

I'm trying this setup to prep this Eveready radio steel blade for my 1914. I hope I'm doing it right and it works!

 

Dave

What is the outside diameter of that brass tubing you used? I need to make one.

Thanks

Tom

 

Hi Tom I used 9/32 K&S brass tube it's the only size I had that look like it would work, when I first put the blade in one side wasn't hooked over the shoulder of the spine I just had to crush the tube a tiny amount then it worked a treet, the next size up might fit I don't know. My last picture was one I lashed up in a few minutes to show the concept, have a go and post how you get on.

Dave

 

I just measured My Gem Stropper & its about 5mm from either side of the Spine..That's the Width of it...

Billy..

 

That looks fine I'm using a home made paddle strop abought 14" long with English saddle leather on one side and horween leather with a bit of C.O rubbed in on the other side, as with all stropping don't lean on the blade just yes light pressures.

Dave

 

That's about 5mm so that's about the Spec of the Proper Handles ..The Blades Bevel will be Spot On at That..

Billy..