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Post by brandaves on Dec 8, 2019 12:03:59 GMT -6
I'll kick this off with a thread on something I'm sure most of you are familiar with, but I'm sure there are several out there who could benefit from the knowledge.
I use despined Gem blades in my early AutoStrop and Valet razors. They were originally designed to take a proprietary blade which unfortunately just isn't readily available anymore. All that's required to despine your blade are a couple pairs of pliers. Leave the cardboard sleeve on the blade and grab it with one pair and grip the spine with the other pair and give a ginger tug (straight back, you don't want to bend the blade). The spine should pop off and you'll be left with a perfect blade to slide into your early Valet or AutoStrop razor. I'm certain there are other razors out there that can be loaded in this method as well, although I don't personally own any. You can use a despined Gem in later Valet razors, but further modification to the blade is required. I just use a Feather FHS-10 (begrudgingly).
Any edits, corrections or additions are always encouraged! As my wife knows, I'm never wrong but I'm rarely right. Have some great shaves!
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Post by Tony'schin on Dec 8, 2019 12:09:32 GMT -6
I'll kick this off with a thread on something I'm sure most of you are familiar with, but I'm sure there are several out there who could benefit from the knowledge. I use despined Gem blades in my early AutoStrop and Valet razors. They were originally designed to take a proprietary blade which unfortunately just isn't readily available anymore. All that's required to despine your blade are a couple pairs of pliers. Leave the cardboard sleeve on the blade and grab it with one pair and grip the spine with the other pair and give a ginger tug (straight back, you don't want to bend the blade). The spine should pop off and you'll be left with a perfect blade to slide into your early Valet or AutoStrop razor. I'm certain there are other razors out there that can be loaded in this method as well, although I don't personally own any. You can use a despined Gem in later Valet razors, but further modification to the blade is required. I just use a Feather FHS-10 (begrudgingly). Any edits, corrections or additions are always encouraged! As my wife knows, I'm never wrong but I'm rarely right. Have some great shaves! Thank you. I did wonder how it was done.
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TobyC
Gem Star
Old stick in the mud.
Posts: 2,400
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Post by TobyC on Dec 8, 2019 12:12:34 GMT -6
If the Feather SE blade was the only blade available, I would grow a beard!
I place a straight edge knife along the edge of the spine and just push down, the aluminum offers very little resistance.
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Post by wchnu on Dec 8, 2019 12:13:39 GMT -6
I have a video on this somewhere on my YouTube. I also like to trim the corners if the back of the blade to more resemble the original blades.
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rayr
Blade King
Posts: 427
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Post by rayr on Dec 8, 2019 12:26:33 GMT -6
I only use one pair of pliers, leave the sleeve on, grab the spine with the pliers and gently bend the blade back and forth a few times, the aluminum spine will pop right off.
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Post by wchnu on Dec 8, 2019 12:30:02 GMT -6
I only use one pair of pliers, leave the sleeve on, grab the spine with the pliers and gently bend the blade back and forth a few times, the aluminum spine will pop right off. That works too.
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rayr
Blade King
Posts: 427
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Post by rayr on Dec 8, 2019 12:37:18 GMT -6
I'll kick this off with a thread on something I'm sure most of you are familiar with, but I'm sure there are several out there who could benefit from the knowledge. I use despined Gem blades in my early AutoStrop and Valet razors. They were originally designed to take a proprietary blade which unfortunately just isn't readily available anymore. All that's required to despine your blade are a couple pairs of pliers. Leave the cardboard sleeve on the blade and grab it with one pair and grip the spine with the other pair and give a ginger tug (straight back, you don't want to bend the blade). The spine should pop off and you'll be left with a perfect blade to slide into your early Valet or AutoStrop razor. I'm certain there are other razors out there that can be loaded in this method as well, although I don't personally own any. You can use a despined Gem in later Valet razors, but further modification to the blade is required. I just use a Feather FHS-10 (begrudgingly). Any edits, corrections or additions are always encouraged! As my wife knows, I'm never wrong but I'm rarely right. Have some great shaves! Actually you can use a despined GEM in earlier Valet razor models, not later. Despined GEM for Autostrop A1, A2, B1, B2, VB1 and VC1 VB2, VC2, VC3 and VC4 require the blades with the cutouts like the Feather FHS-10.
