Quest for less technology

[blethenstrom]

I can't remember if I've noticed it specifically with the RROT but I've seen it off and on with all the razors I use. I'm starting to believe that it is more blade dependent-- although I don't always have the same problem with the same blade in different razors--sometimes I do, though (Treet 7 days). The embryonic theory in my mind is that some blades have more slop in them, and some razors are more capable of correcting that slop than others. But, it's only a theory at this point.

Hmm I am not sure that I completely agree, at least not with what I experience. I agree that blades will certainly have tolerances and I guess in theory that it could be a noticeable difference. However, if the blade manufacturer could not even keep pretty good tabs of the distance from the holes to the edge of the blade we would have many many blades that would be almost unusable and they would most likely have a hard time staying in business. I think the differences due to these type of tolerances will not be noticeable.

I my case there was a clear difference between the two sides of the razor. One was clearly more aggressive. I guess one way to rule out the blade is to mark one side of the plate and cap. Open the razor and flip the blade and see if it follows the blade or the razor. My guess is that it will follow the razor. The reason for this is the tolerances mainly on the "pegs" of the razor that goes through the blade.

This peg has to be kept smaller than the hole in the blade so that it does not bind on it. However, the tolerance between the peg and blade will cause alignment issues. Depending on how well you size these peg given the tolerance of the holes in the blade will determine the blade movement that it will allow. In any casted razor this will be "sloppier" because they cannot be kept to the same tolerance as compared to CNC based heads. In my case with the RR Old Type the pegs are pretty good and snug on the blade. I do not have a lot of blade movement like in the RR Mentor or even the Fatip OC case. I thing here the pegs are shifted towards one side of the head a little bit. If I really wanted and hmmmmmm maybe I will do this I can use a caliper and possible be able to measure if it is off centre. I might try that.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

maybe I will do this I can use a caliper and possible be able to measure if it is off centre. I might try that.

That would be great. Data is always preferable to intuition, even if intuition is more seductive sometimes.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

While the zinc cast components aren't precision items, and there can easily be some asymmetry, I am absolutely convinced that blades can and do vary just as much. Both in terms of how central the stamped out slot is, and it's sizing. Sometimes a razor will feel a little off centre, then be perfectly fine at the next blade, or even after cleaning and flipping the current blade. Tools wear, as do the fixtures the tools mount to, and the blade production facilities are geared up to make stuff that works, as cheaply as possible. Not to satisfy geeky hyper-fixated nutters on internet forums

 

[blethenstrom]

While the zinc cast components aren't precision items, and there can easily be some asymmetry, I am absolutely convinced that blades can and do vary just as much. Both in terms of how central the stamped out slot is, and it's sizing. Sometimes a razor will feel a little off centre, then be perfectly fine at the next blade, or even after cleaning and flipping the current blade. Tools wear, as do the fixtures the tools mount to, and the blade production facilities are geared up to make stuff that works, as cheaply as possible. Not to satisfy geeky hyper-fixated nutters on internet forums

Oh yes wear and tear will certainly change tolerances and push things off. I think that is true for casted heads as well as stamps for blades. However, in my case I think that that is not the case since I have used three different blades (Personna X-series, Personna Platinum, BIC CP) from two different blade manufacturers (Personna, BIC) and I noticed this from the beginning with all of them. I think therefore in my case, that I am leaning towards the razor head and not the blade.

Indeed we are the nutters on the internet that pulls out the calipers to measure things that other people shrug at. Reminds me on my mug that my lovely dear wife gave me a few years ago and that I have sitting in front of me. It reads:

Engineer
noun (en-juh-neer)
- one who gets excited
about things no one else
cares about
see also: wizard, magician

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Oh yes wear and tear will certainly change tolerances and push things off. I think that is true for casted heads as well as stamps for blades.

Oh, definitely! I know my Jagger isn't perfectly symmetrical, but how apparent that is, varies between blades. I'd rather have a bit of consistent asymmetry than a sloppy alignment though. I gave up with my Razorine shavette, because my vision isn't good enough to manually align everything.

 

[blethenstrom]

Oh, definitely! I know my Jagger isn't perfectly symmetrical, but how apparent that is, varies between blades. I'd rather have a bit of consistent asymmetry than a sloppy alignment though. I gave up with my Razorine shavette, because my vision isn't good enough to manually align everything.

Vision certainly changes especially with age. I just had a visit at the optometrist yesterday and I came out of there with heart palpations almost. I have wore glasses since 4th grade and glasses had been ok in cost. Probably 6 years ago or so I crossed over from single vision into the realm of progressives and man that is a sticker chock. On top of that I am blind as a bat so I have to go with the highest refraction index lenses so I do not end up with bottle bottom thick glasses. That adds cost too.

Back to yesterday's visit. All is good and then once it was all tallied up it came out to be over $900 and I did not go with one of the "expensive" frames either. Goodness. I will definitely take @Jay21 's advice and try an online vendor for the glasses. The only issue with those is if they get the measurements right. At least at a B&M place they will do the measurements and such to make sure they get it right. I think I am going to try a second pair from online and see how that will work out. I ran out a pricing on the vendor that Jay recommended and I think it was like $170 which is a big difference if it works out.

 

[cajunrph]

Makes my face go with my long flowy, airy hair.......sorry just getting carried away there for a bit.

This is what I thought of.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

This is what I thought of.

Hey, I told you not to go posting pictures of me on the internet.

 

[blethenstrom]

This is what I thought of.

Where did you get hold of a picture of me?

 

[blethenstrom]

Hey, I told you not to go posting pictures of me on the internet.

You beat me to it darn it.........

 

[huck1680]

Not particularly accurate...but I like it.

