If you are a pure collector, don't read any further- it will cause you pain.
Over the past month, I've been running exclusively SE razors, particularly older SEs- Wilkinson Sword Empire, Valet, CV Heljstrand, Rapide, and the De Haven.
I received this razor a few weeks ago, and it came with one used, and 3 NOS blades, compound and all the goodies. I worked with the angle, and various measures for securing the used blade for honing, and developed a passable edge. My first shave was pleasant, if not remarkable. Second shave was pretty much a non-starter. I'm not sure if the blade was perhaps heavily used, and is just a fraction too short; if my angle in honing was off enough to produce a non-lasting edge (most likely); or if the blade had lost its temper, at some point. In any event, it could not reliably shave. A pity, because of my numerous razors, I prefer its handling to basically any other option, to the point where I even tried stropping and a third (miserable) shave.
Enter KYMash, and his lot of Permasharps. He was nice enough to send me one to try in a couple of my orphaned SEs, seeing if I could make them shaveable, with some adaptation.
Short answer- yep.
I will post pics & how-to later, but for now, know that if you have a De Haven with the brass-washed, heavy-spined blades, the blade can be removed, leaving the ears on the spine, and a Permasharp with trimmed ears is a perfect fit. Having shaved at 1000 last night, I was just feeling stubble at 1000 this morning. The shave was comfortable, but definitely requires care. With a decent blade, this little razor is an absolute delight!!
1 weeper, on the tip of the Adam's apple- which is where I'mm going to get dinged with any new, modestly aggressive razor. Absolutely the best shave I've ever had in a straight 3 passes.
Again, if you try this, take it slow, and treat the angle like a Valet or 1912. It does have more bite-potential, I would say, because of the finer blade edge, but nice steady passes do the trick.
Over the past month, I've been running exclusively SE razors, particularly older SEs- Wilkinson Sword Empire, Valet, CV Heljstrand, Rapide, and the De Haven. I received this razor a few weeks ago, and it came with one used, and 3 NOS blades, compound and all the goodies. I worked with the angle, and various measures for securing the used blade for honing, and developed a passable edge. My first shave was pleasant, if not remarkable. Second shave was pretty much a non-starter. I'm not sure if the blade was perhaps heavily used, and is just a fraction too short; if my angle in honing was off enough to produce a non-lasting edge (most likely); or if the blade had lost its temper, at some point. In any event, it could not reliably shave. A pity, because of my numerous razors, I prefer its handling to basically any other option, to the point where I even tried stropping and a third (miserable) shave.
Enter KYMash, and his lot of Permasharps. He was nice enough to send me one to try in a couple of my orphaned SEs, seeing if I could make them shaveable, with some adaptation.
Short answer- yep.
I will post pics & how-to later, but for now, know that if you have a De Haven with the brass-washed, heavy-spined blades, the blade can be removed, leaving the ears on the spine, and a Permasharp with trimmed ears is a perfect fit. Having shaved at 1000 last night, I was just feeling stubble at 1000 this morning. The shave was comfortable, but definitely requires care. With a decent blade, this little razor is an absolute delight!!
1 weeper, on the tip of the Adam's apple- which is where I'mm going to get dinged with any new, modestly aggressive razor. Absolutely the best shave I've ever had in a straight 3 passes.
Again, if you try this, take it slow, and treat the angle like a Valet or 1912. It does have more bite-potential, I would say, because of the finer blade edge, but nice steady passes do the trick.
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If things seem too loose, a very small drop of superglue, between the spine and blade (NOT IN THE EARS) will secure it.
p
