RocketMan
Gem Star
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Posts: 4,167
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Post by RocketMan on Feb 11, 2012 19:40:44 GMT -6
Hey guys - I need a hand here.
I am heading down to Seattle Washington and I'm going by car. So, I might go to Tacoma, and certainly some little towns here and there.
I plan to find every antique/collectibles spot I can. But....
I have never much had a chance to pick up 'products'.
I love the VanDerHagen Deluxe and plan to get a case or two if I can!! ;D (I hand them out to my converts up here British Columbia!)
Regarding blades though - I have tried very few of the Single Edge blades you guys talk about. Fuzzy sent me a package of (I think they were) Gem blues or something like that. I have picked up a couple of other Gem ss ones that are in a little black/grey plastic box thing - they are ok but not thrilling. But that is it!!!
What blades should I look for - and where would be the best place to look?? I know there are Walmarts, and Walgreens, and a couple of drug stores I forget already.
The last time I went it wasn't very productive finding blades - I was pretty disappointed really. So some help would be fab!!!
Can I buy Arko in stores down there?? I have only ever had a wee piece. What else should I look for??
Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated. I may not get down for another year or so and I want to come back and have the border guys wondering what the h*ll I'm doing with all this shave stuff!!! ;D
edit - oh yeah!! I would love to pick up a decent badger brush - I am pretty cheap though so under a hundred bucks - any thoughts what might be good to try??? I have a Crabtree & Evelyn Best Badger - it is ok, but I find it kinda soft and gutless - I prefer some stiffness which is why I use boar mostly. Maybe a good boar I could look for???
This is gonna be so much fun!!! (My holidays now seem to turn into shaving sprees!!!)
thnx!
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Post by wchnu on Feb 11, 2012 21:10:02 GMT -6
if you find a rite aid pharmacy you might try looking for Real Shaving company cream. As far as a brush goes all I see in stores is the ADH Boar and some of the generic boar stuff. I have heard that Target stores sometime sell a badger brush. Not sure of that though. I am thinking about buying several sticks of Arko I will send you one if I do.
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RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
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Post by RocketMan on Feb 15, 2012 0:33:47 GMT -6
Well I hit all the antique stores I could find. Squat!!! There is a really great Enders No 1 kit - with a razor in it and a stropper - but it is missing the strop and the blade boxes so it would be incomplete for probably years to come. It has a great old Autostrop strop that clearly pre dates the Model Cs which are mostly the strops I aways find, but 25.00us is a fair schwack for an Enders incomplete kit - even with the strop. That is all that I found. Sad Still lookin!! Will pick up some VdH if I can find decent prices (wow, like 3 bucks a box for VDH?? yikes) outside of Seattle. The hunt is half the fun though. ;D
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Post by wchnu on Feb 15, 2012 1:49:24 GMT -6
Keep up the hunt. Cheerio and all that.
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Post by insomniac on Feb 17, 2012 0:22:07 GMT -6
B&B has a "Washington Wetshavers" social group, where someone has started a thread on where products can be procured locally.
Many of the local Indian grocery stores (Mayuri, Apna Bazar) carry some Indian shaving cream - usually Dettol, and the one closest to me has Axe. The Central Market in Shoreline apparently carries Cella in the 1kg blocks, along with Pre de Provence and Omega brushes. I've heard Essenza in the Fremont district of Seattle carries a number of high-end creams/soaps but haven't been there personally.
Most local antique stores I've visited have long been looted. There's one I know of that had a few SE razors when I last visited, but his hours are a bit erratic, and you probably have these models already.
A bunch of drug stores (like Bartells) carry the basic GEM SE blade that is pretty much the standard. I've seen the carbon steel blades as well, those I usually spot at grocery stores like Fred Meyer. The best source for SE blades is probably me :-D
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RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
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Post by RocketMan on Feb 17, 2012 0:37:22 GMT -6
B&B has a "Washington Wetshavers" social group, where someone has started a thread on where products can be procured locally. Many of the local Indian grocery stores (Mayuri, Apna Bazar) carry some Indian shaving cream - usually Dettol, and the one closest to me has Axe. The Central Market in Shoreline apparently carries Cella in the 1kg blocks, along with Pre de Provence and Omega brushes. I've heard Essenza in the Fremont district of Seattle carries a number of high-end creams/soaps but haven't been there personally. Most local antique stores I've visited have long been looted. There's one I know of that had a few SE razors when I last visited, but his hours are a bit erratic, and you probably have these models already. A bunch of drug stores (like Bartells) carry the basic GEM SE blade that is pretty much the standard. I've seen the carbon steel blades as well, those I usually spot at grocery stores like Fred Meyer. The best source for SE blades is probably me :-D Awesome info Insomniac!! Unfortunately, I am reading this from my home computer as I just got back about an hour ago. 1kg of Cella - I would have been all over that!!! I hit Bartells downtown on Olive but they had only the standard Gems and they are one of the two I've tried - and they didn't turn my crank too much last time. Well, I will have to wait for next time and consult your response here to prime me for some good hunting. Indian products would have been great! On the way back today we were running out of time to make the border and still catch the ferry so I quickly ran into a Target on the way up to the border - no VDH. Yikes!! Wasn't thinking my return would be that bad. Oh well, saved some coin. I will just have to be more pro active next time. I didn't find anything much at all in antique stores I hit. Realllllly slim pickings. Found some real overpriced odds and ends out in Snonomish, but nothing I felt comfortable parting cash with. (A wee bit of DE stuff, but that was it) Thanks guys for all your comments and tips - much appreciated.
