June 2016 Acquisition Thread

[Austinoire]

Some soaps arrived in mail today. Look forward to taking them for a spin.

Are those tubs for storage or use to make foam. I've seen them before, but curious to they're exact function. Those look great.

 

[Austinoire]

A Spanish Family has just rocked up........

Wow! You Aussies spend a lot on very high quality shaving products. Or are my eyes lying to me?

 

[Austinoire]

@Substance - beautiful dogs!

Here's my little blue girl:

What a heartbreaker...

 

[TomG]

Are those tubs for storage or use to make foam. I've seen them before, but curious to they're exact function. Those look great.

G'day @Austinoire.
All the tubs can be used for loading. Some like to also build lather in the tub, others will do so in a separate bowl or face lather. A good container is a big selling point IMO for a soap.

 

[Austinoire]

G'day @Austinoire.
All the tubs can be used for loading. Some like to also build lather in the tub, others will do so in a separate bowl or face lather. A good container is a big selling point IMO for a soap.

Excellent explanation, much appreciated. Could you tell me what the material of the two in the photo are made of? They looked like leather and wood, but I'm sure I'm way wrong.

 

[TomG]

Excellent explanation, much appreciated. Could you tell me what the material of the two in the photo are made of? They looked like leather and wood, but I'm sure I'm way wrong.

Sure - no probs.
The Front row, from left to right, is as follows, with the container material in brackets:
Tabac (Ceramic), I Coloniali (Terracotta), and Muhle (Wood).

There are plenty of other examples of cool containers that wet shavers enjoy e.g. Mitchell's Wool Fat, Penhaligons, Le Pere Lucien,
the list goes on and on......

 

[Austinoire]

Sure - no probs.
The Front row, from left to right, is as follows, with the container material in brackets:
Tabac (Ceramic), I Coloniali (Terracotta), and Muhle (Wood).

There are plenty of other examples of cool containers that wet shavers enjoy e.g. Mitchell's Wool Fat, Penhaligons, Le Pere Lucien,
the list goes on and on......

Much appreciated...learning a lot.

 

[Sxot]

Wow! You Aussies spend a lot on very high quality shaving products. Or are my eyes lying to me?

Thing is the Aussie dollar is poor at the moment and shipping very expensive. Best to go big, but only occasionally.

 

[Sxot]

I'm new to the forum, so curious what forum this might be...I don't need name, but maybe intials. Just curious.

That would B&B....

 

[Austinoire]

That would B&B....

Understood

 

[Austinoire]

Thing is the Aussie dollar is poor at the moment and shipping very expensive. Best to go big, but only occasionally.

Understood. Makes sense.

 

[eggbert]

Understood. Makes sense.

Also, as you have probably discovered if you have ever tried to purchase anything from Europe, postage can be a very large component of end cost, so if you can find several likeminded shavers and share that cost between you, the final prove cones form considerably.

 

[Austinoire]

Also, as you have probably discovered if you have ever tried to purchase anything from Europe, postage can be a very large component of end cost, so if you can find several likeminded shavers and share that cost between you, the final prove cones form considerably.

Huh? Ok, many cigar smokers do that. They call it a "split" which makes perfect sense.

 

[Austinoire]

Lovely piece, @Substance, well done.

I have a KikuOkan 77 too, but mine has cream coloured scales - nowhere near the bling of yours! I can tell you though, it's a beautiful shaver and keeps an edge for ages. The steel is hardish, so I find it needs a little more work on the stones. Worth it though

BTW I must compliment you on your new self-made razor. What a great achievement, I'm a bit envious I hope it brings you pleasure and great shaves for many years to come

He's right. It's really special with that scaling. I believe that's what SE "handles" are called?

 

[Austinoire]

This little beauty arrived today

Damn beautiful...if I do say so. I knew Parker did DEs (I was gifted one recently), didn't know they did SE. Or is that a restored older piece?

 

[Austinoire]

There are many variations of silver steel. The most common is Sheffield Silver steel, but German and Swedish silver steel is also common. The alloy make-up is typical high carbon steel with the addition of 0.4% chrome and 0.4% manganese. It is known industrially as a tool steel, and this is its main application. Some French straight razors, including Thiers-Issard, utilise Sheffield Silver steel.
Japanese and Swedish foundries also produce a steel which is sometimes called silver steel, but it is very different to Sheffield silver steel. These are more boutique alloys, used for example in high quality specialist knives, and are classed as semi-stainless or stainless, due to much higher chrome content.
My bet would be that the Parker utilises a steel consistent with Sheffield silver steel. If so, its workability should be reasonably good with respect to sharpening/honing. It will have a slightly improved corrosion resistance compared to mild or high carbon steel, but will stain/blacken if not well maintained. This alloy can be hardened to a Rockwell hardness of 64, but I suspect that the manufacturer will target 60-61. This should provide a good compromise between maintaining edge (retention), and avoiding brittleness and subsequent edge micro-chipping.

Dude, how do you know so much about the specs of SE blades. You appear to more than a rank and file wet shaving devotee. What's your story?

 

[Austinoire]

Picked this up at a local market yesterday.

Oh, my star and garders! That's history there. You mentioned it's still functional despite needed in a good cleaning. Do you plan on using in your regular rotation or are you a collector?

I wouldn't know whether to shave with it or place it in a glass display case. Ok, I get in one good shave and then the display case.

 

[eggbert]

Dude, how do you know so much about the specs of SE blades. You appear to more than a rank and file wet shaving devotee. What's your story?

Just a heads up, those are straight razors, not Single Edge razors.

is a single edge

 

[Austinoire]

Mail call yesterday a couple Of Japanese specials

Not to be a nudge, but curious,what the general price range be for one like this? I understand if I asked a sensitive question (don't wish to appear as a rude yank). But, you Aussie play on a different level with your online purchases, high and exacting standards, injection of color and second to none level gear. It's like shave hear heaven with you guys. Much respect!

 

[Austinoire]

Just a heads up, those are straight razor, not Single Edge razors.

.

is a single edge

Ha ha! Understood. Over here, even those in the wet shave community use the abbreviations DEs and SEs . SEs usually mean a straight razor, unless it's specifically explained as a SE razor. It took me a minute observing a conversation about SEs on a British forum to realize their was such a thing as in the photo (most of those were around before my dad was born) and not straight edges.

I recall and am still able to buy SEs razor blades, except they're used by most people here as utility blades, not shaving blades.

So, apologies about being lazy in using shaving lingo incorrectly whilst identifying razors.

Hey, are SEs popular over there? There real rare here due to availability. But, I see them a lot on British forums due to more availability and users having them as their daily razors still.