ALL NEW POSTS:

All new posts will be published at www.sportinglifemag.com

STYLE: Randolph Aviators

Randolph Engineering aviator sunglasses have been standard issue for U.S. military pilots since 1982. They’re available with bayonet arms for ease of install and removal when wearing a helmet, but my next pair will have the cable arms to keep them from falling off my face when I'm swimming laps.

I’ve owned three pairs over ten years, and have only had to replace them when they were either lost or stolen. They are the best sunglasses I’ve ever owned.

Here's a link to where you can find 'em.

CULTURE: Downhill Racer (1969)

With ski season in full swing, I was inspired to dust off one of my favorite skiing movies.

Robert Redford’s character, David Chappallet, is a cocky, all-American kid from the sticks who sees skiing as his only way out. In the beginning, he’s pure raw talent, but as the movie progresses he hones his skills and builds his strength as a skier. As his success grows, so does his ego. He’s the typical American anti-hero of those late 60’s-early 70’s movies (Le Mans, Grand Prix). He’s cold and seemingly unfeeling, focused on his one goal…Winning.

Another running theme in these movies is the French ingénue that our hero always seems to find as a much needed distraction. (If you're into that sort of thing...) In the case of Downhill Racer, the love interest is played by Camilla Sparv (Carole Stahl).

The girl breaks him up real bad (Don't worry Chappy, there's plenty more where that came from...), but once she's out of the picture, he dominates and wins the Gold. Gene Hackman does a bang up job as the tough coach and this movie is probably the best Dabney Coleman ever looked. (If you're into Dabney Coleman)

My favorite scene is when Chappalet gets behind the wheel of Frenchy's 911, replete with ski rack…Tres SPORTING!

Camilla Sparv

SPORTING: So Cal..."Isn't this great?"

Last night whilst driving home, Suicidal Tendencies "Institutionalized" came on the radio. I was taken back to the days when I longed to live in Los Angeles. It all started with my parents listening to their Jan & Dean, and Beach Boys records...the imagery of sunny days, chicks, hot rods, surfing, skateboarding, and beach parties was spectacular and alluring to a boy on the prairie. When I was a young teenager, having been transplanted to the East Coast, a friend lent me a stack of records from his older brother's collection...people I'd never heard of; Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Flag, Minute Men, and Suicidal Tendencies. This was circa 1984. Again, my mind was awakened. The sound and the sentiment had changed, but the threads of the So Cal cultural fabric were there. I made cassette tapes and listened to them until they wore out.
When ST came on last night, I rolled down the windows, cranked the radio, and took the scenic route home. As I wound along Mulholland, I flashed back to all those days I'd spent dreaming of living here and thought to myself, "Isn't this great!" (That's a Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Mike Damone, Cameron Crowe, reference, in case you didn't catch that).

Damn, I love this place!

SPORTING: Resloutions-2009

1. Be More Thoughtful
2. Consume Less
3. Practice Yoga
4. Listen To More Iron Maiden
5. Grow Hair Longer
6. Ride Bicycle
7. Practice Drums
8. Take More Pictures
9. Read 10 Books
10. Be Quieter
11. Grow Garden

EVENT: Laguna Seca ALMS-2009

DAVID BRABHAM GRABS POLE

My annual pilgrimage to the season finale of the American Le Mans Series at the Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca in Monterey California had some special and unique twists and turns this year. When I RSVP’d for a media event that included an on track driving experience, the track’s Director of Media Relations turned me on to the “killer route” to take from L.A.

HIGHWAY 198

Between the I-5 and Hwy. 101 is a little traveled two lane roller coaster from Coalinga to King City, called State Highway 198. I paddle-shifted my Audi A3 through 53 miles of black top with perfectly engineered banked (and sometimes blind) turns cutting through rolling, undulating hills. I occasionally peeked at the gorgeous scenery. Not a single other car was traveling west to slow down my progress, or reduce the “Holy S… !!” fun quotient. It was total driving bliss. Drive this road. Turn off the radio and listen to your singing tires.

I didn’t think anything else that day could put a bigger grin on my face. I was wrong. After a gourmet lunch provided by the track, I signed my life away on a release-of-liability form and was handed a full face helmet before squeezing into a Mazda MX-5 race car used at the Skip Barber Driving school. The only down side to this was that I was the passenger. But let me assure you, three hot laps of the Laguna race course with six Mazda’s aggressively racing each other, doing everything to win except trading paint, was thrilling enough. I vividly recall nervously laughing (screaming?) at certain particularly hairy moments when my driver was on that ragged edge and gathered it back up just before spinning into the gravel traps, or another car.

Saturdays’ four hour ALMS race was a bit disappointing because of the numerous full course cautions that interrupted the flow and excitement. I lost count after the yellow flags came out for the 10^th time. There were in fact a total of 12 full course cautions, due primarily to cars stuck in gravel traps after losing grip on a slick and dirty track surface. Almost half the race was run under caution.