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Post by insomniac on Feb 17, 2012 0:51:09 GMT -6
Awesome info Insomniac!! Unfortunately, I am reading this from my home computer as I just got back about an hour ago. 1kg of Cella - I would have been all over that!!! I hit Bartells downtown on Olive but they had only the standard Gems and they are one of the two I've tried - and they didn't turn my crank too much last time. Well, I will have to wait for next time and consult your response here to prime me for some good hunting. Indian products would have been great! On the way back today we were running out of time to make the border and still catch the ferry so I quickly ran into a Target on the way up to the border - no VDH. Yikes!! Wasn't thinking my return would be that bad. Oh well, saved some coin. I will just have to be more pro active next time. I didn't find anything much at all in antique stores I hit. Realllllly slim pickings. Found some real overpriced odds and ends out in Snonomish, but nothing I felt comfortable parting cash with. (A wee bit of DE stuff, but that was it) Thanks guys for all your comments and tips - much appreciated. Definitely give me a ring next time you are down here, at least I can help with standard shopping areas. You'll have a hard time finding blades other than the standard GEMs. Next time try the grocery stores, I think I've seen the carbon steel ones there. I'll check them out next time I'm there to get a confirmation. They won't be very cheap though. The two Indian markets I mentioned have multiple locations, either in Redmond/Bellevue near Microsoft, or out in Bothell/Mill Creek to the north of town. Dettol is OK - usually I've seen the "fresh" which is supposed to be lime and smells a bit like Sprite to me. Axe I have yet to try. The problem with Snohomish is that it is the closest 'antique shop' town to Seattle, so everyone goes there. I'm not surprised you didn't see much. You kind of have to find the out-of-the-way stores, and even then from what I've heard, people will go and clear them out. One store I've been to was cleared out of *straights* (and I've seen their straights, nothing really special.) It's pretty crazy. You may get luckier going "off the beaten path" between Everett and the border.
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Post by Alan on Feb 20, 2012 8:16:00 GMT -6
RM, if you can't get VDH up there let me know. I have plenty of pucks that I am not going to use and would be glad to send you some.
Alan
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RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
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Post by RocketMan on Feb 21, 2012 19:06:56 GMT -6
Definitely give me a ring next time you are down here, at least I can help with standard shopping areas. The two Indian markets I mentioned have multiple locations, either in Redmond/Bellevue near Microsoft, or out in Bothell/Mill Creek to the north of town. Dettol is OK - usually I've seen the "fresh" which is supposed to be lime and smells a bit like Sprite to me. Axe I have yet to try. The problem with Snohomish is that it is the closest 'antique shop' town to Seattle, so everyone goes there. I'm not surprised you didn't see much. You kind of have to find the out-of-the-way stores, and even then from what I've heard, people will go and clear them out. One store I've been to was cleared out of *straights* (and I've seen their straights, nothing really special.) It's pretty crazy. You may get luckier going " off the beaten path; between Everett and the border.That first offer you are going to regret - cuz I am going to take you up on it!! It will be some time before I get down, but I will definately get hold of you and give you the tour quiz! Thnx!!! The Snohomish place - awesome really in terms of how many places there are selling antiques. I have never seen anything like it myself. Very little barberiana and the prices are high - but probably for the reasons you have indicated. I will check out off the beaten path between Everett and the border! I will get out a map and do some proper homework first this time. RM, if you can't get VDH up there let me know. I have plenty of pucks that I am not going to use and would be glad to send you some. Alan You know - I am just going to take you up on that very generous offer!! There is no negotiating on my compensating fair market price and covering the postage. But for the packing it up and shipping it out I would be very happy!!!!! I will send you a PM. Thnx! Thank you to everyone for suggestions on this - I really enjoyed the trip and as it is close to my home now, (moved to this end of Canada about 5 years ago) I should be going more often and really getting to know the area. Maybe one day I can give good advice too!
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