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 Dec 9, 2012 11:20:59 GMT -6
As some on this forum know I love the looks of the ER '14, but I have accused it of being too mild for me. Well, it is; and it isn't. Allow me to explain.
I made a commitment to use it for 2 weeks to either come to grips with it or mothball it. Along with that I decided to try something... I brought out my spare and older '14, one with a knurled handle. I'll cut to the chase first. Todays shave was a great shave from a razor that wasn't at all mild. This razor is a solid keeper.
OK, so for those who don't know, there can be different shave experiences between different razors of the same model. I don't know why, but maybe the pressure in the press was set differently on the day one was made, maybe the mandrell was made slightly different, who knows? I put a blade in my other '14, the one I really don't get along with all that well. There are noticeable differences. The one I don't care for has the blade back from the radius of the comb a bit more, plus, the radius of the comb is shallower on it as well. I'm betting both of these factors are what is causing it to be far milder than I like. What a shame, it's a beautiful set.
So the ER '14 that I reviewed IS mild. The older one that I have is a far better shaver that I love, and it's more aggressive. It's definitely in line with what I like.
So while I said I was going to give this 2 weeks, and I still may if it don't get shave after great shave out of the older '14, I may cut the 2 weeks short.
I think I'm going to be on the prowl for a cherry condition knurled handle '14, as it looks now. If anyone sees one and you don't want to bid on it, please let me know.
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Post by razorx on Dec 9, 2012 16:05:50 GMT -6
Brian....Your comments served as a catalyst to look more closely at my old and newer version'14s...
To my eye the blade's position in relation to the radius of the comb looks about the same on the older and newer versions.
What I did see and it should have been obvious to me sooner is that the larger more robust blade stops aren't going to let the hex handled '14 perform as efficient/aggressively as the original knurled round handle version.The larger blade stops protrude solidly up and over the blade to the extent that I believe the overall geometry's changed and performance suffers in comparison to the original.(At least that's my theory)
To put it bluntly it's safer in that the blade definitely won't jump the new style blade stop,but seems that dumbs it down a bit performance-wise...I've never been worried about the smaller blade stops doing their job Perhaps Tom will chime in,if my memory's good he has done well with the hex handled version.
I'll keep my eyes open for you,it's usually not hard to find good deals on nice original '14s
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Post by HoosierTrooper on Dec 9, 2012 18:31:53 GMT -6
I honestly can't tell any difference between the two, and I have a few of each one. There's no doubt there are some variances between razors, maybe you happen to have two that are really, really different. And, the different blade stops on the later version could very well change how the blade is presented, makes sense to me.
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Post by razorx on Dec 10, 2012 13:21:50 GMT -6
I'm not sure where to discuss Ever-Ready '14 week(s) but figured this would work ok here if Brian doesn't mind.However if y'all post about it somewhere else I'll hunt you down like the evil demonic dogs you are and join the party there. Official start with a new blade today and off to a roaring start.VDH Boar Brush and Williams. With a new blade the '14 feels like a neurosurgeon grade weapon.The whiskers sing a little higher pitched with a new blade,gripping the knurled round handle lightly I swear I could feel the blade cutting. Fantastic shave,it's gut check time,the '14 might give the Streamline some competition.
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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 Dec 10, 2012 15:46:32 GMT -6
Razorx, I'm pretty laid back; I can't think of a better place for the weeks '14 shaves. Besides, I think the issue of the 2 '14s was discussed enough, if someone has something to add they can do it here as well.
Yet another great shave with the older but better shaving of the 2 '14s. 6 shaves on the GEM SS ptfe, Semogue 610 and VDH, finished up with my Acadian Spice (last time I'll write that for the week- it's winter, it's dry, and that's precisely why I made it).
The offending '14 has been stripped of it's handle, and the head and touring kit has been mothballed. Eventually if I get other handles I might reassemble it and sell it off as a mild '14.
The '14 I'm now using is very nicely behaved, efficient, and yields an easy BBS for me with my 2 1/3 pass shave. What I've been missing all this time!
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Post by johna2231 on Dec 10, 2012 20:28:49 GMT -6
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Post by johna2231 on Dec 11, 2012 12:29:05 GMT -6
12-11-2010, Tuesday
ER '14, U.S. ARMY Issue, Khaki Set. Ted Pella PTFE (2) Antler Handle, Pure Badger brush Gillette European Classic Shave Cream Thayer's Super Hazel Old Spice w glycerine added.
Great shave! Went much lighter today and had only a few weepers. Good stuff.
John
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Post by razorx on Dec 11, 2012 16:03:42 GMT -6
1914 Knurled Round Handle Mystry Glow Soap (Local Artisan) VDH Boar Brush Krampert's Finest Bay Rum AS All the feedback and control went to my head today.You can get crazy smooth with this razor and I did at the expense of a couple of weepers (I don't get weepers often) Hell of a shave from a hell of a razor. Gentlemen some pics: Noticed more in the pics than when looking directly at my razors earlier.....Brian's observations about the Touring Deluxe '14 are right on when he said: "The one I don't care for has the blade back from the radius of the comb a bit more" Looking at my pic I believe the backward sweeping curvature of the newer larger blade stops prohibit the blade edge from being in the same position as the original '14 thus as Brian observed making it less agressive. I also believe my original observation seems right in that the larger blade stops protrude up and over the blade's edge enough to prohibit the blade in it's parallel orientation to the skin surface to be positioned as closely to the skin (and less close to the base of whiskers) imo making it less agressive. Newer "improved" hex handle version on left: Here's a couple of other pics 1914 Touring Deluxe: Original Knurled Round Handle 1914 on Left,Touring Deluxe on Right:
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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 Dec 11, 2012 23:30:56 GMT -6
My '14 has stops that aren't that pronounced moving the blade even further from the curve of the comb. Plus the curve of the comb is shallower on mine. The comb on your hex handled '14 basically mimics the other comb on the knurled handle razor.
