July 2024

What's new in your den this month?

Not sure why we were all still using June instead of July......
Gillette Counter Display and 2 Wild West Brushworks Brushes

Since this is Backwards Day (well, now it is) I will tell of the stuff I found in the wild but did NOT buy.

At the Salvation Army Thrift Store last week, there was a bundle with a Canadian Reverse-stud Goodwill, all covered in verdigris (a piece of cake to remove, I know) in a beat-up clamshell metal case with the lining coming apart; a Canadian Fat-handle Tech ('40s ? with straight lather slots and Gillette logo on the cap; and a nice brown Bakelite case for an Autostrop razor. No Autostrop razor in it, but it still had the Bakelite blade box in it. Some vintage Gillette DE blades still in the wrappers in it too.
All this was taped together with the price tag of CAD$39.00. A bit much for me, since I already have a similar Goodwill and a Pre-War Fat-handled Tech.

 Then again, the handle on the Goodwill is intact with no split, and the one I already have has a repro handle. I might just have to go back and rescue it from the case, if it's still there. I do like the FH Tech. It's one of my favourite vintage razors.

I saw this vintage razor on the UK Bay included in an old shaving set (which was much younger than the razor). I didn’t sell so I got it after making a low offer. It’s a British made Clemak, Brit Pat. 532/08, Hoe type razor of the era, probably 100 years old. Its silver plating cleaned up really well. The handle has a removable piece which after turning around and fitting to the handle thread end can be used to hone a blade. The razor now takes a modern GEM blade no problem. I used it today, so see SOTD section for my evaluation. 

Fantastic! I really like the idea of the integrated blade holder for stropping/honing. If you use it for honing, does the holder act like the spine on a straight razor and set the honing angle? If so, it is genius.

July 25, MMXXIV
Welp . . . I went and done it.    [see earlier post]

• Empty Auto Strop Bakelite case with blade box and instructions
  
• '40s Canadian Fat Handle Tech
  
• Canadian Reverse-Stud Gillette Goodwill razor in clamshell case
  
• Miscellaneous "new" and used vintage DE blades.
  
• mystery length of cord
  

Now I have instructions for an Auto Strop razor, if I should ever obtain one. Yay! The case has some kind of scuff marks on the bottom left corner, but I think I can just scrape it off with my fingernail. The blade bank does not easily fit regular DE blades, being too small. I think the box will make a good place to store vintage blades and other small collectible items. I do love brown Bakelite

What looks like brassing on the Tech base seems to be ancient lather, which also comes off easily.

The Goodwill has a spectacular layer of verdigris, but probably nothing that won't come off with Brasso.

Not shown (hiding under the Goodwill cap) is a made-in-Canada "Minora" DE blade. The "Super Blue" blade with the arrows looks like it came out of a metal dispenser pack.

My best guess for the length of cord is that it was a spare wick for a cigarette lighter. Probably for a slim pocket style lighter, because if it was for a Zippo you could just stash it under the fluid reservoir's felt block, along with the spare flints.
[edit: Now that I think more on it, you could probably do that with non-Zippo lighters too.]

July 25, MMXXIV
Welp . . . I went and done it.    [see earlier post]

• Empty Auto Strop Bakelite case with blade box and instructions
  
• '40s Canadian Fat Handle Tech
  
• Canadian Reverse-Stud Gillette Goodwill razor in clamshell case
  
• Miscellaneous "new" and used vintage DE blades.
  
• mystery length of cord
  

Now I have instructions for an Auto Strop razor, if I should ever obtain one. Yay! The case has some kind of scuff marks on the bottom left corner, but I think I can just scrape it off with my fingernail. The blade bank does not easily fit regular DE blades, being too small. I think the box will make a good place to store vintage blades and other small collectible items. I do love brown Bakelite

What looks like brassing on the Tech base seems to be ancient lather, which also comes off easily.

The Goodwill has a spectacular layer of verdigris, but probably nothing that won't come off with Brasso.

Not shown (hiding under the Goodwill cap) is a made-in-Canada "Minora" DE blade. The "Super Blue" blade with the arrows looks like it came out of a metal dispenser pack.

My best guess for the length of cord is that it was a spare wick for a cigarette lighter. Probably for a slim pocket style lighter, because if it was for a Zippo you could just stash it under the fluid reservoir's felt block, along with the spare flints.

Looks like some good stuff and that case with the manual, even without a razor, looks a win to me!

Yes, hone angle is pretty much set by the spine. You can see where the silver has rubbed through and the brass is showing through. It was well used by an early owner.

Yes, hone angle is pretty much set by the spine. You can see where the silver has rubbed through and the brass is showing through. It was well used by an early owner.

Thanks for the response. I am going to see if I can make something like this for Feather SE carbon steel blades. You could also use it as a holder for stropping them as well. Would be a neat idea to incorporate some sort of roller into the design. I am going to have to get some sort of diagram or other information about the geometry of the bevel on those blades.