Cool. Will do.
Wardonia Revelation
- Thread starter mjclark
- Start date
Cool. Will do.
Hello,
Quick check in after this mornings trial shave. Voskhod blade, Proraso green soap, WTG,XTG and ATG head and face shave.
Very, very close, very loud but no irritation evident when applying after shave.
I need a few more shaves to fairly judge but I was impressed that there was no irritation at all!
Cheers
John
Quick check in after this mornings trial shave. Voskhod blade, Proraso green soap, WTG,XTG and ATG head and face shave.
Very, very close, very loud but no irritation evident when applying after shave.
I need a few more shaves to fairly judge but I was impressed that there was no irritation at all!
Cheers
John
- Thread starter
- #83
Sounds excellent! What top cap are you using?
And I agree - the complete lack of irritation (along with the aggression and smoothness!) seems to be one of the outstanding features of the Wardonia shaves.
Had a polished brass old type cap with no home so I used it. Now it looks like my Bedford set.
Cheers
John
I had my first Wardonia shave today. I haven't shaved for three days, an eternity for me, and especially long, because I'm committed to twice daily shaving for the month of June, so wanted to use an aggressive razor (I've been in a low water area). I couldn't face the R41, my Braveheart "broke" this morning, so I thought "Och, give it a try".
I have two Wardonias - both more similar than they are different (one brown, one ivory). Today I used the brown one (bought as a ten pound job lot with a Souplex, an as yet nameless chevron handled open comb and another open comb that I haven't identified yet either).
Removing the tabs to make the blade fit took a few tries. The nail clippers didn't work, but gripping the tabs with needle nose pliers and bending meant that the brittle metal snapped in just the right place. I used a fresh Wilkinson blade.
I figured a large blade gap would respond to a thick lather, so used Vicco Turmeric shave creme, which is like a face cloud, thick and slick.
I didn't have a great time of it. Although it's been a pretty close shave, it wasn't particularly smooth. I felt like I should have used a pre-shave oil for a 3 day beard. I have - unusually - 3 or 4 weepers, and quite a bit of irritation (but that's not unusual). Now that I look at it in the cold light of day, I think using a steep 30 degree type angle was a mistake. The blade felt very "rigid", much more like an SE. I realise now that I should probably have used a shallow angle, but I thought that the safety bar should be in slight contact with my face, so that the grooves could guide the whisker. I think that was wrong, as shaving steep angle means that only the edge of the bar is in contact with the whisker, not the grooves, so shallow is the way to go. Darn. Next time.
I have a whole bunch of Wardonia Barrel Hole Blades, and some "Fast Tiger" three hole blades on the way, so will post further.
I have two Wardonias - both more similar than they are different (one brown, one ivory). Today I used the brown one (bought as a ten pound job lot with a Souplex, an as yet nameless chevron handled open comb and another open comb that I haven't identified yet either).
Removing the tabs to make the blade fit took a few tries. The nail clippers didn't work, but gripping the tabs with needle nose pliers and bending meant that the brittle metal snapped in just the right place. I used a fresh Wilkinson blade.
I figured a large blade gap would respond to a thick lather, so used Vicco Turmeric shave creme, which is like a face cloud, thick and slick.
I didn't have a great time of it. Although it's been a pretty close shave, it wasn't particularly smooth. I felt like I should have used a pre-shave oil for a 3 day beard. I have - unusually - 3 or 4 weepers, and quite a bit of irritation (but that's not unusual). Now that I look at it in the cold light of day, I think using a steep 30 degree type angle was a mistake. The blade felt very "rigid", much more like an SE. I realise now that I should probably have used a shallow angle, but I thought that the safety bar should be in slight contact with my face, so that the grooves could guide the whisker. I think that was wrong, as shaving steep angle means that only the edge of the bar is in contact with the whisker, not the grooves, so shallow is the way to go. Darn. Next time.
I have a whole bunch of Wardonia Barrel Hole Blades, and some "Fast Tiger" three hole blades on the way, so will post further.
The Fast or Quick Tiger Chinese blades with the three holes don't fit the Wardonia's, beside, these blades are absolutely the bluntest I ever came across, it can tug a tanker.
Thanks for letting me know - lucky it was only a 99p pack. I'll find some use for them.
Stunning Find ! + 2 pics
A visit to my local car booty revealed this little find today:- Jet black and thickly coated with decades of goop when I found it,. the seller assured me it was "uncleanable" (I managed to keep cool buying it. I won't say how much it cost, but let's say a pint in a cheap pub would cost more). A brass brush, some chrome Ox & elbow grease...
PS
Mine says "Wardonia"
"Sheffield England"
Not "Made in England"
A visit to my local car booty revealed this little find today:- Jet black and thickly coated with decades of goop when I found it,. the seller assured me it was "uncleanable" (I managed to keep cool buying it. I won't say how much it cost, but let's say a pint in a cheap pub would cost more). A brass brush, some chrome Ox & elbow grease...
PS
Mine says "Wardonia"
"Sheffield England"
Not "Made in England"
This very early all metal open comb Wardonia arrived today.
It will be interesting to see how it shaves (and how the silver plated handle cleans up):
This one takes standard DE blades...
- Thread starter
- #89
Wow! That is a great find Robin! The luck is with you [emoji3]
Looking forward to the shave report.
Wow. That is almost certainly the closet shave I've ever had from a DE. The first pass just melted away a four day beard.
I could see this being my daily razor. With the bakelite New Edge Wardonias, it's hard to know what creates such a good shave because of the variables:- The blade modifications, the fact that if you do use a NOS blade that fits, it will be a half-century old. I cannot imagine how this would shave with a higher performance Blue Diamond Titanium or a Feather (I used a Treet "Black Beauty"). As I shaved I thought "I must have some irritation with a shave this close" but nope, none. An odd feeling. It's now 14 hours on and a comfortable stubble is now forming.
I'm hoping this wasn't a one-off, 'cos I really would like to shave with it every day.
I've shaved with this all metal Wardonia about a dozen times now, and I'm convinced. If i could only keep one DE, this would be it (unseating the Krona / Feather combo). Being able to remove the ball end helps re-distribute the weight, which helps with using an ultra-light touch ATG, and with doing details. Even without modification, I would describe this as an "intelligent" razor. Yesterday I had terrible razor burn, using a straight razor carelessly and hurried. With any other DE, I would've had to take a day off shaving, but not with the metal Wardonia.
- Thread starter
- #92
It's so good to see appreciation for these beautiful razors Robin!
They got the geometry just right.
These look very cool. Can you show how you modify standard blades for usage?
- Thread starter
- #94
There's that info earlier in this thread, just snap off the appropriate inner tabs on the blade with a pair of pliers.
And I was reminded how amazing the Wardonia shave is tonight with the Wardonia Single Ring and a Darwin Cobalt Steel Blade:
My Rocnel SE50 shaves in very similar way, very very efficient without any tendency to bite - feels mild, shaves aggressive. Amazing!
I have a Wardonia razor on its way from France. It's about a week late, trying to be patient waiting for it.
- Thread starter
- #96
Ooh! Please post pics when it arrives.
I took the Old Gillete cap that I don't need and filled the bottom cap of the original Wardonia to make it fit modern blades. Wonderfull as ever
- Thread starter
- #99
Switched up to the Wardonia 1929 yesterday:
Same great geometry in a three piece design.
Same great geometry in a three piece design.
Got my first Wardonia razor this week. It's one of the old Matchbox sets, the red one. Haven't had a shave as of yet as it's no shave November. However, one thing I noticed is that there is a definite difference in blade exposure on either side. The top cap curves further down on one side than the other. Is this just my razor or more common?
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