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Post by brandaves on Dec 8, 2019 13:03:55 GMT -6
I'll kick this off with a thread on something I'm sure most of you are familiar with, but I'm sure there are several out there who could benefit from the knowledge. I use despined Gem blades in my early AutoStrop and Valet razors. They were originally designed to take a proprietary blade which unfortunately just isn't readily available anymore. All that's required to despine your blade are a couple pairs of pliers. Leave the cardboard sleeve on the blade and grab it with one pair and grip the spine with the other pair and give a ginger tug (straight back, you don't want to bend the blade). The spine should pop off and you'll be left with a perfect blade to slide into your early Valet or AutoStrop razor. I'm certain there are other razors out there that can be loaded in this method as well, although I don't personally own any. You can use a despined Gem in later Valet razors, but further modification to the blade is required. I just use a Feather FHS-10 (begrudgingly). Any edits, corrections or additions are always encouraged! As my wife knows, I'm never wrong but I'm rarely right. Have some great shaves! Actually you can use a despined GEM in earlier Valet razor models, not later. Despined GEM for Autostrop A1, A2, B1, B2, VB1 and VC1 VB2, VC2, VC3 and VC4 require the blades with the cutouts like the Feather FHS-10. I have never modified a despined Gem to be accepted in later Valet razors, but I have heard of others doing it. I thought the same thing when they mentioned it...but it's been done.
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Post by wchnu on Dec 8, 2019 14:14:11 GMT -6
Actually you can use a despined GEM in earlier Valet razor models, not later. Despined GEM for Autostrop A1, A2, B1, B2, VB1 and VC1 VB2, VC2, VC3 and VC4 require the blades with the cutouts like the Feather FHS-10. I have never modified a despined Gem to be accepted in later Valet razors, but I have heard of others doing it. I thought the same thing when they mentioned it...but it's been done. I have thought of punching or drilling holes in the right spot on a despined GEM. Any reason that would not work? rayr ?
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TobyC
Gem Star
Old stick in the mud.
Posts: 2,400
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Post by TobyC on Dec 8, 2019 14:48:51 GMT -6
I don't think you need to be overly concerned with bending the blade, pretty sure it would snap long before you put a permanent bend in it.
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herm2502
Master Shaver
That's Mr. Knucklehead to you!!
Posts: 1,059
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Post by herm2502 on Dec 8, 2019 15:01:14 GMT -6
If the Feather SE blade was the only blade available, I would grow a beard! I place a straight edge knife along the edge of the spine and just push down, the aluminum offers very little resistance. The Feather FHS-10 is a SE blade and, I believe, fits Auto Strop razors. They come with the One Blade.
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TobyC
Gem Star
Old stick in the mud.
Posts: 2,400
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Post by TobyC on Dec 8, 2019 15:09:49 GMT -6
If the Feather SE blade was the only blade available, I would grow a beard! I place a straight edge knife along the edge of the spine and just push down, the aluminum offers very little resistance. The Feather FHS-10 is a SE blade and, I believe, fits Auto Strop razors. They come with the One Blade. It existed prior to the One Blade, and the deal they made to control all sales in the US. It was originally intended for use in the early AutoStrop razors. The bastards chose that blade to commandeer for the One Blade.
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Post by jayaruh on Dec 8, 2019 16:13:31 GMT -6
If the FHS-10 was as good as a Gem I might be tempted to get a OneBlade. But, they are only good for 3-5 shaves.
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Post by wchnu on Dec 8, 2019 16:17:37 GMT -6
If the FHS-10 was as good as a Gem I might be tempted to get a OneBlade. But, they are only good for 3-5 shaves. 2-3 for me.
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TobyC
Gem Star
Old stick in the mud.
Posts: 2,400
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Post by TobyC on Dec 8, 2019 16:21:43 GMT -6
If the FHS-10 was as good as a Gem I might be tempted to get a OneBlade. But, they are only good for 3-5 shaves. 2-3 for me. 0 for me, not wonderful on shave 1. I tried to find your shaving vid on despining to no avail.
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