CAUTION #6

There are many theories or excuses for why it is so difficult to stay on the track at Laguna Seca. Ask the drivers, and many will tell you that cautions beget cautions, but especially at Laguna Seca because they can’t keep enough heat in the tires due to the safety car driving too slowly as it leads them through the yellow laps. Ask the engineers, and many believe the tire compound formulated for this track doesn’t provide enough grip on an above average slick pavement, due to its age and the windy conditions which blows dirt onto its surface. Ask the fans, and many believe that ever since the runoffs have been changed to accommodate the motorcycle races that returned three years ago, the cars get stuck much more frequently in the softer gravel traps. All of the above, plus increasing aggressiveness of the drivers and faster top speeds of the cars each year, is contributing to tedious yellow flag racing. We will have to wait till next year to see if anything has been learned from this situation.

CHECKING UP AND LOSING GRIP

Prior to this race, all four classes were decided for the drivers’ championship. The Prototype 2 and GT2 class manufacturers championships remained wide open. If Porsche obtained ANY podium position in the P2 class, they would win the manufacturers championship by one point over Acura. This became the most exciting race within the race. Porsche just barely achieved their goal when Romain Dumas and Timo Bernhard of Penske Racing took third place in P2. And in the battle amongst Acuras’, Tony Kanan and Frank Montagny took first in the P2 class over Gil De ferran and Simon Pagenaud by 0.054^th of a second. (Porsche also won the manufacturers championship over Ferrari in the GT2 class.)

GT2 AND P1 CLASSES MIX IT UP IN THE CORKSCREW

In closing the tenth season of the ALMS, the race was most significant for it being the turning point or end of an era for several teams. Emanuele Pirro drove his last race for Audi Sport, ending a fifteen year career with them in which he won the 24 hours of Le Mans five times, and was ALMS Prototype 1 class Champion two times. Emanuele was one of the drivers at Le Mans who achieved an unprecedented three wins in a row by the same three drivers (2000, 2001 and 2002) in an Audi R8, and won in 2007 in an Audi R10 in the first ever Diesel powered car to win Le Mans. And, Emanuele has had 9 podium finishes in the last 10 years in the 24 hour race. No one else has achieved that. He will be sorely missed by fans and drivers alike for his graciousness, passion, humor and professionalism on and off the track.

EMANUELE PIRRO-AFTER THE RACE

Penske Racing will not return to the Prototype 2 class that it has run the past three years with its factory supported Porsche RS Spyders. They have won their class’s drivers’ and manufacturers championships each year they competed, but never participated in the Le Mans 24 hour race. Roger Penske has strongly hinted his new goal is to win this 24 hour classic, something never achieved by a Roger Penske team, but can only be accomplished if he steps up to the highest P1 class. Stay tuned during the off season. Finally, Corvette Racing has competed in its last race at Laguna Seca in the GT1 class. In the last two years, this class has largely evaporated, resulting in Corvettes’ two team cars basically competing against each other. When they return next year, Corvette will compete in the production based GT2 class against Ferrari, Porsche, Panoz, BMW, Ford, Aston Martin and Chrysler. Exciting races and higher profile bragging rights are inevitable.

AUDI CELEBRATES THEIR WIN

Enjoy the off season, race fans. The ALMS returns March 22, 2009: the 12 Hours of Sebring.

P.S. The racing world was stunned December 5^th to learn that Audi will not return to compete in the 2009 season of the ALMS. (The same day that Honda announced dissolution of their Formula 1 team !!) The economic recession has now become depressing.

Audi will compete, however, at Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a new R15 diesel prototype. We can only hope they return in 2010.

-John Steinmetz

CULTURE: Peter Beard "The End of the Game"-Revisited

Taschen has re-published Peter Beard's "The End of the Game: The Last Word from Paradise. Follow the link for a great write-up about the book. (LINK)

A nod to LBT for the heads up.

SPORTING: La Carrera 2007 DVD

Coming Soon!

ASK OL' SPORT: Unfit To Be Tied

Dear Ol’ Sport,
I have a party coming up, and the invitation states the dress is “black tie optional”. I don’t want to rent a tux, for obvious reasons, and I can’t afford to buy one, so I was thinking of wearing my black suit with a bow tie and a tux shirt. Will this work?

Sincerely,

Robert Marks (Lexington, KY)

Dear Robert,

There are multiple problems with this scenario…If you pair the bow-tie with a black suit, it’ll look like you cheaped-out, or didn’t care enough to make the effort. People will know the difference between a black suit and a tux. And then there’s the problem with the black suit…We’ll address that at another time.

If you have no other “formal” option than a black suit, I would suggest you wear it with a dress shirt with French cuffs, cufflinks, and a bold tie. The look will be formal without looking like you’re trying to get away with something.

You didn’t list your age, but a personal rule of thumb is that if you’re over the age thirty; you should own your own tux and the requisite accoutrement.

-Ol’ Sport

SPORTING: How Far Will You Go?

This is one of my favorite new internet tools. It allows you to plot your route and then calculates the distance. (LINK)

Bon Voyage!

-Brett

SPORTING: The Brad Click Interview!

Inspiration is everywhere, if you’ll only let yourself see it, and having the ability to combine your talents with your obsessions and passions requires a truly Sporting mindset…Brad Click has achieved that lofty goal and is an inspiration. He was kind enough to share his Sporting Life with us.

