Other Interests?

[Rachel]

Thanks Bob for your comments. I have a small collection of stereo tapes which I occasionally play on the Teac tape deck through my "modern" Denon hifi. When I was given it the recorder had been in somebody's loft for years and the drive belts had deteriorated. Luckily I found somebody (from Italy) selling a few parts for this machine including belts and spare lamps for the meters. The Tandberg works OK but could do with a service but where that could be done I have no idea.

Dave, I don't know much about the Armstrong valve amps. The 521 that you see in my picture was my first hifi amp. I liked the 500 series but was not too keen on the 600 series which followed. I never knew the 700 series. I guess that I started courting about then and had other things on my mind Here is a good site on Armstrong Audio tinyurl.com/9ej46ba . Oops I see that is the same site that you mentioned

The record deck is a Thorens 160B MkII fitted with an SME 3009 arm and modern (sorry) Pickering pickup cartridge.

[vintageslrs]

Rachel

The Tandberg gear was top notch stuff!
And so is the Thorens for that matter!

Enjoy
Bob

[daveh]

...and the SME arm was always the one to aim for.

I have a Sony system in the loft - full size separates. (And several others too.) What do I use most now? Another Sony DAB/FM with internet radio and also streaming from the computer. Everything on the harddrives is playable.

[Randy]

I collect 1/18th scale diecast cars.

[mickeyobe]

This is a peculiar interest and might not be appropriate here.
But here goes.
I have tried various methods of shaving which I shall not go into.
When I started in my late teens I had no option but a blade with a single edge. I was happy when they improved which they did particularly when Wilkinson came on the scene.
Then Gillette, with others following introduced a blade with two edges. A slight but not remarkable improvement. Then three. No improvement. Then four and now five cutting edges. Not only no imrovement but a degradation in cutting and control. And the cost skyrocketed from 5 cents per blade to over $5.00 per "cartridge" with 5 cutting edges.
I have just purchased a 50 year old Rolls Razor. It has a single edge blade that lasts indefinitely. The razor comes with a hone and a strop.
I had to learn how to shave all over. I had never used a brush. It feels good. Real good. Although I am improving with practice and I have not yet reached the closest most comfortable shave I want, it is at least as good as the old single edge blade.

Here is my newest interest;





Mickey ;D

[nikonbob]

Mickey

Somehow I am not too surprised that you got a Rolls Razor again. I thank you for piquing my interest in the Roll Razor some time back. It is one of the most interesting razors I have come across and used. Very capable of giving a fine close shave.

I don't know what shave soap/cream you are using but I have found Cella to be a very good one. I find it hard to beat any of the Italian shave cream/soaps. Proraso, readily available at Shoppers Drug Marts, is also a good one.

Enjoy your new hobby.

Bob

[mickeyobe]

Bob,

I have tried Proraso (puck), Noxema Cream (tube), Rexall Foam (aerosol) and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
I have tried them separately and in combinations.
I liked them all except the olive oil. I even added some witch hazel to improve the smell. I am not a salad I guess.
Anyway the experimenting is fun. Eventually I shall get the perfect soap/cream.
My blade is 50 years old and could probably use resetting. Just yesterday I ordered a brand new old but unused blade still encased in grease and wrapped in its waxed paper in its bakelite container.
It is coming from the UK by air mail so I should have it in a month or two.
Then we shall see what we shall see.
After its arrival I will send the old blade for resetting and, hopefully, will shave happily ever after.

This morning was only Proraso. Marvelous!

Mickey

[nikonbob]

Mickey

At least half the fun is experimenting. Never did like the Olive oil either but as a pre shave I have been using the Proraso pre shave and it seems to help. For a post shave I use Thayers Original Witch hazel with Aloe Vera. I can't use any balms as my skin is oily to begin with and that makes it worse.

I like to make an uber lather by combining different soaps/creams. You could try mixing it in a bowl to produce lather. I might suggest a dollop of Noxeama in the bowl, add 6 drops of glycerine, 1 drop lanolin, then load some Proraso on your brush and lather the concoction up in the bowl. With the right amount of water you should get a very rich creamy lather with excellent glide for the blade.

That spare blade was a good find. I have gotten the hones for doing my straight razors so I think I will take a crack at sharpening My Rolls Razor's blade. Happy shaving.

Bob

[Deleted]

Switched from a blade to a Norelco about five years ago. Doesn't shave as close but it ain't like I've got any heavy dates on my schedule.

W.

[mickeyobe]

Bob,

I have used the Noxema, about 1", with Proraso - the best I have yet tried.

I think my bowls are kind of classy.
They are made of lacquer and are the perfect size.
In an emergency they may be used for miso or rice.
$4.95 Can each.



I am amazed at the enormous selection of supplies of all kinds available to wet shavers. Also there is no end of instructions for men and women on the internet.

I am now contemplating making a brush holder.

Wayne,

I was given a top of the line Phillips shaver for my 50th birthday lo these many decades ago. Phillips and Norelco are one and the same.
The shaver has 3 count 'em 3 heads. It has never given me a decent shave as is the case with any electric I have ever tried. It is used occasionally when I am in a hurry and not out to impress anyone.
Admittedly it is good for trimming sideburns.
But then Phillips and I are not the closest of friends. It started about 50 years ago when the Phillips representative gave me a sleeve of 12 #5 flashbulbs to try. One evening as I was about to use the first one it went off as I was removing it from the sleeve. That set off the remaining 11 bulbs. My kids thought it was great fun. I had other thoughts.

Mickey

[nikonbob]

Wayne

Me neither, heavy dates that is besides my wife hates weight jokes. All I ever got from electric hsavers was a face burn from trying to get a close shave.

Mickey

Love those bowls, miso jealous.

Bob

[jimrh]

Thank you Dave! I'm just starting to figure out this type of website. Being so ignorant, I only look for the "messages" to me personally, which there have been none lately. So I have to look up where I last posted, like this one.
I'm a little slow, but I'll get it! Ha Ha.
The vintage audio equipment is all so great to see. Rachel's Thorens turntable is a beauty!!
I just put some vinyl onto CD for a friend at work. She gets a kick out of hearing the tiny scratchy sound at the beginning of the record when she starts the cd. She said she hadn't heard that sound in over 25 years. It was very nostalgic for her.

[jimrh]

Hey guys, in regards to shaving; I use plain cheapo Suave hair conditioner. I stopped using shaving cream and started this after reading about it in the paper. It's been 20 years or so. It's much cheaper and I can see where I've shaved better than when I have lather on.

[Deleted]

Mickey:

Static electricity and those flash bulbs didn't mix. You shouldn't blame Phillips. Sounds like operator error to me! ;D

Bob: I got the electric when we were going to China and didn't want to haul around razors and shaving cream. The Norelco doesn't do as good a job as a blade but I got used to it. It's also handier when we're camping.

W.

[mickeyobe]

"Static electricity and those flash bulbs didn't mix. You shouldn't blame Phillips. Sounds like operator error to me! ;D"

The dummies should have had a ground wire attached to the sleeve.
This was in our new house. There were no carpets on the floors. We couldn't afford them for another couple of years.

Operator error, indeed. I didn't have a chance to operate anything.

Mickey

P.S. It never happened with GE or Sylvania bulbs.

P.P.S.
"It's also handier when we're camping."
You are certainly up to date. When I went camping there was no place in the tent where I could plug in an electric shaver.