A note on the editors note… (Issue 325)

[UncouthJParticipant @uncouthj]

As a clean shaver who loves few things more than the ritual of the old fashioned single blade shave with a wonderful Sandalwood and other goodness soap, foamed and applied with an old school shaving brush, and who REALLY misses his old twin cylinder two stroke… I really hope that bench note resonates with everyone else as much as it did me. There seems to be a growing list of jobs round the shop, and a commensurate bucket of insert tooling, where I've thought I'll try the new way and decided actually I much prefer my ground lump of HSS. It's all horses for courses I guess, but new and expensive definitely does not equate to better!

All the best…

J

[UncouthJParticipant @uncouthj]

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Hi J, I agree whole heartedly with your last sentence ! But many have come to this hobby with no experience or knowledge of engineering and guided by youtube or those coming from engineering where modern methods and equipment are the norm think that good results are only possible with the very best that money can buy. Looking at models made in the 1950s or earlier and reading ME of the time show that beautiful work was done with simple equipment, even treadle lathes ! Many a good tune was played on an old fiddle ! Noel.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Whilst I cannot argue with the fact that for much of the history of Model Engineering wonderful work was produced on very limited equipment. However whilst no one would advocate reverting to treadle lathes and paraffin blowlamps there is much to be said for having to invent ways of doing things with limited kit. You genuinely learn more and faster that way. When the workshop facilitates expand you are in a better place to get the most out of it.

regards Martin

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by UncouthJ on 01/03/2023 11:01:22:

As a clean shaver who loves few things more than the ritual of the old fashioned single blade shave with a wonderful Sandalwood and other goodness soap, foamed and applied with an old school shaving brush…

J

I agree. Today's young shavers don't know what they're missing:

Have to suffer to be beautiful…

Dave

[UncouthJParticipant @uncouthj]

Funny you should go there Dave… Any complaints about this story, Dave's to blame 😉

So I tried shaving with a cutthroat for a while, quite like it but there's those few extra steps you need to take with it that put me off. Well… Not so much the steps but what can go wrong if you forget one of them.

So I got this razor second hand. Beautiful Sheffield steel, I forget the maker but a known one. Not bothered about it being second hand, I put a new edge on it and gave it some serious sterilising, in Milton's and then alcohol.

We got on great for a good month or so… Now I'm not to this day sure why I thought it was a good idea at the time, but I was probably onto a winner and decided the plums could do with a trim in the event of…

So I gave the razor a quick hone and a strop and set to. One tiny little nick right on the join of the sack but nothing serious (I thought), dash of alcohol and jobs a goodun.

Cut to a month or two later I notice a sort of pea size lump where I'd nicked it. Within a day and some twiddling the thing turns into a grape and I think "DOCTOR"! Who promptly says "I AINT TOUCHING THAT!" and sends me to A&E.

So the moral of the story is, if you're going to use a straight razor, sterilise the blade EVERY BLOODY TIME, especially after stoning. That is unless you enjoy the idea of having a golf ball size cyst drained from anywhere whatsoever….

I won't treat you to the very impressive picture of my holy ball bag, that all of my friends had to endure for months after!

HAPPY FRIDAY FOLKS 😉

J

Edited By UncouthJ on 03/03/2023 10:56:11

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