Thread: Salut from France

Bonsoir, Messieurs, Dames, as they tend to say in this part of the world.

I'm a straight razor debutante, though I have to admit I've been shaving for a long time.

For me, this all started when my daughter saw 'Pirates of the Carribean' and liked Depp's facial adornment. She kept on at me to grow a beard, and eventually I thought, "Hey, why not?" So I did.

Then I tried removing bits here and there, and have now settled for a semi Van Dyck look which seems to make people think I'm a Harley rider.....I have to say the only Harley I can tolerate is the excellent V-rod, as I'm more an ex Brit Iron sort of guy. I've never owned one of the vibraty-type Harleys, so can't say more.

Anyway, I'm here to learn about the noble art of getting the alleged best shave ever, without, I trust, removing any essential parts of my anatomy!

I have recently bought a superb old Sheffield blade from HG Long and Company, which I located on eBay for the paltry sum of £12 and bought originally to shape foam for motorcycle upholstery (I know, I know) but decided it's far too good for such work.

I also have an ERN "Try Me" Hamburg Ring, in nice condition, and the one I like best, a George Butler "Keen" "Invisible edge" in NOS condition. This has the Shakespeare quote about "keen as the razor's edge is invisible" and the immortal bard's head etched on the blade.

I'm thinking I'll have to invest in some Japanese water stones, but I think I'll get a strop made locally, as I have friends who make saddles, and a strop is, let's face it, a strip of leather.

My ridiculous username is due to the spiteful nature of the software on this site, which as I tried to register this evening rejected every name I could think of, telling me they were already used, which I don't believe for a moment, as I was inventing the most absurd names I could think of.....

It seemed to like r2d2 for some reason, and NO-ONE WAS USING IT!

Normally I'm known as Hal.....on the web!


Check this strap made by one of my saddlemaking buddies here in France.....

Welcome! You've certainly come to the right place.

Also I had no idea SRP was the ministry of silly usernames.

Welcome to SRP!
you have some nice razors already! the ERN and Butler, have never tried a hg long & co. have you looked into thiers-issard razors?
as far as hones go shapton, norton, king and narwina are among the most references synthetic hones and they all are good. select one set and stay with them until you really have them mastered.
or you can look at coticules from belgium... they are natural stones you would need the blue and the yellow and once mastered you would need nothing else, mastering them though is an art and skill.

it is best though that you learn to shave on prohone edges so that you learn what one feels like and also because 6 months of straight shaving will let you know if you want to stick with it and if you do then commit to buying hones.

my screen name is a compromise too very few places would let me use my favorite name.

enjoy,
jim

Bienvenue! That's about all the French that I know. But yes, welcome. Where in France? This was me back in '09 at Chenenceau in the Loire Valley.

Welcome to the forums. Just got back from a week in Paris, all I could find was a $60 container of MdC as a souvenir.

Enjoy your stay!

G'day Hal, hope you enjoy your learning experience without too much bloodshed. Oh and yes that is a nice leather strap...Bit plain and just a bit too short, but nice. Never made a saddle, but I've done a whip or two and a few belts amongst other things .


Mick

Hey guys, thanks for the welcome.

I recognise that chateau!

My ERN arrived today and is now sitting in 10% spirit vinegar, my favourite user-friendly rust remover. I've used the stuff on moderately rusted suspension components, quite badly rusted but otherwise unused brake discs and rough looking straight razor blades, and just a day in the stuff will neutralise the rust spots so they will wipe off easily.

The ERN has a rather loose pivot, black celluloid scales, and a Puma Solingen box in rough condition, but I'm really only interested in the steel blades for these two as I'm going to restore them both with wooden scales.

Personally, I like the look and feel of a wooden handle, it gives a warmth to the instrument, and is a good contrast of material, being at the other end of the spectrum from highly polished 100 year old steel.

I'll keep the plastic scales of course, but on the HG Long razor, one scale has a bad gauge mark near the pivot anyway, so I have no qualms about losing originality.

It's the same with restoring old motorcycles, some people are obsessed about 'total originality at all costs', I like to make one or two improvements here and there while going for an overall 'as original' look.

For example, my restored 1976 Yamaha XT500'C' has polished stainless steel spokes instead of cad plated mild steel, a cast aluminium engine protector skid plate instead of sheet steel, and a fully hand built stainless steel exhaust system, because the alternative was to spend a fortune on eBay to end up with a 37 year old rusty and dinged exhaust system made of mild steel.....and it's a 'better' machine as a result, though not 'original'.

I can live with this.

I was thinking as I rode the bike down to the supermarket this morning how it's the motorcycle equivalent to using a straight-razor....no electric start, kick her wrong and she bites, but light, perfectly balanced, economical, long-lived with minimal maintenance and so tough....this is the model that won the very first Paris-Dakar outright.

This one was a total shed when I bought it, on its 33rd birthday, it took me 3 months to restore it, but it was well worth doing, as it's one of the first 200 imported to France by JC Olivier, Paris-Dakar pilot and Yam concessionaire.



Here's the H.G.Long & Company, Sheffield. Pity about the damaged scale.

Originally Posted by MWS

Welcome to the forums. Just got back from a week in Paris, all I could find was a $60 container of MdC as a souvenir.

Enjoy your stay!

HI, MWS, What is MdC?

Here's my ERN as sold.....complete with rust spots.







I'm puzzled by the tang mark, as other ERNs I've seen have the crown over scimitar trade mark....this has an eagle over snake.

Anyone know why? Also, why is it called a Hamburg Ring?

It does make a lovely crystalline ringing sound if you flick the blade.....

ERN in bubblebath....the 10% spirit vinegar does cause some bubbling as it converts iron oxide to water and oxygen. Does no harm to good metal though.

MdC = Martin de Candre, Frances blessing to the shaving cream world. Difficult to find and a little pricy, but well worth it.

ERN had several trademarks most famous is "crown and sword" as you remember. the "hamburg ring" is a very hollow grind that makes that sound. when shaving you will hear it as the whiskers as cut, some makers, thiers-issard comes to mind, refer to these as "singing razors"

MdC is Martin de Candre shaving soap.... great stuff around $40 us a puck... and another $30 to get it shipped to the US

enjoy,
jim