The knurled handle '14 I'm using and like has blade stops as in the pictured hex handled '14 and I have no problem with it. It's nice and aggressive.
FWIW, my search for another '14 is on hold. I have one coming in that I've been told is what I'm looking for.
Toadys shave:
Knurled handle '14 GEM SS ptfe (6) Cirmes Montenegro glycerine Simpson Chubby1 Best Kramperts Finest Acadian Spice Bay Rum
Yet another great 2 1/3 pass BBS shave.
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Post by razorx on Dec 12, 2012 0:13:30 GMT -6
That's good info Brian.I was going to ask if you could post a pic of your knurled '14 but your comments on my pics work fine.It sounds like my theory about the larger blade stops increasing the effective distance between a blade and the skin surface doesn't account for the change in aggressiveness.Like vintage guitars...apparently there's certain years that for one reason or another play extremely well.
Probably hard to pigeon hole exactly what year(s) of the '14's hit the sweet spot,but if you've got a good one,hang onto it tightly.
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RocketMan
Gem Star
RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
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Post by RocketMan on Dec 12, 2012 9:28:40 GMT -6
Really good catches on these details. I have some time tonight, and I am going to be dragging out the two or three 1914s I have and get my geeky magnifying visor thingy on.
Ya know - I just thought of all the 1914s as being the same and didn't take the time to stop, drop and look. It is always fascinating to me how more and more things just keep coming up about these old shaving machines.
I am jumping on the 14 shaving week here too - enough procrastination - I am signing off here, having a 'knurled 14' experience this morn then zooming off to work.
After all the endless yakking about razors I have participated in and read, I gotta say - I still can't imagine anything more interesting!!
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RocketMan
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RazorAddict
Welcome To The Sharp Side!
Posts: 4,167
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Post by RocketMan on Dec 12, 2012 9:59:21 GMT -6
Doh! I had to use a 1912 instead. I forgot that I have lost two 1914s. Yikes. I was using them for travel razors and have forgotten two somewhere along the way.
Aye caramba - I have a 20s model NOS but it will stay that way. I have to start looking around - again - for 1914s.
Sigh
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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 Dec 12, 2012 10:49:02 GMT -6
I thought of a pic also, but it's so difficult to set up with the macro lense to get what I want to show. OK, plus as of last night it was owned by someone else and I wasn't going to handle it except to pack it up for shipment. Maybe the new owner can do so, or use a calibrated eyeball and compare to a known razor.
As for keeping what I have that's working, when I get funds enough for mad money I intend to send it out for plating and some TLC. Plus I have another '14 coming in, but I think I already wrote that somewhere. Now that I know how good this razor is, I'll always have one.
RM, Losing 2 razors at one whack! Now that's the pits! I hope the rest of your day goes better.
Wednesday morning:
vintage BurmaShave soap Simpson Wee Scot ER '14 GEM SS ptfe (7) Kramperts Finest Acadian Spice Bay Rum
I initially I had VDH lined up for todays shave, but I knew I was going to be using the Wee Scot and I didn't want to use a lower functioning soap with the wee tyke. So I shuffled the rotation to use a higher functioning soap. Maybe some day I'll use Williams or VDH with the WS, but not today.
I'm always amazed when I begin using the Wee Scot (face lathering) at just how nicely it works for being so small. I did my usual 2 1/3 passes and had enough lather for another pass.
Of course the razor worked fine. Using the high functioning '14 isn't a hardship at all.
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Post by sleddog on Dec 12, 2012 20:19:28 GMT -6
Thought I would join the '14 shave crowd this morning...great smooth shave but it cost me some blood Probably not the razor to put a new blade into...bit me on the chin and 2 small weepers on the neck RM-how do you lose not one but two nice vintage razors??? These arent Bic disposables you leave in a hotel room....Are they at someones house or somewhere that you maybe able to retrieve them...they arent gone forever are they??
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Post by razorx on Dec 13, 2012 12:26:38 GMT -6
Wednesday: ER '14 Round Knurled Williams Shave Soap VDH Boar GEM SS PTFE Blade (3) Krampert's Finest AS
Hands are still getting used to the lighter weight of this razor following a long run with the Streamline need to lighten up a bit.
Thursday: ER '14 Touring Deluxe Williams VDH Boar GEM SS PTFE Blade (4) Straight 90% Alcohol AS
The Triple Nickel Plated Touring Deluxe version of the j'14 doesn't offer the same over the top feedback I enjoy with the original knurled round handle '14.....However the nickname "Silent Assassin" fits my Touring Deluxe perfectly.It offers an efficient,refined experience that results in a smoother yet sufficiently agressive shave compared to it's original '14 older brother.
I haven't used this razor as often as it deserves.Hot on the heels of 2 formidable Ever-Ready razors such as the original '14 and Streamline...The performance of the Touring Deluxe proved it deserves to be counted among my favorites.
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