 

[thombrogan]

I go for the Flabio look. The one that has the people saying “I can’t believe he’s not Buddha” and has my doctor saying I need more than fifty pounds of enlightenment.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I go for the Flabio look. The one that has the people saying “I can’t believe he’s not Buddha” and has my doctor saying I need more than fifty pounds of enlightenment.

Weight loss is a slog.... It took me two years to lose 80 pounds... Unfortunately, I think I'm going to be shocked when I step on the scales for the first time after we get back from eating so much delicious food here in Bali...

I'll have to get back on the wagon as soon as we return.... I still had 8 pounds to lose to hit what I think will be my target weight when we left.... I think that target will have expanded (double entendre intended) when we return.

 

[thombrogan]

You’ve got a first class rower, an established pattern of cutting calories by cutting carbs, and a Rocnel brass Elite to impress. I believe in you, Kim!

 

[Phoenixkh]

You’ve got a first class rower, an established pattern of cutting calories by cutting carbs, and a Rocnel brass Elite to impress. I believe in you, Kim!

Thx, Thom... I haven't done a good job avoiding carbs here, I'll admit to that..... It will be much easier back home... We just don't buy them. Here, every meal is rice based... so the soups and other main entrees are spiced accordingly... They can be a bit much without tempering them a bit with the included rice..... And desserts? You'd think you died and went to heaven.... We shaved a brownie sandwich dessert the other night...with vanilla ice cream in the middle... Huge chunks of delicious chocolate imbedded in the brownie... So rich... and sooooo good and soooooooo bad for me. <eg>

 

[thombrogan]

At least it sounds like your tastebuds were happy to sign off on everything and that’s a wonderful thing.

 

[blethenstrom]

Morning shave - 3/15/24
Razor: RazoRock Old Type
Blade: Personna Platinum (Germany) (5)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: AV Classic
Rating: 9/10, DFS+
Quite respectable shave, but with a weeper and a bit of tightness as a result. Plenty close though. I might have been a bit heavy handed on the razor. I felt rushed. Still very serviceable and pleasant shave.

So I experimented a bit this morning to see if I could get the alignment any closer, but it was a failure. Still one side is a bit more aggressive. I am not sure if the failure of that made me use a bit more pressure on the razor, but I did cause myself a bit of tightness and a weeper. One thing I do want to try is to rotate the head, and the head alone, 180 degrees and see if that changes anything. I will try that tomorrow evening. If the pegs or the holes for the peg are off center a bit, rotating the head will either make it worse or better. If it stays the same it is not symmetric.

We got the sound system and for the most part setup at church. I have been there every evening this week working on it. Still have a long way to go to complete it, but it is getting there. Had our first practice last night with the new system and I have to say that things worked out quite well. No real bit issues. This new system certainly sound a lot better than the old one. The clarity of it is so much better. Towards the end of the month we will rent a scissor lift and fly the speakers. That will be an interesting adventure. I do have all the hardware prepped for it and we have all the cables run for it. It will all come together eventually.

Happy shaving everyone!

 

[Eric_75]

Have a blessed Friday, Boris.

 

[blethenstrom]

Have a blessed Friday, Boris.

You as well my friend!

 

[blethenstrom]

Evening shave - 3/16/24
Razor: Leaf Twig
Blade: Treet Platinum (half blade) (2)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: Clubman Citrus Musk
Rating: 8/10, SAS
Well I tried the Leaf Twig for a third time and it was the same result. I did three passes. WTG, XTG, XTG and I still was not getting a result I hoped for I switch razors to finish the job. Smooth and comfortable though, but so much to be desired in closeness.

Evening shave - 3/16/24
Razor: RazoRock Old Type
Blade: Personna Platinum (Germany) (6)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: Clubman Citrus Musk
Rating: 9.5/10, DFS+
Finished up my Saturday shave with two passes with the RR Old Type and it was sweet. Smooth, comfortable and plenty close. No complaints.

Morning shave - 3/18/24
Razor: n/a
Blade: BIC Sensitive Disposable (7)
Soap: Edge Shaving Gel shea and Sandalwood
Brush: n/a
Aftershave: Lustray Blue Spice
Rating: 8/10, SAS
Got a bit off kilter with my shaves. Ended up as a morning shave and I decided to make it a single pass to get back on track tonight. It mowed down the whiskers to an acceptable work day level. That is all.

Had a kind of messed up shaving weekend this past one, but I guess it worked out. I decided on Saturday evening that I was going to give the Leaf Twig one last chance. Well I did my best. I did three full passes of WTG, XTG, XTG and when the result was still very poor. The sea lions were pushing me off the dock and into the water.

Then I saw it on the ocean bottom a glimmer of hope and I grasped it and held it high as I emerged from the water. With the RR Old Type held high I started cleaning up my face and the sea lions started dispersing from the dock and I felt surrounded by dolphins carrying me back towards the dock. After two glorious passes there was just a faint view of sea lions left. I was safe and sound back on dry land. Another shave saved and the sea lions kept at bay. I was again very disappointed in the Leaf Twig. It will be cleaned and I will PIF it to a new home shortly.

Sunday evening I was just about to do my evening routine shower and shave we got a phone call from one of our good friends. Well the call lasted two hours and when it was finished it was already my bed time so I had to improvise a bit. That meant that if I want to get back on track with evening shaves I would have to do a simple quick one pass shave this morning. I decided to go "old school" and I used the BIC sensitive disposable and the Edge goop for a single pass, just go get the worst of the whiskers off. It certainly did that easily and I am ready for the work day here in my cube with the sea lions, but I am ready for them this evening when I once again will chase them off the dock.
Happy shaves everyone!