This and That: Stuff

[Obie]

Gentlemen — and, as always, Ladies,

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

I hope this season good fortune swam in your lane, as it did in mine — oh, yes, indeed.

* My two lovely girls gave me a gift certificate to Straight Razor Designs — one of the best gifts I have ever received. I used it toward the purchase of a Dovo "Bismarck" 6/8" and the SRD English Bridle Strop. They arrived in the post today. What a lovely pair. I will give you some thoughts on the combo in a few days.

* Just before Christmas I received a 3/4 hollow Le Grelot from Rasurpur. It arrived in perfect shape. White plastic scales. I love the razor. It's unpretentious and at the same time a great shaver. Very gentle. I like Martin's service. I like Martin.

* I have a Le Grelot 1/4 hollow with the thumb notch coming from a dear friend. I can't wait to receive it.

* The mustache on the Dovo "Bergischer Lowe" finally had to go. That's the little rubber band on the shank I call the razor's mustache. What a nuisance. The one on mine kept sliding. You can cut your throat with that thing skating up and down the shank, you know? So I snipped it off. Who needs it? I must say, that is an absolutely gorgeous razor, with or without a mustache. The workmanship, the etching, the rich cherry-brown bone scales, everything is gorgeous on that razor. My "Bergischer Lowe" was honed by the noble Lynn and, therefore, it is also a fabulous shaver. But that mustache had to go.

* THE STRANGE CASE OF THE PREGNANT STROP:

Scene: My little shaving kingdom, which dearly beloved has invaded:

"How many of those things do you have now?"
"Strops."
"Whatever."
"I have four now."
"Eight, you mean."
"Four."
"I count eight."
"Oh, that. No. They come in doubles. See? One piece is linen and the other leather. Gentlemen shavers need both."
"I swear I saw only two a few months ago. They keep multiplying like rabbits."
"The strop you saw was pregnant."
"Ah, I'm glad you told me."
"Lovely kids, eh?"
"Yes, very."
"One is an SRD two-inch, one an SRD Latigo three-inch, and one a small Tony Miller I use for traveling. My latest is the SRD three-inch English Bridle Strop."
"Like I understand all that."
"They're part of my identity."
"You're a little crazy, you know?"
"Eccentric, you mean? Only poor people are crazy. The rich are eccentric."
"If you're rich, how come we're not living in a mansion on Lake Drive?"
"I am rich, because I have you."
"Hmmmmm. Maybe by your next birthday the strop will get pregnant again."
"Thank you, my love. I can always use another strop. I mean the strop can always use another baby."
She turns to the sink counter, where my razors rest in two long wooden racks, similar to pipe racks a friend built for me. "I see your first straight razor must've been pregnant, too."
"The Dovo 'Renaissance' you mean?"
"Oh, absolutely."
"She was definitely pregnant, the sweet thing."
"I can see that. How many kids does she have now?"
"Twenty — but Lynn is restoring three or four more."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"I told you I was rich."
"I love you, too."
"Maybe by my next birthday my 'Renaissance' can give birth again?"

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, my dear SRD friends.

Regards,

Obie

[richmondesi]

... snip
"I am rich, because I have you."
...snip

I'm going to have to remember this, my friend. It sounds like you had a fantastic Christmas. I'll have one of those SRD strops coming my way soon

[IanS]

Loving mutual intellectual respect that allows such clever back and forth as that is rare from what I've seen. Congratulations. Enjoy your blessings, countable and otherwise.

[ControlFreak1]

Obie, hope that you don't mind if I use you for 'name dropping' when bragging about rich friends.

Proverbs 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

[Stubear]

Great post as always Obie, thanks for posting!

I was also glad to see that you can take the rubber cuff off the Bergischer Lowe. I've been eyeing them up for a while and the only thing that was putting me off was the little rubber mustache!

I've gotta get me a TI as well.... Too many razors, not enough money..! Hehe!

I hope you had a great Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year!

[Obie]

Hello, Stuart,

Thank you for the kind words.

Yes, it is impossible to resist the Bergischer Lowe. For me, anyway. I had eyed the razor for quite sometime and finally made the choice to buy it. This is a stunning razor. Everything about it shouts a work of art. Mine is a great shaver, too, since it was honed by the noble Lynn.

I would have preferred it in the 6/8" blade, but the razor comes only in 5/8" as far as I know. Still, I think it's a must in my modest razor collection, with or without the mustache. I suggest saving up the shekels and buying the Bergischer Lowe for your birthday. Designate any day as your birthday and order one from SRD. Try it with the mustache and if you don't like it, or if it starts skating up and down the shank, snip it off.

I don't own a Filarmonica 14 Especial Para Barbas Duras, which comes with a mustache, but if I did, I mostly likely would snip it off first thing. Although, I must admit, the Filarmonica 14 come in an 8/8" blade, which I find too big for me. I have even given up on the idea of the 7/8" blades in general. They are a touch too big for my small hands.

The only exception is the Thiers-Issard Spartacus "Dos Festone" with the dreadnought point. I have one in white bone scales. It's a glorious razor. Its blade starts at 6/8" at the toe and ends with 7/8" at the point. By the way, that's another razor I recommend, if you have the shekels, that is. Mine came from Steve at the Invisible Edge. I highly recommend Steve's establishment. I found him to be a true gentleman.

Anyway, my good friend, may yours be a good year as well, and may good fortune swim in your lane. Say hello to my dear friend Chris in London.

Regards,

Obie