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Natterings of a Nasal Barbarian

jgreenepa said:
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SOTD SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2020

The shave yesterday with my VC4 Valet Auto Strop (VAS) was so awesome, I just had to repeat it. The Auto Strop was designed by Henry Gaisman, and it is a surprisingly brilliant piece of work. The VAS evolved from the original 1906 model through 9 others and culminated in this razor, the VC4 which ceased production in 1946. Of all the models, only the VC4 featured a safety bar instead of the open comb of its predecessors.

During the roaring mid-1920s, Gaisman like his mentor, King C Gillette, realized that money in the shaving game was in blades, not blade-holders, despite his having designed one of the best, if not the best safety razors in the business. Customers had stopped buying Valet blades, and were substituting the cheaper Gem blades. Research indicated that customers didn’t consider the VAS a premium brand.

To counter this perception, and lock in customers, Gaisman released the Model VB2 (7th of 10 VAS models) a silver plated model with a new blade lock. The new mechanism consisted of a swinging door that secured the blade and included indents on the baseplate that prevented the use of Gem blades. In fact, all three Auto Strops that followed had indents on the baseplate. Thankfully, the six models preceding the VB2 can all be used with Gem Blades. The easiest solution, of course, is to use an original NOS Valet blade or a Feather FHS-10 in any of the models.

Yesterday’s shave featured Chel, a synthetic menthol cooling gel. The gel Contains aloe and other skin+friendly ingredients. It performed beautifully as a preshave. So after my shower and cold water rinse, I again applied the Chel and lathered over it with the Nancy Boy Signature Shave cream. The Alpha Shaving T-400 Tribute’s Boar ferrule felt great against the shave surfaces. But what felt even better was the slowly escalating feeling of coolness. The VAS again delivered the goods through two slow luxurious passes (WTG, ATG). I think the feature I enjoy most about the later model Auto Strops is their adjustability. Lifting the locking lever In the back of the head increases efficiency and pressing it down decreases it, a very clever system, Mr Gaisman. And one arrived at through incremental improvements over the razor’s 40 year life (1906-1946), finding its final and best expression in this, the VC4. I really like this razor which again delivered another bloodless VBBS with no heat from the Alum. I feel clean, velveteen smooth, icy cool, and refreshed!

RAZOR: Valet Auto Strop (Model VC4)
BLADE: Feather FHS-10
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by Chel application to all shave surfaces
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T-400 Tribute w/ 26mm Boar Ferrule
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and finished with Krampert’s Frostbite AS Splash
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I'm curious about the term "auto strop." Is there some sort of on-board mechanism that strops the blade during or between uses? I remember Rick Deweese on his Brush n Soap n Blade podcast using several VAS razors, but he never really explained what autostropping was exactly.

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What a great entry today! Some serious history and historical context there that most never know! I think we need to start archiving your posts and preserving them for the sake of knowledge!
 
fhalden said:
I'm curious about the term "auto strop." Is there some sort of on-board mechanism that strops the blade during or between uses? I remember Rick Deweese on his Brush n Soap n Blade podcast using several VAS razors, but he never really explained what autostropping was exactly.

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Yes, many of the razors came with a leather strop which could be used to strop a loaded blade to maintain sharpness.
 
dangerousdon said:
What a great entry today! Some serious history and historical context there that most never know! I think we need to start archiving your posts and preserving them for the sake of knowledge!
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I’m flattered, Don, but everything I wrote is available in Waits Compendium and elsewhere. Henry Gaisman just fascinates me! A man with no formal education to speak of who rises to the Chairmanship of what was then one of the larest corporations in America. He lived to 104. Remarkable man! And his final razor design, the VC4, represented 40 years of incremental design improvements. I really believe it to be one of the finest shaving safety razors I’ve ever used. Unlike Gillette razors, where the focus has always been on the blade, the autostrop represented a design that incorporated a designed interaction between blade and blade holder. One where the blade holder was designed to maintain the edge and present it in an optimized way to the shave surface. Gillette was all about planned obsolescence, not so Auto Strop, which unfortunately ran counter to the mission of the Gillette holding Corp.
 
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SOTD MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2020

Well here I am on my third shave with this remarkable shaving tool, the Valet Auto Strop (VAS) VC4! The only other razors in my collection that compare are my Shake Sharps and AC razors. @twhite Tom White’s brass TAR is also in the same category! Feather FHS-10 just don’t last like my Gems or Proline blades. It appears that 2 1/2 shaves is the best I can expect from them. I face and head shave daily. So it’s probably about the equivalent of 4-5 face shaves.

Nancy Boy Shave cream has become my face and head crack! The Jayaruh #374 Boar brush delivered the wonderfully thick, yogurty lather that I’ve come to expect. This shave cream has spoiled me for other soaps and creams. After my shower and cold water rinse, I lathered up and really took my time. I started with the aggressive setting for the first WTG pass, and really took my time. The VC4 is such a great razor. It mowed through the stubble right down to the skin line. Tha second slow and easy ATG buffing pass put the baby to bed and eased yours truly into another VBBS. I feel clean, velveteen smooth and refreshed.

RAZOR: Valet Auto Strop VC4
BLADE: Feather FHS-10
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: Jayaruh Custom Boar #374
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Lisa’s Naturals Tobacco & Bay Post Shave Elixir.
 
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SOTD TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

As the intro to certain Monty Python skits used to go, “now for something completely different!” As I was reorganizing my razors, I rediscovered where I had stowed away my 1959 Gold Plated British Gillette Rocket. An authority on British Gillette’s at TSD has assured me that I own the Presentation Set razor, minus all the goodies (case, instructions etc). I picked it up off EBay UK about 10 months ago and have only shaved with it a few times. So time to give it another run! It’s in excellent condition.

