Experimental SEvette

You've heard of a shavette...

I saw this idea on a SE safety razor exclusive forum and it was likened to a "disposable blade Rolls Razor" shave. For anyone who doesn't know what a Rolls Razor is, it's a segment of straight razor on a popsicle stick or close to it. They shave fantastically, but it has all of the maintenance of a straight razor. Yes, it's worth the aggravation of the maintenance.

Anyway, here is the SEvette. It took no more than 10 minutes to 'mod' the razor. The pix are self explanatory as to what gets done. The razor head is a GEM 1912 that saw much better days.

[Image: DSC04258_zpsh2co1zpg.jpg]

[Image: DSC04259_zpsgii9j1am.jpg]

That's right, the comb is removed but the blade stops are kept to hold the blade. That yields a blade hanging in space. The remnant of the comb can be seen and the edge of the blade shows the reflected brass of the freshly cut comb. That's pretty much what a Rolls Razor is. I have yet to use mine, it'll happen tonight, but the report I have is that it works fine and takes SE shaving into the "ultraviolet". I'll know more in 6 hours or so. Obviously it requires a light touch, just like a straight razor. It is clearly no longer a safety razor.

There is also a DEvette version, but I'd be reluctant to use that with the flexible DE blade. But it would definitely teach noobs to not use pressure. It'd be sort of like throwing folks in at the end of the pier to teach them to swim.

I used a Dremel Moto tool and a cut off wheel to remove the comb, leaving the blade stops. Then some abrasive impregnated rubber tips removed the burrs (Cratex wheels).

very interesting. I'll be happy to see your report, ShadowsDad.

very interesting.  I'll be happy to see your report, ShadowsDad.

Ditto. Brian, you are a braver man than I. Besides, I like the way my GEM 1912 shaves with the comb.

It seems I need to pop into TOST a bit more often, huh ShadowsDad?

Very interesting but I'm not sure I could build up the nerve to try that. On a MicroMatic? Now that would be interesting. I'm sure I have a victim, err, specimen if you'd be willing to do the work. /me not so handy.

If this works tonight Brian I'll take you up on that. The micromatic also ran across my mind, but I don't have any suitable specimens.

Freddy, bear in mind it's similar to a shavette which is just a SE razor on a straight handle. I don't expect it to be much different than the Rolls razor. Except that there is no blade maintenance. But I'll know within minutes.

My first shave with the SEvette is in the record books. The short story is that it was a great shave. Now for the long story.

As promised by the gent whose post I read regarding the idea, it is much like shaving with a Rolls Razor. Who would have thought that removing the comb would make it feel that way? Not me. With a Rolls one has to "power through" the stubble. The SEvette must be used the same way. Not so much pressure against the skin, after all we're still using an extremely sharp blade, but a deliberate forward movement. There are some differences though. With a Rolls there is no flexure anywhere. I could feel the blade flexing with the SEvette. It felt something like a Lather Catcher in that regard. But I expected that with all of that unsupported blade. It reinforced my belief that I never want to try a DEvette.

But all in all, if someone has ever had an interest in the Rolls Razor and wants to learn to use one without actually having a Rolls, this would be a good set of training wheels. The technique is so incredibly similar. Use this efficiently, then move to a Rolls seamlessly.

It's like a Rolls in another way as well. With a Rolls the shave doesn't feel as smooth during the shave as it does 15-20 minutes after the shave. Tonights shave exhibited the same feel. Near as I can figure it has to do with the hairs retreating back into the skin after the skin is given time to relax.

I quite liked the experience and I'm glad that I modified the razor. It is indeed a Rolls Razor shave without the maintenance. I look forward to trying it with a fresh blade to gauge my Rolls blade sharpening/maintaining against a factory edge.

How is the aggression level? About the same as the Rolls. It's off the scale since it's not a safety razor but just a bare blade. The term aggressive just doesn't apply to it.

