November 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

You didn’t have to be so quick to agree, Joseph!

 

That's the 30DC for you -- chock full of agreeable people...

 

I've got a decent 1917 (might be a 1919, I'd have to check) nickel-plated baseplate that came with a recent parts lot. If you want, you can have it for your Khaki set. The baseplate is in very nice shape, but the only spare thin cap and handle that I have to go with it are pretty ratty.

PM me an address if you want it.

 

i agree..

 

NOVember is NO whatever you want it to be! Apparently.

November 2

Razor - Schick E Injector
Blade -
Soap - Stirling Electric Sheep
Brush - Omega 10066
Post - Alum

The randomizer picked the Schick E tonight and I'm fine with that. Since I only have two injectors, my choice of blades was either the vintage Schick Injector with Krona edge or a modern Chinese Schick. I let a coin toss decide that one. Krona edge it is. These blades came with my Schick M so they have been around awhile. The blade looked good going in. Edge looked ok, no rust or other signs of problems.

For the soap the randomizer pulled Electric Sheep with the Omega 10066 boar brush. Interesting that my two small boars got pulled back to back. They're still in until they get picked the second time.

Made a great Stirling lather, and this is mutton tallow which should make it all that much better. As long as the vintage blade is good to go this should be epic. Well, you can throw that theory out the window. The blade is not good to go. Now, I've used worse. Not sure if this is what used to pass for sharp or if it's just degraded that much but to call this blade less than smooth would be kind. I managed two full passes with it though the first pass was nearly enough to make me stop. After the second pass and some touch ups I managed a DFS but not a great one. I had to laugh a bit because normally when I set up a random selection type of thing it involves the chance of bad combos. This time wasn't set up that way but I still got one.

Glad that one's out of the way and I won't be using those blades again. Still, glad I gave them a try. Have a fantastic weekend!

​

 

That's almost on the line of cheating.

 

Almost.

 

It would probably help everyone to know what the magic number is......or at least how many pages it will take. So, I'm not telling.

 

Of course, anyone who cares deeply enough can research it. All they have to do is look at every month last year and add up the monthly post totals to find the annual total, then pull every month this year so far and do the same, then subtract one from the other to find out what the magic post number would be this month... You know, that sounds like an awful lot of work, doesn't it?

 

It's possible those Schick Krona blades are still from the tail end of the carbon era. In which case degradation is almost a given. If they are stainless, then they must have been abused by their last owners.

 

That's very kind of you. However, I do have a 1918 dated razor I could stick in the case instead if I wanted to make it match. The only problem is that I would know myself that the thing was a rig and the razor in it wasn't really a former US Army issue (probably). Mind you, I think I did read somewhere that the entire 1917-18 production went to US military contracts... I will have to look that up. If so, then swapping razors would still be kosher...

 

i sometimes wonder how many razors are original in their cases. i myself have put mint caseless razors into mint razorless cases. some times the case preserves the razor but the case is junk.my rfb was like that.. however i don t sell my razors ..

 

Your carbon era theory is what I think is the case here. They look too good to think they have had any type of abuse.

 

I maybe should post this in the Showcase instead, or as well, but since I mainly hang out at the 30DC, here it is. While looking for my Khaki set tonight to re-examine the razor, I came across a rather fascinating old travel set that I think I will try out tomorrow.

It's a simple metal cylinder 6 3/4 inches long by 1 1/2 inches in diameter. The top third unscrews and a boar brush is stored in the now open bottom. The base of the hollow metal brush handle unscrews in turn, revealing the stored soap stick. Meanwhile the top cap unscrews from the top third of the cylinder, revealing a 4-piece travel razor and a metal blade bank. There aOre no maker's marks on any of the pieces. I originally bought it from a UK vendor on eBay, and the blades in the blade bank are vintage English-made stainless Wilkinsons, so I am guessing it was probably made in England but I don't know for sure.

As a travel set, it would have been very handy. Just a simple streamlined cylinder to slip into a suitcase or even into an inside jacket pocket, and everything is there ready to go when needed.

The boar brush is about a 20mm knot. I soaked it and gave it a wash with shampoo conditioner. It lost three or four hairs but otherwise seemed to respond well. I think I will try shaving with the brush and razor tomorrow. I'm not so sure about the soap though -- it smells okay, a vague tallow smell but otherwise nothing much, but looks a little grubby...

 

most of the british gillettes i collect were made just before, during and just after ww2, new rfb, flat bottom techs, etc..my granddad was RAF in burma during ww2..the gen 3 flate plate and 4th gen brit aristocrats were expensive in broke britain in the late 40s..honored to own 2 today..cool that the are some of the nicest de razors,and shavers in their time and still are today..quite copied as well..
all of gillettes razors are cool in their own way, the 30s-50s brits are just my RAD at present..and i think are ok for nov 11th shave, as are all countries gillettes from that era are appropriate..

 

very cool...

 

You have definitely already done this!

 

Naah, I'm not a spreadsheet kind of guy...

 

Thank you, Bruce!