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We've no doubt done this thread before but for a new generation, let's do it again ...
What have you moved on but then bought again? By that I don't mean repeat purchases, but stuff you've sold or PIFd or just chucked away but had a pang of regret or perhaps curiosity and bought again.
Me?
No, not many many 1912s or Techs as I consolidated my expansive collection upon those two razors with a few peripherals, but did buy another Gillette 'Old' having had a truly impressive (and replated) absolutely perfect example. To top that, I bought a single ring ... to find it's bloody silver plated, which I react to quite badly. I'm still to-ing and fro-ing about whether to get it nickel plated but since then I snagged an 'Old' Milady Decolette in brass, so think I'll just keep the single ring as a museum piece.
Merkur 37C, the archetypal slant. I let my old one go and curiousity got the better of me, so bought another a good few years later. Initially disappointed as I found it curiously really mild and in no way what I remembered. Yes, they changed the geometry and cap to make for a smoother shave. I bought the Razorrock German Slant and found that to be what I remembered of the Merkur 37C, but after using the new one a good few times I found that actually Merkur have triumphed here! They have improved it into an equally efficient razor but without the harshness. It's now quite majestic! Once you "get it", the Razorrock feels kinda crap.
Martin de Candre is one of those shaving soaps which carries such a reputation that it is easy to be disappointed. Put into place, it's simply an artisinal French soap and actually pretty good. It's not great, but it is damn good. Having weeded out my soaps and kept what I considered a core of classics, some truly artisinal soaps (like La Savonniere du Moulin) and a good range of my favourite artisan (Wickham), I found myself with a gap ... and that gap was Martin de Candre.
DE shaving, generally! While I kept a lot of DE razors, I didn't shave with them. I was a single edge shaver for a good number of years, backed off and inevitably ended up with a beard (again), came back to shaving and the cartridge format again ... but the Muhle Rocca reignited my interest in traditional shaving and so a return to DE shaving. Short lived, as I'm largely a cartridge shaver again.
But ... the Wilkinson Sword Sticky was one razor I had and regret letting go. There was a drought for some time, but then a slew came along and I bagged one. Overjoyed, as it's truly a marvel! Lovely razor to look at, hold and use. Simply superb when paired with vintage Wilkinson Sword blades.
GEM Contour. Of all the GEM razors to buy again, why the Contour? Well, I consolidated my ASR collection on pre-Micromatic and while I could be tempted by a brass Clog Pruf, I'm not all that bothered about anything beyond the 1924. I did keep one Featherweight (with an olive green handle) and a British Natural Angle Deluxe (in gold), but something about the Contour tugged at me. They're quite hard to come by, certainly in the UK, so it was some searching to get the trio of Contours back into my collection.
Ever-Ready 1909. I owned "that one" that seems to be the one folks get when they do get a 1909. I let it go. I spotted another and was thrilled to find it absolutely mint ... and I've left it that way. Shame? Well, yes, but I found the shave not that great hence letting my first one go. It came with a stropping set, too: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Se9U86pFVWtZkUHn6
Still missing ...
I would like a Plisson synthetic brush again, preferably a L'Occitane branded. I discovered the L'Occitane Cade UFO shaving bowl in the loft the other week and used it for a good run - great soap! I'l like to lather it again with a proper Plisson, as sold in the day.
What have you moved on but then bought again? By that I don't mean repeat purchases, but stuff you've sold or PIFd or just chucked away but had a pang of regret or perhaps curiosity and bought again.
Me?
No, not many many 1912s or Techs as I consolidated my expansive collection upon those two razors with a few peripherals, but did buy another Gillette 'Old' having had a truly impressive (and replated) absolutely perfect example. To top that, I bought a single ring ... to find it's bloody silver plated, which I react to quite badly. I'm still to-ing and fro-ing about whether to get it nickel plated but since then I snagged an 'Old' Milady Decolette in brass, so think I'll just keep the single ring as a museum piece.
Merkur 37C, the archetypal slant. I let my old one go and curiousity got the better of me, so bought another a good few years later. Initially disappointed as I found it curiously really mild and in no way what I remembered. Yes, they changed the geometry and cap to make for a smoother shave. I bought the Razorrock German Slant and found that to be what I remembered of the Merkur 37C, but after using the new one a good few times I found that actually Merkur have triumphed here! They have improved it into an equally efficient razor but without the harshness. It's now quite majestic! Once you "get it", the Razorrock feels kinda crap.
Martin de Candre is one of those shaving soaps which carries such a reputation that it is easy to be disappointed. Put into place, it's simply an artisinal French soap and actually pretty good. It's not great, but it is damn good. Having weeded out my soaps and kept what I considered a core of classics, some truly artisinal soaps (like La Savonniere du Moulin) and a good range of my favourite artisan (Wickham), I found myself with a gap ... and that gap was Martin de Candre.
DE shaving, generally! While I kept a lot of DE razors, I didn't shave with them. I was a single edge shaver for a good number of years, backed off and inevitably ended up with a beard (again), came back to shaving and the cartridge format again ... but the Muhle Rocca reignited my interest in traditional shaving and so a return to DE shaving. Short lived, as I'm largely a cartridge shaver again.
But ... the Wilkinson Sword Sticky was one razor I had and regret letting go. There was a drought for some time, but then a slew came along and I bagged one. Overjoyed, as it's truly a marvel! Lovely razor to look at, hold and use. Simply superb when paired with vintage Wilkinson Sword blades.
GEM Contour. Of all the GEM razors to buy again, why the Contour? Well, I consolidated my ASR collection on pre-Micromatic and while I could be tempted by a brass Clog Pruf, I'm not all that bothered about anything beyond the 1924. I did keep one Featherweight (with an olive green handle) and a British Natural Angle Deluxe (in gold), but something about the Contour tugged at me. They're quite hard to come by, certainly in the UK, so it was some searching to get the trio of Contours back into my collection.
Ever-Ready 1909. I owned "that one" that seems to be the one folks get when they do get a 1909. I let it go. I spotted another and was thrilled to find it absolutely mint ... and I've left it that way. Shame? Well, yes, but I found the shave not that great hence letting my first one go. It came with a stropping set, too: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Se9U86pFVWtZkUHn6
Still missing ...
I would like a Plisson synthetic brush again, preferably a L'Occitane branded. I discovered the L'Occitane Cade UFO shaving bowl in the loft the other week and used it for a good run - great soap! I'l like to lather it again with a proper Plisson, as sold in the day.
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