Stupid Question Amnesty Thread

[Father Ted]

The thread where you can ask a seemingly stupid question without fear of being flamed or seen as being an utter numpty.

If I may kick off:

What the hell is the difference between the 40's superspeed, the Aristocrat Jr, the Milord, the Rocket and the Ranger Tech.

I have been looking at photos of them all and apart from packaging can see no real difference between them.:huh:

 

[Manoflamancha]

The thread where you can ask a seemingly stupid question without fear of being flamed or seen as being an utter numpty.

If I may kick off:

What the hell is the difference between the 40's superspeed, the Aristocrat Jr, the Milord, the Rocket and the Ranger Tech.

I have been looking at photos of them all and apart from packaging can see no real difference between them.:huh:

I don't know the answer Ted, but no question should be beyond the asking.

 

[Adam D]

I often see photos of brushes loaded to the gills with lather after having done a test lathering, they look like a My Whippy on steroids! People then claim that the brush whipped up enough lather for 10 passes and more.

Is that how much lather people normally whip up? If so, I must be doign something wrong as I struggle to make enough lather for 2 or 3 passes when face-lathering.

 

[Father Ted]

My Whippy on steroids! Is that how much lather people normally whip up? If so, I must be doign something wrong as I struggle to make enough lather for 2 or 3 passes when face-lathering.

I think the difference is the lathering - mostly I face lather and certainly can only manage enough for 2 or poissibly 3 passes - though this is fine as most shaves are a 2 pass.
If i lather in a bowl its possible to get much more lather. One of the old guys where I work isnt capable of shaving himself, so when Im on duty I give him a shave using Supermax shave cream and a prison issue boar brush but use a bowl (plastic) to lather in and can certainly get a load of lather. Which is good, because the razors are utter c**p here and take many passes.

 

[Canuck]

I often see photos of brushes loaded to the gills with lather after having done a test lathering, they look like a My Whippy on steroids! People then claim that the brush whipped up enough lather for 10 passes and more.

Is that how much lather people normally whip up? If so, I must be doign something wrong as I struggle to make enough lather for 2 or 3 passes when face-lathering.

It can be down to water softness Adam, I forget where you live now but those very lucky people who live in say, Scotland, can generate twice as much lather than I can manage with my London water given the same bit of cream / soap.

Extra soap will also generate extra lather, so rather than just dab the tips in the cream, (or use an almond sized squidge) some may really work their brush in the pot or squidge out 2 almonds worth. Good question though as I always wondered and was never brave enough to ask. I'm now able to do a Mr Whippy if I try (though it's not necessary, and I'm tight!)

Great topic Father Ted.

I have a couple of stupid questions of my own to come.

 

[Pig Cat]

It can be down to water softness Adam, I forget where you live now but those very lucky people who live in say, Scotland, can generate twice as much lather than I can manage with my London water given the same bit of cream / soap.

Extra soap will also generate extra lather, so rather than just dab the tips in the cream, (or use an almond sized squidge) some may really work their brush in the pot or squidge out 2 almonds worth.

Yes I think both those factors make a difference. At the moment the water I get is horrific and I'm finding it hard to make much lather no matter how much product :s I use.

A quick shout out for Nannys here. Sharon's hard lavender soap is probably the best of my soaps in these difficult hard water conditions.

 

[NotTheStig]

I have a few.
What does "5/8" etc. refer to on a straight razor?
Is the "scales" on a straight just shaving lingo for handle?

 

[Yellow Jim]

I have a few.
What does "5/8" etc. refer to on a straight razor? The width of the blade from spine to edge. 5/8ths of an inch.
Is the "scales" on a straight just shaving lingo for handle? Yes

See Neil Miller's guide below for the other terminology.

http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=8902

 

[IanM]

I often see photos of brushes loaded to the gills with lather after having done a test lathering, they look like a My Whippy on steroids! People then claim that the brush whipped up enough lather for 10 passes and more.

Is that how much lather people normally whip up? If so, I must be doign something wrong as I struggle to make enough lather for 2 or 3 passes when face-lathering.

If you lather in a bowl you can use as much cream and water as you like and fill the bowl with lather. This is fine for demonstration purposes, but as most of us know, it's waaay too much lather for a shave and quite wasteful.

I tend to face lather with soaps, and palm lather (build lather on the palm of my hand) and whilst I don't get a brush that looks like it should have a flake stuck in it, there is more than enough lather for 3 passes without having to throw a load of it away.

Ian

 

[shanky887614]

personally i tend to face lather and i still make loads of waste lather


i tend to really really load the brush up then slowly add water to it while face lathering

usually it turns out well just a little time consuming, can get at least 3 passes without loading the brush up again

brush i got is


im such an idiot, just had a really close look and the brush i got is a "vulfex brush"

they dont seem to sell the one with the black handle i got on there website so i have know anything about it other than it says pure badger, hand made in uk on back


ignore what i said above its this one

 

[Jamies]

The thread where you can ask a seemingly stupid question without fear of being flamed or seen as being an utter numpty.

