WOW you got a good deal. I am a little leery of ebay but I did do some bidding on some over the weekend however I was not successful it seems they are going for more than that now.
Keep trying. I was outbid about 16 times for a Fatboy before I finally got one at my price. I have several Super Speeds that I got for less than $15 each on eBay. I also have a Blue Tip Super Speed that came in a lot of 4 razors for a total of $28, so $7 each. You can also try the classifieds on this forum to see if anybody has one they want to sell (not me). You may or may not get a better price, but you'll probably be buying from somebody who knows exactly what they're selling. YMMV, of course.
OK - I am now the proud owner of a 1966 SS - I hope it gets here soon! NOw I need to figure out were to buy some blades and what kind of blade do I get. Of course up until now I did not have one and I have not had to admit that I am scared to death to use one. I have no idea how to find the right angle of the razor and I do not even know where to start. I am pretty sure I will cut my face so bad I will not be able to shave for days. Yet I am so excited to try it. On another note I am positive I have developed RAD because I know that I will always be looking for razors. Heck my wife even joined in and she knows more about the different styles of the SS than I do and she is on the look oout for a Lady Gillette so i am pretty sure she has RAD as well. My next purchase will be a Fat Boy!
If you haven't already, go to Shave School and watch Mantic's videos, he shows you how to find the correct angle. There is also lots of good info in there about blades and sampler packs. I welcome you and the wife to the AD's, you wil be in fine company.
Everybody is going to mention blade sampler packs. Some places to get them: Shoebox Shave Shop Bullgoose Shaving West Coast Shaving Amazon. Search for double edge razor blade sampler And others, no doubt. Don't forget to clean your razor before using it. I don't find a sticky here on that, but this thread has a variety of suggestions. My own suggestion, for a used razor that you're getting ready for first use, mild soap and water, Scrubbin' Bubbles and a toothbrush to clean up soap scum if necessary, then immerse for maybe an hour in isopropyl alcohol to kill off any stubborn bacteria.
Thanks for the links Slivovitz I am going to order a pack of samples from Bullgoose today so that they will arrive shortly after my razor does. Looking forward to cutting myself!
OK this may sound like a dumb question but here goes. How do you know when you have the right angle of the razor on your face. Is there a certain feel to it? Sound? Will it feel a lot like a cartridge when its cutting away at the hairs? I have been watching Mantics vids for a few months now. I think I have them memorized, I just have not seen or heard anything describing what it will be like when you get the right angle. Any help?
Not a dumb question at all. I've only been doing this since last October, so I'm certainly no expert, but I'll try to be of assistance. First off, to make things simpler, I suggest you throw out everything you remember from shaving with a cartridge razor, as very little of it applies to safety razor shaving. When you have the correct angle there will be a very audible sound coming from the razor and blade. It really won't sound the way a cartridge razor sounds. It will almost sound as if it should be a painful experience (it can sound very "scrapey"), but if you have prepped correctly, it should be a rather enjoyable event. Your safety razor should provide much more tactile feedback than a cartridge, as there is only one blade cutting each hair as opposed to multiple blades cutting that hair multiple times in rapid succession for a given pass.
Thanks for the tip Chris! I will be ready for my first DE shave this weekend. I hope to report good results.
