Valet Autostrop Pass-Around

[mos6502]

​Let me see if I'm understanding the part about putting in the notch on one side.

Is it to center the blade more?

The blade sleeve has two little "rollers" that clip into notches on the original valet blade. You have to trim the back corner of a despined Gem blade to clear the roller that locks the blade in (on the open end of the sleeve) or it won't sit flat in the blade sleeve.

 

[joamo]

It's usually a bad idea to strop stainless blades, at best all you will do is wear down the coating (if they're coated) at worst you can seriously dull them. The carbon steel blades are uncoated and also a lot thicker with a different bevel on the edge.

That's good to know, I have some carbon blades I can try as well.

 

[joamo]

I apologize for not posting in a few days.
So far I have tried a stropped de-spined stainless, de-spined carbon, and the Feather and then both carbon and feather stropped, and a new stainless. Stropping didn't seem to help the carbon but did improve the feather somewhat. Definitely the best shave was from the stainless blade, then the carbon with the feather trailing a ways back. I'll have a few more shaves and report on them, then get it packed up to send on to bushippi.

 

[joamo]

I've had the razor about a week now and tried several blades with and without stropping. My best shaves came from the stainless blades and as noted earlier, stropping is not a good idea with those.
Overall, I don't see it being a regular in my rotations, it wasn't bad for me but wasn't great either. Thanks to mos652 for giving us the opportunity to try this unique razor.
I've cleaned it up and have it all packed to go out to bushippi tomorrow. I'm including the suede strop I've made for it, so the next ones can try their hand at that.

 

[DrAwkward]

I've had the razor about a week now and tried several blades with and without stropping. My best shaves came from the stainless blades and as noted earlier, stropping is not a good idea with those.
Overall, I don't see it being a regular in my rotations, it wasn't bad for me but wasn't great either. Thanks to mos652 for giving us the opportunity to try this unique razor.
I've cleaned it up and have it all packed to go out to bushippi tomorrow. I'm including the suede strop I've made for it, so the next ones can try their hand at that.

Hopefully bushhippi will not struggle with the strop the way I did. If so, there are some useful youtube videos ...

 

[Calabash]

I just bought a 1912 Valet today, the razor is in excellent shape, the original box has a very nice rusted patina....
Something the pickers would like eh...
Also it came with 5 unopened original valet blades.
Looking forward to my first adventure with this one.

 

[Bushhippi]

Hi, everybody the razor is on its way to me...........very excited.........can hardly wait. Thanks Mos6502...your the best.........

 

[cpacamper]

Cool! Excited to hear your thoughts, and ​hurry up so my turn comes

 

[Bushhippi]

Hay ............calm down......I know your anxious but me first.....and I well take my time...

 

[cpacamper]

Hay ............calm down......I know your anxious but me first.....and I well take my time...

​I feel like a kid whose birthday is two weeks away.. .so close and so far!

 

[Bushhippi]

The package has arrived safe and sound................

Joamo, nice job on the strop..........I couldn't wait to try it so I hooked it up with the old blade that was already on their and Lol ..........it works great......now you can see why they called it an auto strop. To bad DrAwkward couldn't have tried it. What a mechanical marvel this thing is to see in person.

Pictures latter and after scrubbing bubbles a shave.......3 days growth for a real test........

Thanks Mos6502 for letting us try it out.

 

[joamo]

Wow that got to you fast! The Post Office must have known how anxious you are to try it

 

[Bushhippi]

Heres a few photos..................

 

[Bushhippi]

First shave with the Valet autostrop. Provided by Mos6502

I used a despined SE From the American razor company my regular SE blade............the ones you get from the drug stores.
Snapped off both ends to get the perfect fit. Showered and whipped up some Dr. Harris Arlington soap with my new Semogue #620.

I'd have to say.......this was the most aggressive razor I have used so far since I started wet shaving. I felt I needed to be very careful and to move very slowly. The next closest razor I have to come pair it to would be my Star #1 lather catcher. But this was more aggressive.

It was a DFS with one small weeper on the chin.......I we'll use the same blade next shave, usually the second or third shave is better for me from these SE blades.

Those dark blue blades look so cool I have to shave with one of them.......and especially the vintage Valet blade........how cool is this to actually shave with this peace of history with it original blades...... This is a very aggressive razor IMO, but I don't understand why it's not more popular........
its so cool looking, especially when used with the strop........ Not difficult to despine a modern SE blade either.

 

[mos6502]

Glad to know you enjoyed the shave. If you do try out the Valet blade (hopefully not the "solid" one without the cut outs - I think it's beyond revival) make sure to strop it about 5 to 10 times before shaving. Even then it is a thick carbon steel blade and you have to shave very slowly to prevent nicks - it does tug - it is uncoated (well it's actually varnished).

The Feathers can be fun to try if you're adventurous but don't expect much, they tugged even more than the vintage Valet blades.

 

[Bushhippi]

Dr. Awkward did supply some of the Valet blades with the cut outs in them........I am looking forward to trying them. I well try them first with out stropping then with stropping.....just to satisfy my own curiosity.

Hope all goes well........Yes I think I am going to try all the available blades except the solid one with no cut outs.....

 

[Bushhippi]

Second shave went a lot better, with the despined Gem. Not nearly as aggressive as the first shave.........but still very aggressive. IMO.
Got a DFS or better...........Think I well go one more day with the same blade to see if it gets even better.

SOAP: Dr. Harris
PREP: Shower& Face lathering

 

[Bushhippi]

No shave yesterday but the shave today was Just fine............third shave on the gem........ no noticeable change on the aggressive nature of this razor, but fun to use no sought about it.

Their well be a blade change next shave not sure which one yet but Im excited..........

 

[DrAwkward]

I agree that the VAS is quite aggressive, but I still feel that it is less so than many other SE razors. The Micromatic OC comes to mind, or even the G-bar.
I have been distracted by other projects, but now that I have figured out how to use a strop, I hope to try another vintage blade some day.
As Mos pointed out, do not have high expectations for the Feather carbon steel blades or the vintage blades. Fun to try, but ...

 

[Bushhippi]

You got me curious.......I have a Gem Micromatic OC that I haven't tried yet........... haven't even cleand it up yet, but I well......and I well test it out......... after my turn is up.

Last night I tried both the Feather carbon blade and the classic Valet SS blade with the cut outs in it..tried out both without stropping them. The carbon looks so cool..........but like everyone has said it is rough........... very rough. Pulled and tugged with every stroke, had to stop. Then switched to the SS Valet much better even unstropped. But still to much pulling, felt like a very dull DE blade. I had a two day growth to cut down. so I really felt it. Finished up the shave with the 4th shave on the Gem.

Last shave tonight or tomorrow. I well try stropping both the carbon and vintage Valet blade. with the strop Joe made.