The various types of Valet/AutoStrop razors confuse people, and with good reason. There are 10 basic types of razors in this family, leaving aside minor variations in handles, country of production, finishes, and kits. It’s a lot, and the variations can be subtle. These razors were produced...
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Model A1 (1906-1914):
This model is characterized by its fixed (non-removable) cylindrical handle and the push-button mechanism at the back of the head to release and secure the blade. This push-button is spring loaded, so you push it to insert the blade, then release it and the blade is secured. Pretty clever. But this was already a more complicated razor than Gillette was producing, the blades were to be stropped by inserting a strop in the razor itself, and the razor didn’t disassemble like the Gillette did. Most early Gillette competitors with those deficiencies just folded. Somehow AutoStrop hung on.
Thank you. There's something about seeing a name attached to a museum artifact, it personalises it, and becomes much more powerful, as well as what the owner had to endure in the war.