If I may kick off:

What the hell is the difference between the 40's superspeed, the Aristocrat Jr, the Milord, the Rocket and the Ranger Tech.

I have been looking at photos of them all and apart from packaging can see no real difference between them.:huh:

The Milord replaced the open-comb Sheraton and is basically the first Super Speed (the Ranger Tech replaced the open-comb Senator). The first Milord came about in 1940. Through 1946, the Milord retained the same handle as the Sheraton, just obviously a different head with solid-bar guard instead of open-comb (same thing with the Ranger Tech retaining the Senator handle).

In 1947, the Milord received an update to its handle, losing the smooth band near the TTO knob, having been replaced with knurling like the rest of the handle. 1947 also saw the first razor officially called Super Speed, which was, as was the case with the Milord and its handle, an update to the handle losing the smooth band near the TTO knob and it being replaced with knurling.

Basically the nickel plated Ranger Tech replaced the nickel plated Senator and evolved into what we know as the nickel plated 1940s Super Speeds.

And basically the gold plated Milord replaced the gold plated Sheraton and also evolved into what we know as the 1940s Super Speed, only gold plated.

Generally a Rocket is any English Gillette where there is a gap between the TTO knob and the handle that close's up when the razor is opened and closed, unlike American versions where there is no gap or the gap remains constant.

The Aristocrat Jr is basically the head of an Aristocrat #16 on a Rocket handle instead of the barber pole handle of the Aristocrat, it's also nickel plated, rather than being rhodium plated like the full blown Aristocrat.

The above is not all my own work, but bits I've picked up here and there and hopefully doesn't confuse the hell out of you.

 

[RideTheBlade]

My Whippy on steroids! Is that how much lather people normally whip up? If so, I must be doign something wrong as I struggle to make enough lather for 2 or 3 passes when face-lathering.

I think the difference is the lathering - mostly I face lather and certainly can only manage enough for 2 or poissibly 3 passes - though this is fine as most shaves are a 2 pass.
If i lather in a bowl its possible to get much more lather. One of the old guys where I work isnt capable of shaving himself, so when Im on duty I give him a shave using Supermax shave cream and a prison issue boar brush but use a bowl (plastic) to lather in and can certainly get a load of lather. Which is good, because the razors are utter c**p here and take many passes.

You don't use the prison issue shaving stick then, do they still use Bic reject razors?

 

[NotTheStig]

I have a few.
What does "5/8" etc. refer to on a straight razor? The width of the blade from spine to edge. 5/8ths of an inch.
Is the "scales" on a straight just shaving lingo for handle? Yes

See Neil Miller's guide below for the other terminology.

http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=8902

Thanks. Although you answered my questions I read Neil's post as it is well thought out and well written.

 

[pedro083]

The thread where you can ask a seemingly stupid question without fear of being flamed or seen as being an utter numpty.

If I may kick off:

What the hell is the difference between the 40's superspeed, the Aristocrat Jr, the Milord, the Rocket and the Ranger Tech.

I have been looking at photos of them all and apart from packaging can see no real difference between them.:huh:

The Aristocrat Jr is basically the head of an Aristocrat #16 on a Rocket handle instead of the barber pole handle of the Aristocrat, it's also nickel plated, rather than being rhodium plated like the full blown Aristocrat.

Don't forget the Aristocrat jnr 48 that does not have a rocket style handle

 

[Father Ted]

What the hell is the difference between the 40's superspeed, the Aristocrat Jr, the Milord, the Rocket and the Ranger Tech.

A very useful answer - but it still makes me [Father Ted] think Gillette were basically flogging the same razor in a variety of different packets!

No - you didnt confuse me - Thanks for that.
:icon_razz:

Mr Whippy on steroids! Is that how much lather people normally whip up?

One of the old guys where I work isnt capable of shaving himself, so when Im on duty I give him a shave using prison issue kit

You don't use the prison issue shaving stick then, do they still use Bic reject razors?

No, they are not issued as standard any more (well not here anyway) - basically your standard issue wash kit is:
6" x 6" blue flannel made out of abrasive cloth
Green Towel made out of abrasive cloth
Bar of nondescript scented white hard soap
Blue Shower gel/shampoo - unbranded.
Orange Bic reject razor that goes blunt after half a pass.

Some guys have bought better kit off the canteen. But its not much better - Supermax soap:icon_rolleyes:

And no, I havent managed to find a Gillette Psycho - apparently they did use them here but they went in the sharps box a long long time ago.:icon_sad:

 

[balidey]

My question (which I think I know the answer to).
Started DE shaving a few months back. Bought a selection pack of blades for me to try out a few and find my favourite.
So my question is, should I have been making a note of what blades I'd been using, perhaps scoring them and writing it down somewhere so that when I eventually run out I know what to order.
Or does everyone else just keep buying selection packs.
I vaguely remember a blade being too aggressive for me, but that was months back now and I have no idea what it was. #facepalm smiley#