Brian, I don't know if you'd like the experience of the mod'ed 1912 due to the flexing, but the micromatic might dodge that due to the plate that the blade sits on in that razor. I'm willing to try to modify one. I'll PM you. Other wise I'll keep my eyes open for an inexpensive one.

I just checked razor designs and yes, I think there would be much less flexing with the MM series. Maybe a hair more with a Clog-Pruf because of the shape of the bottom plate, but it's not wildly unsupported. It has the advantage of being easier to modify.

The Valet might be another candidate for the mod'. I'll need to let that idea work in my mind a bit. It could happen (if at all) after the MM experiment but not before.

Congrats on a successful maiden voyage Brian. I knew after your Rools journey that this would go well. I also was pretty sure of the flex coming into play given the design of the razor head & how the blade is held in position. That's why I immediately thought of a MicroMatic. I will run through my specimens tomorrow , but let me ask you this...

Given the way the MicroMatic holds the blade, do you think the blade nubs/stops are even necessary with this modification?

Congrats on a successful maiden voyage Brian. I knew after your Rools journey that this would go well. I also was pretty sure of the flex coming into play given the design of the razor head & how the blade is held in position. That's why I immediately thought of a MicroMatic. I will run through my specimens tomorrow , but let me ask you this...

Given the way the MicroMatic holds the blade, do you think the blade nubs/stops are even necessary with this modification?

Good question. Very astute.

As long as the razor has the central nub that grabs the blade I think it might work w/o the stops. All the stops do is to line the blade up with the comb when in safety razor mode. Unless I'm missing something. So no, I don't think stops are required. The other question I have is does the cap hold the blade from changing angle in use without the stops. If you have a dull blade try it and see. Or have I got a deal for you.

Send me a questionable one w/o stops and I'll try it before modifying it. My intent is to mod' it and send it back for you to use anyway (after I try it). So anything sent will be returned. We can discuss what to mod' after I get it. Does that make sense?

There is also a DEvette version, but I'd be reluctant to use that with the flexible DE blade. 

 

I am posting this to demonstrate a fix in the blade flexibility issue mentioned in the first post.

This is not my image and l surely don't recommend this as a safe shaving practice.

That would probably do it Capt'. In thinking more about it though, years ago I fell in love with the '11 R41. In examining it the DE blade already is "hanging in space" and is basically like shaving with a DEvette. Just to prove to myself that it was as aggressive as a DE razor could get I decided to shim it. I don't remember now if I used 1 or 2 shims, but no matter. What I found with shims is that there was no discernible difference in the shave other than more flexure of the blade. I don't write that to discuss the blade flexing, but only to say that it IMO anyway, The R41 pretty much a DEvette already while still being a safety razor.

That brings up the DEvette for other folks though, and you raise a good point. I don't intend to modify a DE razor for the project, but if someone can pick up a Tech for $10 (what DO they sell for today?) and modify it, they could have a razor that shaves something like an R41 (at least in theory). If anyone does this mod' it's easy to see that the blade can cut through the cheek and all the way to the teeth, so it wouldn't be a candidate for someone one wanting to test their manhood or shaving skill. It should only be tried by those folks with the known skill to wield what is basically a straight razor on a stick. Where the R41 is still a safety razor and gouges are limited to maybe 1/8" deep, both the DEvette and the SEvette are definitely NOT safety razors.

Edit: I finished shaving with the SEvette for the 2nd time, but this time I used a fresh blade. The first time I used a blade that had 11 shaves on it. The shave was excellent; definitely a BBS even without one of my after the shave products. But I did get a few weepers, and that was to be expected. I have wrinkles; face it, I'm no spring chicken and if I'm going to get weepers that's where I'll get them, this time was no different. It was also a fresh blade and I almost never use a fresh blade in an aggressive razor until it has 3-4 shaves on it. Considering those fact it was actually a very good shave.

For now I'm going to let it be. First I have the other blade that I took out to use up, then I want to put 3 more shaves on the fresh blade. Then I'll revisit the SEvette again and use a blade in it's prime.