Just wanted to say that I received the Traveler today! I will check it out in the morning, and then report.
Well I loaded up a carbon steel blade this morning and gave it a spin. It was great! I set it for the closest shave because I was afraid if I didn't the blade would try to flip over while I was shaving. I gave it a 3 pass WTG, ATG and XTG shave and it came out DFS+. I have bad nothing to say about the shave and I am looking forward to shave #3 with it in the morning.
Very glad that you like it! Yeah, one needs to watch the clips it sets into with the adjustment. No product liability laws back then. Could you imagine a company suggesting that "adjustment" today? FWIW, I don't trust it either and I always go for the most aggressive shave I can get with it. I used a Model C (same as the Travelin' AutoStrop) this AM myself. For those who don't know, go to the 1st post in this thread, and find the link to the photos. I posted the VAS directions for use in there. The "send to" list isn't closed, so if anyone else wants to try the razor, just say you want in.
I tried a few adjustments and settled with the most aggressive. The geometry took a few strokes to get right but once I found the sweet spot the shave was great.
Well - I must say that I have enjoyed shaving with the Traveling AutoStrop. I have come to the end of the usable blade and now it is time to send it off to the next guy. If I can get the address I will mail it off on Monday. I did get brave and tried a shave with it on the least aggressive setting and found that I needed it turned up all the way to get the close shave that I like. Thanks for giving me the chance to use the razor - I will be keeping my eye open for one to add to my collection.
Bill, I sent Blazeadam a conversation requesting he get back to you. If it doesn't happen in a few days we'll skip him and go to Sharpspine. We can reinsert BA into the queue whenever, but I'd like to honor his position in the queue for now since I just started the conversation w/him. Either way, please update the thread OK? I'd give it 'til sometime Tuesday (your discretion) before moving on to Sharpspine. No need for me to get involved, just contact SS if/when you need to. BTW, the 'bay has 'em fairly inexpensively. If you get the type blade holder you have in hand you can use modified blades, other models must have the SE Feathers at about $1 per. Typical Feather blades, I get 2 shaves from one, modified blades give me at least 7 shaves. As far as I know all of the holders that accept modified blades are the short holders. If they have a "full" plate as the holder they require perforated blades. I just looked at the AS razors I have with the other blade holders, a VC2 and VC4, both having the type holders requiring the Feather blades, and the perforations are what retains the blade in position, so get one of those and you're definitely stuck with Feather or Valet blades. There is no easy way to modify the razors themselves to take modified blades- nothing I'd trust anyway. Maybe someone knows more than I do.
OK will do - I will hold on to it for a while. I will update the thread when I ship it out and let you all know who I ship it to. Thanks for all the information I was not aware that some take the mod blade and others do not. I will have to pay more attention to the pictures and description when I go looking on the bay.
WOW - Whoops my big time bad. I have had a busy week and that totally slipped my mind, I should have checked my inbox. I am sorry about that - I will ship it out in the morning.
Sounds like this going very well. I just finished three straight days using three different Valet's with a Feather blade. They're great razors that have kinda been flying under the radar.
Glad to see you could make it Tom! I was wondering where you went off to. I did read about your shaves with the VAS. Tom, I got turned on to them because I got one through the family (a VC4 in terrible condition). I thought it was my grandads; I don't know so much anymore. Still could be, maybe. No one knows; I've asked. I have a few razors that no one knows whose they were. They're mine now, I know that, and they're being used as they were intended, the VC4 VAS included. Anyway, at one time I thought the AS were fairly aggressive razors, not anymore. I still like them, but realized that they are mid aggressive and too many folks were missing out who could handle them. Hence the Travelin' AS. I just like the primitive "look" to the head! Pretty neat IMO and dirt cheap on the 'bay from what I've seen. A largely untapped resource that folks could make use of to break into SE. I'd like a more aggressive AS though. But if I had to use one 100% of the time I could and not complain very much.
I don't find them to be overly aggressive either, similar to a 1912 Gem. The only real drawback that I see is the cost of the Feather blades, about $1 each and I can stretch one to maybe 4 uses, 3 is normally about as long as they last comfortably for me and I have what I would describe as a medium coarse beard at best. It is more affordable to modify the cheaper SE blades for the early models that can use them.
Hey fellas, Brian just sent me a message requesting that I take control of the thread, so feel free to message me if y'all have any questions.
Wow, that was fun! A very different experience than what I'm used to. I love the way the razor looks with the mechanical head design. It also feels really good in your hand. On the heavy side with a very nice balance. Took me a few minutes to figure out how to load it. Once I did, I put in a SS blade. The first thing I noticed about shaving with the razor was the low margin of error for the angle of the blade. Too steep and the razor skated across my whiskers. Too shallow and it didn't cut at all. I'm still getting used to shaving the awkward areas like my chin, but I'm improving with every pass. The razor is not really aggressive, even on the closest setting. I had a bit of stubble left over after my shave, but I'm sure technique had something to do with it too. Overall a great shave, hoping to improve on my next one though!
Got it out earlier today, sorry it took a few more days than I had planned. I sent you the tracking #.