Nancy Boy Signature Shave cream with M-Bomb enhancement has become my focus this month! Another tub is on the way! In addition, their Cooling After-Shave Gel with matching Signature Scent along with Krampert’s Frostbite AS Splash were selected for today’s shave. The razor deserved another chance. I’ll state my position here; I don’t enjoy shaving with any Gillette razor after 1940. I have Fat Boys, Slims, and Black Beauties which belonged to family, but I rarely shave with them. My Rex Ambassador and Gibbs adjustables are preferred.

So, back to the shave. In a nutshell, “meh”! I loaded a Nacet, which according to Refined Shavings’ metrics is the second sharpest razor blade after Feather. Didn’t matter! I’m just not a fan of any Gillettes manufactured after the New Deluxe. It’s the head geometry. Three pass shave (WTG, XTG, ATG), but that rounded head TTO geometry shared by the Super Speeds and adjustables just don’t do it for me! Besides, I prefer more exotic shave technology. I had a decent DFS shave, but I know this geometry leads to skin irritation if I push it. At least I feel clean and refreshed! The razor’s going back in the drawer with all the Gillette TTO razors.

RAZOR: British Gillette Gold Rocket
BLADE: Nacet
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: Viking Silvertip Badger
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Krampert’s Frostbite AS Splash. Finished with Nancy Boy Signature Scrnt After-Shave Gel.
 
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SOTD WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2020

As I mentioned a few shaves ago, there remains only one razor in my collection that I haven’t shaved with, my Le Coq Cage Head. I have two of these, but had never shaved with my NOS, complete with the 100 yr old display tag. The user that I have is a very efficient shaver, but like my R41 requires requires one attend to the shaving process, as it can bite. The trade off is that if one maintains focus, the shave is always incredibly close. I expected the same to hold true for this razor, and it did.

Great shave! Two passes (WTG, ATG) and I was delivered right back to VBBS land. The Nancy Boy shave cream enhanced with 6 drops of M-Bomb is seriously wonderful! It won’t appeal to those of you who revel in strong soap stinks, but if you are looking for an incredibly thick, slick protective lather you won’t be disappointed. The beauty of the stuff is that one doesn’t have to worry whether it’s water hungry or not. It just works every time to deliver a great lather. The razor has a very wide sweet spot and shaved smoothly and very efficiently. That first pass cut through the stubble right down to the skin line. The final pass just consisted of some selected buffing. I feel clean, cool, smooth and refreshed.

RAZOR: NOS Le Coq Cage Head
BLADE: Sharp Star
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: Omega Pro48 Boar
SOAP: Nancy Boy Signature
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Chiseled Face Natural AS Splash. Finished with Nancy Boy Signature Scent Cooling After-Shave Gel
 
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SOTD THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

Great shave yesterday with my century old NOS Le Coq Display Queen. Since I was in the mood for another great shave, I grabbed my Cooper Monobilt fliptop razor. Our @jmudrick puts the release around 1934 given patent information. The razor can be shaved in two configurations. See the photo courtesy of @jmudrick. Totally tightened down, the shave is extremely mild and somewhat inefficient - top shot. However, when loosened up, the resulting shave is quite efficient - bottom shot.

This razor is capable of delivering extremely close shaves, particularly to the dome which is why I enjoy using it so much. In use it bellows the “buttering toast” song, one of my favorites. The problem is there aren’t a lot of them available. A long time member at TSD picked one up, but it suffered from the major failing of these razors, a bent base plate which throws the entire shave off leading to its resale shortly after acquisition. Mine, thank goodness, works just fine, and has always delivered a great shave.

After my shower and cold water rinse, it was time for a workout. The 316L SS Synth brush from Rearden Razor weighs 15.8 oz. It has great heft at almost a lb., and always makes me feel like I’m exercising in use. The enhanced Nancy Boy shave cream felt cool and wonderful on mug and noggin as it was painted on with my barbell brush. The first WTG pass sheared through the prior day’s stubble right down to the skin line leaving only my two trouble spots for further attention. A little selective buffing around the Adam’s Apple and in the slight valley at the top of the back of the dome left me with the desired VBBS. I feel clean, cool, velveteen smooth and refreshed.

RAZOR: Cooper Monobilt
BLADE: Sharp Star
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: 316L SS Rearden Razor Synthetic
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature enhanced w/ 6 drops M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Nancy Boy Cooling After-Shave Gel.
 
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SOTD FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

Day two with the Cooper Monobilt! The shave yesterday was spectacular, and today’s was just more of the same! Really not much to report other than my continuing focus on this incredible shaving cream, Nancy Boy Signature. @b1hart has jumped on the bandwagon, and reported a great shave with it, and added to its luster by sharing his educated olfactory appreciation of the various scent components that this bumbling nasal barbarian could never hope to do. I suspect that @jluc may be joining us shortly as well, giving his vast, modern artisan, razor armamentarium the opportunity to sport in it. The shave was the same one and 1/2 pass (WTG, ATG) masterpiece as yesterday’s shave. Mr. Cooper delivered the expected VBBS leaving your happy narrator feeling clean, velveteen smooth, cool and refreshed.

RAZOR: Cooper Monobilt
BLADE: Sharp Star (2)
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T-400 Tribute w/ 26mm Boar Ferrule
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature enhanced with 6 Drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Nancy Boy Signature Scent Cooling After-Shave Gel.
 
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