The Daily Double.

Discussion in 'General Shaving Talk' started by GAW9576, Nov 28, 2019.

  1. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    I had a few Blue Bird blades, and they are very smooth. I used them in one of my Fatboy razors, and they shaved great.
     
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  2. GAW9576

    GAW9576 Well-Known Member

    I wasn't aware Derby made Bluebirds.
    I looked it up though and they are the blades I have. They where the only blade I used for many years.
     
  3. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    Some info on Bluebird blades from different sources:
    Parent Company - Bluebird Trading, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    Where made, two mentions, Europe and Turkey. Remember that part of Turkey is in Europe
    Possibly made by Derby for a private label, Bluebird Trading, not yet confirmed.
     
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  4. Tanuki

    Tanuki Well-Known Member

    This is what Razor Blades Club lists:

    [​IMG]
    BLUEBIRD
    • Manufacturer: Derby
    • Country: Turkey
    • Coating: Chromium-Ceramic-Platinum-Tungsten and Polymer
     
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  5. Chuck Naill

    Chuck Naill Well-Known Member

    Yes @GAW9576 it is the infamous Barbasol Floating Head. I have the non branded model that supposedly does not have the floating head although I can't tell the difference.
     
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  6. GAW9576

    GAW9576 Well-Known Member

    Nice looking razor. I think I understand the Floating head but I'm note positive my understanding is correct.
     
  7. GAW9576

    GAW9576 Well-Known Member

    Had a great Daily Double end of the day wind down.

    Gem MMCP
    ER 1914 little lather catcher
    Gem SS PTFE by Ted Pella
    Tabac
    Two band badger
    Whitchazle splash

    [​IMG]
     
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  8. Tanuki

    Tanuki Well-Known Member

    It’s Tuesday.
    Barber’s notch JR Torrey
    Black Friday Maggards slant head on short, skinny Merkur handle
    Arko via boar
    57D43808-1FB1-4306-AD85-ED12FB1F8663.jpeg
     
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  9. GAW9576

    GAW9576 Well-Known Member

    Love the scroll work on those scales.
     
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  10. jgreenepa

    jgreenepa Nasal Barbarian

    Blackland Vector (head) and Muhle R41 (face)
    2E7CC33C-C590-4AFD-87B8-4E91AA6C6731.jpeg
     
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  11. GAW9576

    GAW9576 Well-Known Member

    Very nice setup. Glad you joined us.
     
  12. Tanuki

    Tanuki Well-Known Member

    Still rolling back the beard line. There is now a distinct white strip of skin under my jawline, so the bone handle was a harmonious color match.

    ORYX 931 SR
    RazoRock GC-OC84 with a fresh Feather
    Ultra scrubby Zenith boar
    Lots of green Proraso, cream, soap, AS lotion
    And my new, bigger lather (8oz chef’s prep) bowl
    B14B96C7-C2A8-42FF-A8FB-E6023D8FDE1A.jpeg
     
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  13. Tanuki

    Tanuki Well-Known Member

    The Vector looks all business, no nonsense. Very nice.

    Is the R41 shimmed? I am about to give up on mine.
     
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  14. GAW9576

    GAW9576 Well-Known Member

    Nice shave. How is the slickness on the Proraso for you? I have the tube of green cream and it seems to be actually ANTISLICK. I'm not sure if it's just my water quality.
     
  15. GAW9576

    GAW9576 Well-Known Member

    Durham Duplex Double today. Experimenting with stropping Personna pathology blades. Some important but I think a hanging strop would work better than my paddle strop.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  16. jgreenepa

    jgreenepa Nasal Barbarian

    Thanks for the comment about the Vector! It’s my regular, daily dome scraper.
    No, no shims on my R41. Is yours a 2011 or a 2013 model? The R41 is a very efficient razor, but not one I would ever use as a daily driver. What’s your issue with the razor?
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2019
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  17. Tanuki

    Tanuki Well-Known Member

    Mine is 2013. Based on photos I’ve seen posted, the 2011 is a straightforward Old Type knockoff, possibly just a Merkur 15 head on a Muhle handle.

    I have never been comfortable using the R41, and I use shavettes and straights. I am subject to both nicks and weepers when I shave with it. I’ve shaved DE for over 40 years, mainly an Old Type and a Merkur 36 slant, with very little blood.

    I just gave the R41 another go, then examined it closely, and put it away. Looks to me as if the blade is unsupported from below for about 4mm. The blade photo shows the point of last support. (The point marked by the arrows and the colored edge in the towel.)
    0B577870-7FB1-446B-9398-B74DC9282F6F.jpeg

    That’s a lot of blade flex. I have used the R41 baseplate with a different cap and had reasonable success. I suspect that cap was pushing the blade edge into the teeth and stabilizing the blade.

    Here is a head shot, cap fully tightened, showing the air gap below the blade:
    2482D66B-D5CE-4A67-841F-F2F61FBE739F.jpeg

    Maybe my R41 is a flawed example. In any case, it’s on the shelf.

    Hold your R41 up to the light. If the blade rests on the teeth I’d like to know!
     
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  18. Tanuki

    Tanuki Well-Known Member

    I’m good with the Proraso Green slickness. It isn’t as slick as my Palmolive or Cremo, though. On par with Lea, beats my Omega cream. Definitely too many creams on tap in the den. Especially given that water-holding capacity seems to be the biggest factor. I continue to fine tune the cream application protocol. Being a shave nerd is just great!

    These days, I usually work in the cream with my fingers on a wet face, then perhaps give it a quick once over with a wet brush. Then on goes a second layer of wet bowl lather of the day’s soap choice. I try to get the soap lather as wet as possible without it dripping off my face!

    I do have extremely soft rain-fed surface water (from the Bull Run reservoir) here in Portland. I think it will lather any soap.
     
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  19. GAW9576

    GAW9576 Well-Known Member

    If you haven't had it to long it might be worth contacting the retailer to see if you could get a replacement.

    I suspect my water quality being an issue. We have a water softener but I think even after that our water is still hard. I should test it again.
     
  20. Tanuki

    Tanuki Well-Known Member

    Went back to some notes and found that the Old Type clone R41 was the ‘2009’.

    I don’t know the difference between the 2011 and 2013 R41 heads. I bought mine in 2018, but I got it from the UK (much better price) so I have no idea when it was produced. Time for more research!
     
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