If you are a pure collector, don't read any further- it will cause you pain. Over the past month, I've been running exclusively SE razors, particularly older SEs- Wilkinson Sword Empire, Valet, CV Heljstrand, Rapide, and the De Haven. I received this razor a few weeks ago, and it came with one used, and 3 NOS blades, compound and all the goodies. I worked with the angle, and various measures for securing the used blade for honing, and developed a passable edge. My first shave was pleasant, if not remarkable. Second shave was pretty much a non-starter. I'm not sure if the blade was perhaps heavily used, and is just a fraction too short; if my angle in honing was off enough to produce a non-lasting edge (most likely); or if the blade had lost its temper, at some point. In any event, it could not reliably shave. A pity, because of my numerous razors, I prefer its handling to basically any other option, to the point where I even tried stropping and a third (miserable) shave. Enter KYMash, and his lot of Permasharps. He was nice enough to send me one to try in a couple of my orphaned SEs, seeing if I could make them shaveable, with some adaptation. Short answer- yep. I will post pics & how-to later, but for now, know that if you have a De Haven with the brass-washed, heavy-spined blades, the blade can be removed, leaving the ears on the spine, and a Permasharp with trimmed ears is a perfect fit. Having shaved at 1000 last night, I was just feeling stubble at 1000 this morning. The shave was comfortable, but definitely requires care. With a decent blade, this little razor is an absolute delight!! 1 weeper, on the tip of the Adam's apple- which is where I'mm going to get dinged with any new, modestly aggressive razor. Absolutely the best shave I've ever had in a straight 3 passes. Again, if you try this, take it slow, and treat the angle like a Valet or 1912. It does have more bite-potential, I would say, because of the finer blade edge, but nice steady passes do the trick.
Pic: I didn't take before shots, but the idea is obvious. Looking at an OEM blade, you will see rivets in the tips of the ears holding the blade. Initially, I thought they might be brass, but the are steel- it would be pretty well impossible to drive them out, the blade cracked when I tried. The spine appears to be some sort of zinc, possibly nickel alloy, washed with brass. Use a Dremel to cut the top off the blade retaining ears (indicated in red). Do your best to cut through, not below, the body of the rivet. The main idea is to keep as much of the spine intact as possible. Once the ears are cut through to the blade on both sides, use pliers to pull the blade straight out. Dress the tops of the ears with a needle file. At this point, it will be necessary to use the blade to ensure that the blade gap in the ears is open. Use the sharp edge of the removed blade, and with a light sawing motion, run it to the back of the spine. Take your Permasharp (or similar) blade, and cut the ends off. CAREFULLY, slide the blade sideways into the spine. Once the blade is centered, LIGHTLY squeeze the ears together with small pliers. You aren't trying to lock the blade in place so much as provide a light, firm grip. You will want to switch blades, at some point. If things seem too loose, a very small drop of superglue, between the spine and blade (NOT IN THE EARS) will secure it. As previously noted, treat it like a Valet, and start slow. Owners of #3s will have to post pics, or see if possibly the blade is only crimped, not pinned, in those holders.
Nate1976, over on B&B posted a pic of his #3, and the blades apparently are simply very lightly pressed into the #3 holder, not pinned, as in the #2, so it should be a clip(ends off the SE blade) and gently press into the blade holder, with the 3.
