April 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

I appreciate your thoughts and input, John. I am too social a creature to be at any real risk of becoming a monk. What I'm looking for is healthy balance. I'm not looking to deprive myself of any purchases or pleasures, but to make them more intentional, to put more thought into it, to better curate my pursuits, to add a depth that is proportional to my breadth. I'm not looking to offload everything, just to evaluate what I really like and to get to a place where I'm not buying things that I won't realistically use within a reasonable amount of time. I want to be able to enjoy and experience the things that I have beyond the thrill of the hunt.

Fortunately for me, guns are expensive, which curtails my impulse to buy them. I own two guns: a semi-automatic for concealed carry and a revolver that is easy for my wife to use. That's it. I don't hunt - at least not regularly - so the desire isn't there to purchase. I have friends and relatives who own a lot of guns that I enjoy shooting, but they're like grandkids. Enjoy them while there are there, then send them home to mom and dad. I'm quite happy with my current tiny arsenal. But if I had more money, the temptation may be greater. If I give myself $20 a week of personal money, it's easy to drop it on a razor or a new soap. It's a quick, easy fix, but a temporary one.

 

Apologies. I don't consider the "Lawrence corridor" to be Kansas. By Lawrence corridor I mean Lawrence to KC including Baldwin City to the South. West of Lawrence - Kansas. Wasteland.

Edit for disclaimer: I was born and raised in far Southwest Kansas. We're talking 12 miles from OK and 40 miles from CO. So, you see, I'm from the wastiest wasted area of the wasteland. Carry on.

 

But KU is in Lawrence,right? With the state University there, I'd say Lawrence deserves a break.

 

Yes, KU is in Lawrence. K-State is in Manhattan, which is Northwest of Lawrence a ways. KU may not be able to correctly identify a football 2 out of 3 tries, but their basketball program has always been top-tier and they have a great medical school and a lot of other accolades and reasons to be proud. Lawrence is also the most progressive city in Kansas which I like.

 

This is a question that has probably been asked (and answered) a few times- Given that so many Branded blades that used to be made in other countries (Polsilver, Wizamet, PermaSharp and Astra come to mind) are all now made by Gillette in St Petersburg, I wonder sometimes how much difference there is between similar coated blades. Polsilver SIs and Wizamets SIs even have virtually the same printing on the blade. Astra SP, 7 O'clock Yellows and Gillette Platinums (and others) are all Platinum coated blades made in the same place (same facility?). Ditto with the Stainless blades- Nacet, Astra SS, 7 O'clock Greens, etc.
I understand things like different branding for different markets, etc., and potentially different qualities of steel, but I wonder if tooling was brought from one facility to another even.
Gillettes made in India are definitely made in another facility, obviously, and differences in those cases make tonnes of sense.
What I do know is that every Russian Gillette I have is a winner, regardless of price- Astras, Nacets, PermaSharps, Polsilvers, 7 O'clock SP, Wizamets- all of 'em. Haven't even tried the famous GSBs yet, and I don't think I even need to, although they may be the only Teflon coated one of the bunch.

 

Thank you, Andrew! I really like this brush. I am thinking about the new one they have as well. Of course I need a brush about as much as I need more soap. But, we all know how well that stops me.

 

Thank you, Jason!

 

Beautiful picture, Jason!

Terrific picture, Mark!

 

Just don't do it like I did, Chris. Last summer, I has the same thoughts of finding the handful of razors I really liked and simplifying so I would appreciate the ones I kept that much more. I even convinced myself, that in the name of Science, I should buy a few of the razors I had always wanted to try to just to make sure I got the razors I really wanted to keep.

Well, I never got rid of a single razor, ended up buying about a dozen more (for Science of course), and now I have more razors than any reasonable person should have. I have since come to the conclusion I am not necessarily reasonable.

 

The difference in blades, as you surmise, is probably less than we like to admit. When one company, i.e. Gillette, buys up another and moves production I suspect there is a transfer of technology, but it is very doubtful that the blade will be made in exactly the same way on exactly the same equipment. Having said that, all you really need is the right quality steel, thickness, bevel, etc., and it's pretty much a clone. Coatings is where the difference can become greater if all other things are basically the same.

One note about the "only Teflon" blades of any of them - for instance the Moscow favorite Voskhod - the Rapira PL, Swede and Chrome all also include Teflon. It just isn't their primary coating. GSB is like Voskhod - Teflon is the primary. Sputnik as well, though I can tell a difference in quality of the steel/grind between Voskhod and Sputnik. It's not outrageous but it's there.

By the way, I have to question that every Russian Gillette is a winner - Rubie is still out there. And I know some who like it. For me it's the worst of the bunch by a wide margin.

There are a lot of things going on with blades that we really don't know for sure as they are all very tight lipped about the process. I have never received a response from Gillette to emails asking about specifics, and I have only been able to get Mostochlegmash to respond in a general "here's how we can sell you blades directly" email. Questions about processes etc. just go into a big dark Russian bottomless hole. Some of that, I suspect, is just the Russian paranoia and suspicious nature. Some, though, I expect, is trade secret worries. Even Super-Max, a definitely non-Russian manufacturer, won't answer most of my emails that pry for details.

 

I've pondered this too. I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between a GSB, Nacet, and a 7 O'Clock Super Stainless.

 

Not going to get political, I'm thinking economic here. With current World Affairs creating tensions and tariffs has this begun to affect DE blade prices? Not concerned about Chinese offerings, but Russian Steel is generally well thought of. If I had to I'd be happy paying a little more and enjoying Japanese Feathers.

 

I personally find you to be a very reasonable person Jim. And since I consider myself to be a reasonable person, I believe that the number of razors that you have to be perfectly reasonable based on the number of razors that I have, being a reasonable person. Cheers!

 

Sorry, meant the only Teflon one of the St. Pete Gillettes that I could think of. The Moscow Rapira brands weren't in my equation. I have Voskhods and Sharp Stars in bulk as well.

Haven't tried the Rubies! I listed all the ones I have.

 

If it is for Science, it is all necessary darn it!

 

I hate Rubies so much I won't even include them in the variety packs I PIF from time to time. I like other shaving buddies too much. LOL Although a few would love to get some I know and it's all good.

 

Rubies were not performers for me either.

 

Beautiful brushes gentlemen !

 

Chris
Once it does arrive I'll put it right to work for the rest of April then under lock and key till April 2019. Thanks again for your generosity!

 

Thank you, Gentlemen.