Injector & SE Party !!!

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Bird Lives, Apr 28, 2011.

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  1. BearCWY

    BearCWY Well-Known Member

    STOD
    7/28/16

    Razor: Valet Auto Strop V1
    Blade: Modified Gem/ Personna
    Brush: TGN Finest
    Soap: Hoslinger Sandalwood
    Post: cold water, alum, witch hazel, Nivea sensitive aftershave balm

    I finally decided to try out my Valet Auto Strop tonight and well, I'm not thrilled with it. It was a bit aggressive and the blade did not preform like it did in my other SE razors. The shave left me with a little bit more irritation than I have gotten with any of my other razors in the past and I just did a 2 1/2 pass shave. First pass was WTG and I got decent reduction but I could tell it wasn't that good. Second pass was XTG and again I got only decent reduction. I started a third pass ATG and got my cheeks done but once I started on my neck I could tell it was not going to be good so I only did WTG again on my neck. I rinsed off with cold water and applied the alum which instantly let me know how irritated my skin was. I rinsed my face again after it stopped burning and applied my witch hazel which reaffirmed how irritated my skin was. I decided I needed to go with the Nivea to help sooth my face and I called it done. I'm not sure if I'll keep this razor or not, might try and trade it for something else anyway it was only somewhere between a CCS and a DFS tonight. I'm was kind of a disappointing shave tonight, I kind of expected better. Oh well, Hope everyone had a great shave today, and an even better one tomorrow.:cool:
     
  2. twhite

    twhite Peeping Tom

    I found my Valet to be lacking also. I will need to revisit it and give it a few weeks. If it does not work out. It is a wonderful looking piece of equipment.

    Tom


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  3. BearCWY

    BearCWY Well-Known Member

    For me this was the most disapointing razor I own. It looks fantastic, a real peace of art with it's leather case, but for me I don't want pretty I want a good functioning razor. I think I'm going to put it up for trade if there is anyone interested.
     
  4. The Other Donald

    The Other Donald Well-Known Member

    For me a disappointing razor isn't worth owning. If you use it again, it will disappoint you...again. In my opinion, it's better not to own inadequate tools.
     
  5. spidey9

    spidey9 Well-Known Member

    I'm a little unclear as to which Valet Auto-Strop we're talking about. I own a fairly representative set of Auto-Strops, but the only one I actually use much is a VB1. This razor is big, heavy, and quite possibly the most aggressive razor that I own. I can get an excellent shave from it but it requires complete focus on my part. It is not a smooth razor. I usually use a modified Gem blade, although the Feathers also work well. I've experimented with NOS vintage blades, but so far I haven't been able to strop one to the point where it didn't pull or tug at all.

    I like to leave an Auto-Strop in my razor stand in the bathroom when we have house guests. Invariably I'll be asked, "What on earth is that thing?" followed by, "You mean you actually shave with that?"

    --Bob
     
  6. BearCWY

    BearCWY Well-Known Member

    That's the one I own, it's the first version of the auto strop. I believe it's the VB1 has the small flap on top you slide the blades into. I did use a modified Gem blade in it.
    VAS2.JPG
    VAS.JPG
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2016
  7. BearCWY

    BearCWY Well-Known Member

    I wouldn't say it's an inadequate tool, but it doesn't work well for me. That is why I told everyone in here I would trade it for a different razor.
     
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  8. spidey9

    spidey9 Well-Known Member

    That's a VC1. It came after the VB1, circa 1922, and is much more lightly built than the VB1 and has bars rather than rollers to guide the strop. The first Auto-Strop was introduced in 1906, although the Valet label wasn't used until around 1921 or so.

    [​IMG]

    VB1 on the left, VC1 on the right.

    There is an issue with the VC1 and Gem blades. The Gem blade is not quite as wide as the original Auto-Strop blade and in some VC1's it will not seat all the way forward against the blade stops, resulting in a most unsatisfactory shave. The edges of the blade should be all the way forward into the little hook style blade stops. Note how the Feather blade seats in the picture.

    The easiest way to fix this is to use a Feather blade. It is also possible to tweak the VC1 slightly so that the Gem blade will seat properly. I wrote this up in one of the forums somewhere - I'll try to find it tomorrow.

    Trivia: An Auto-Strop razor was recovered from the ocean floor where the Titanic went down. It can be seen at the Titanic exhibit at the Luxor in Las Vegas.

    --Bob
     
  9. Robyflexx

    Robyflexx Broke the Like button

    Fri. 7/29/16

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    A magnificent shave this morning with the PAL Adj. razor. Wonderful freezing lather from the Stirling GET shave soap. This razor is very hefty and well built sporting beautiful sleek lines. It's very easy to maneuver and quite grippy also. Three easy brezzy passes for a dolphin smooth finish. Have a great day friends.
    :happy069:
     
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  10. BearCWY

    BearCWY Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the pics and info, if you have some feather blades that I could try in it I would give it a second shot. I've had a hard time finding them online at a decent price.
     
  11. Robyflexx

    Robyflexx Broke the Like button

    That's a beautiful PAL, same color as mine. :love055:
     
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  12. Norcalnewb

    Norcalnewb Magnanimous Moos

    image.jpeg

    July 29 SOTD:

    Stirling Synthetic Brush
    Arko Cool SC
    Gem Junior
    Stirling Unscented PSB
    Clubman VI Bay Rum
     
  13. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
  14. whiteboy_cannon

    whiteboy_cannon Well-Known Member

    Modified GEM blades sit all the forward in my vc1. No issues with shaving for me. Though it is aggressive, I've gotten to the point where I can go into auto pilot mode and just cruise along with it.
     
  15. whiteboy_cannon

    whiteboy_cannon Well-Known Member

    I suggest making your lather a little more wet than usual to make sure it is as slick as possible. Use the lightest touch possible and keep the angle at its shallowest while still cutting hairs. I have never used a straight but I like to think this is a razor that needs to be treated like one while shaving, being that it is so aggressive and the comb doesn't really do much. Keep at it. Just like any other tool, you need to master the technique in order for it to shave like it is designed to. Don't give up, when you have used it many times maybe then you can give up on it.
    Time to eat my own words and continue to try to get good shaves from the E4
     
  16. Loedse

    Loedse Well-Known Member

    My ATT SE1 came today. So happy. Going to shave with it this evening.

    2.jpg
     
  17. Robyflexx

    Robyflexx Broke the Like button

    Excellent Eddy, very beautiful. Enjoy brother! :happy036:
     
  18. Loedse

    Loedse Well-Known Member

    Thanks you Roby. It's indeed beautiful and well made. I'll post an SOTD later.
     
  19. spidey9

    spidey9 Well-Known Member

    Here is the thread in which the issue with the VC1 and Gem blades is discussed:

    http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/valet-autostrop-question.50946/

    Feather blades are in short supply because they are used in the OneBlade and the makers of OneBlade have attempted to corner the US market on the blades. They have not succeeded, but they can be hard to find in stock, although it appears that tryablade.com has them at the moment. You may come across carbon steel Feathers - avoid them like the plague. You want the stainless steel blades.

    If you like, shoot me a PM with your address and I'll send you one.

    --Bob
     
  20. Jim99

    Jim99 Gold Water Shaver

    Great advice!
     
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