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Post by kfralin on Jan 23, 2019 10:47:43 GMT -6
I am curious if anyone has any thoughts or experience with vintage SE blades. Here are my assumptions, many of which may be off base. Most vintage SE blades would likely be carbon steel, perhaps higher carbon content than modern CS blades. Secondly, given the age and potential storage issues, I would assume that corrosion or oxidation may be an issue. I think it goes without saying that I am referring to unused and preferably unwrapped vintage blades. I am all about trying new things but someones previously shaved with razor blade is not one of those things. Lastly, I have searched the interwebs for information on honing or stropping SE blades and there is little information. I did find a great post here that showed a few neat gizmos for such purpose but I would think anything beyond some basic stropping may be more effort than it is worth. Thoughts?
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Post by ordinaryshaver on Jan 23, 2019 13:19:34 GMT -6
If you check through my youtube channel you will see the review I did of a gem blue star venture blade. It was the best of the group, and the shave was horrible. From the first stroke I knew it was bad. I tried to push through, but I could feel super bad tigging. I did try palm stripping, but little to no help.
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Post by kfralin on Jan 23, 2019 14:05:07 GMT -6
If you check through my youtube channel you will see the review I did of a gem blue star venture blade. It was the best of the group, and the shave was horrible. From the first stroke I knew it was bad. I tried to push through, but I could feel super bad tigging. I did try palm stripping, but little to no help. Is there anything you would attribute the poor results to? I have heard to concept of microscopic oxidation discussed in a few articles but I am not sure that would account for the poor result.
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Post by ordinaryshaver on Jan 23, 2019 15:52:17 GMT -6
While the blade edge did not have any rust, the flat parts did. I would attribute the dullness or tuggy to metallurgy. I suppose that perhaps they just simply were not as sharp as the modena blades. The ones I used we marketed for the GEM razors, don't know if that makes any difference or not.
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Jan 23, 2019 16:15:07 GMT -6
There was a gent active on here awhile back but no longer, who I sent all of my collected vintage blades to. He would strop and hone them for his use.
After all the intervening years from manufacture to today atmospheric moisture has destroyed the edge and it can't be seen except with high magnification. The shaving edge is gone and they work no better than a hardware store blade.
I remember when SS blades first came out decades ago, the graphics seen on TV comparing a CS blade and a SS blade and the micro corrosion was quite obvious on the CS blade.
FWIW, that's why I have no CS blades in inventory at all. For the shave apocalypse I have nothing but SS blades.
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Post by jayaruh on Jan 23, 2019 17:19:04 GMT -6
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riverrun
Lather Catcher
sɐǝɹpu∀
Posts: 888
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Post by riverrun on Jan 23, 2019 17:38:36 GMT -6
I did try palm stripping, but little to no help. Try moving the blade the other way. Then you won't strip your palm but strop the blade. Sorry... could not resist
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Post by kfralin on Jan 23, 2019 17:55:56 GMT -6
I have some standard SE blades in the wind, some Beau Brummell variety although I doubt this brand nor that has a lot to do with the quality of shave. I will report my results, good, bad, or ugly. I will also document any stropping or honing I do.
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Post by ordinaryshaver on Jan 23, 2019 17:59:01 GMT -6
I did try palm stripping, but little to no help. Try moving the blade the other way. Then you won't strip your palm but strop the blade. Sorry... could not resistThat explains so much! They told me I would go blind, but I didn't believe then then!
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Post by kfralin on Jan 23, 2019 18:16:06 GMT -6
Try moving the blade the other way. Then you won't strip your palm but strop the blade. Sorry... could not resistThat explains so much! They told me I would go blind, but I didn't believe then then! I think that is the idea behind palm stopping, removes the hair from other earthly pursuits. Also prevents blindness due to said pursuits
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Post by linuxguile on Jan 24, 2019 21:11:04 GMT -6
I found that stropping a modern industrial CS blade on crox and then leather at least made them usable. I think twhite has honed some if the vintage stropping blades.
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Post by twhite on Jan 24, 2019 21:17:21 GMT -6
Yes I have. The old blades can hone up very nicely. Maybe a 30% success rate. When it works the blades are very smooth.
Mind you I do hone them. Then strop after each use.
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Post by jayaruh on Jan 24, 2019 21:44:34 GMT -6
Yes I have. The old blades can hone up very nicely. Maybe a 30% success rate. When it works the blades are very smooth. Mind you I do hone them. Then strop after each use. Tom honed a set of Gem Cutlery SE blades for me that came with my 1907 Gem Junior lather catcher. I am still working on the first two. I strop them before and after my shave. They are going strong. Gem Cutlery Co. N.Y. on one side and Gem Junior on the other.
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Post by kfralin on Jan 26, 2019 9:20:18 GMT -6
Yes I have. The old blades can hone up very nicely. Maybe a 30% success rate. When it works the blades are very smooth. Mind you I do hone them. Then strop after each use. Would you share what method you use to hone them? If it is trade secret, I certainly understands.
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Post by twhite on Jan 26, 2019 10:35:35 GMT -6
Yes I have. The old blades can hone up very nicely. Maybe a 30% success rate. When it works the blades are very smooth. Mind you I do hone them. Then strop after each use. Would you share what method you use to hone them? If it is trade secret, I certainly understands. no secret. I found that the Warner Jones Hone works the best. See this link for more. theoriginalsafety2.com/thread/2332/warner-jones-se-hone
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