The Sporting Life: Where did you grow up?

Brad Click: I was born and raised in and around Columbus Ohio, then was relocated to Colorado with my Mother and Stepfather during high school. Dublin Ohio was home before the move.

TSL: What were your hobbies as a kid?

BC: I was pretty active doing anything outdoors; soccer, biking (BMX), camping, that sort of thing. As I got older in I picked up Lacrosse in lieu of soccer. Unfortunately, rural Colorado had little knowledge of Lacrosse, much less a team. At 13 I jumped heavy into skateboarding and eventually snowboarding. I still do both to this day.

TSL: What inspired you to pick up a “paint brush” and express yourself with art?

BC: I don't think I will ever know. My dad has super-8 footage of me in the highchair at a year old with crayons and paper, I never stopped. It has always been my default means of communication; "Here, you got a pen and some paper? I'll show you."

TSL: What is your favorite medium to work with?

BC: Generally I work with some sort of paint, but I love to work with whatever I can get my hands on…lots of mixed media, marker, pencil, wood, metal. Many of my ideas come from things I've either seen while out riding a bike, or picked up along the way. A series of paintings I did were done on the leftover shelves from a bookcase that had been "less than securely" tied down in the back of a pickup. I was out riding around photographing flocks of birds and saw the pile of scrap wood along the road. All the finished pieces subsequently had birds on them.

TSL: Who is your favorite artist?

BC: That's a big question…there are so many great artists, I fear I might forget someone in trying to nail down a favorite. I can say that my favorite group of artists in general would have to be the painters of the post-WWII era; Pollack, Calder, Klee...The Peggy Guggenheim Collection basically sums it up for me. Others I admire; Joan Miro, Henri Matisse, Egon Schiele to name a few of the "masters". Then you have current guys out there forging new ground...Barry McGee, Evan Hecox, Phil Frost...I could go for a while.

TSL: Do you listen to music for inspiration while working? What do you listen to?

BC: Yes, constantly. My tastes vary drastically depending on what I'm doing. If I am doing any sort of intricate illustration work, jazz guys like Dexter Gordon or Stan Getz. With bigger paint pieces...anything goes. I've had The Streets in heavy rotation, and recently picked up a CD by guitarist Antoine DuFour...amazing stuff!

TSL: Who are your favorite authors?

BC: Jonathan Lethem, Clive Barker (Weaveworld is a top book for me), Brett Easton Ellis, and Poe are some of my favorites…most of the beat writers, specifically Ginsberg's poetry. I just finished reading The Perfect Vehicle by Melissa Holbrook-Pierce…a fantastic read for any motorcycle enthusiasts.

TSL: What historical figure do you most admire?

BC: Jean-Michel Basquiat. I was 12 years old when I first saw a piece of his work. I was on scholarship at the Columbus College of Art and Design taking evening and weekend classes. My student ID gained me access to the Columbus Museum of Art which is where I hung out after classes on Saturday. In a contemporary show that passed through was one of his paintings. It was the first piece of art I liked, and to what extent I could understand.

Up to that point, I never felt any connection between what I was doing and all the paintings in the museum of religious icons done by old dead guys. All at once I realized hey...that's art too! I was obviously young and very naive, but the impact has always stuck with me. Now that I am older, I can look at him from a more educated view and appreciate his contributions to the art world.

There is a lot of debate as to his talent, and he was certainly self destructive. My admiration comes from his ability to teach me something solely by visual means. I think about how I must have looked standing in front of that canvas completely dumbstruck and mentally rearranging my understanding of what art is. If I could reach one person in that capacity, there would be no greater gift.

TSL: Champagne and Caviar or Beer and Chips?

BC: Depends on how I'm dressed and who I'm with. I can enjoy both settings, but if the Cham-pagn-ya and Caviar is put out just for the "panache" of it, then hand me a beer.

TSL: Do you feel that the ease of access to media and information has improved our quality of life, or reduced it?

BC: Great question. In short I think the battle is still raging…

Access to information is never inherently bad. Knowledge is power right? But, the constant barrage of it is out of control…seemingly unregulated. I think the negative impact is the addiction to the access itself. We HAVE to know what is happening…everywhere, all the time. This, to me, has led to a real disconnect of actual human interaction.

It worries me that too many people are content to communicate via e-mail, text messages, IM's or the like when they don't even know their neighbor. I think this is especially alarming with the younger generations growing up with things like youtube and myspace as their mode of social interaction.

That said however, I do believe that the internet and other forms of media have enabled the global [social] community to flourish. I have met some incredible people from around the world through my website that I otherwise would have never encountered.

I think the key is to keep in mind that there are real live people on the other side of the flickering screen. If you have built a rapport with someone, make it a point to meet them…face to face. Buy em' a drink, and turn the iphone off.

The flood gates have been opened, and they're not going to close. We just need to learn how to ride the wave.

TSL: What’s your current favorite bike?

BC: My 1998 Colnago Technos 2000 road bike; steel frame, chromed lugs, red and white fade decor paint, Campagnolo, etc...

It's heavy and far out of modern vogue, but it fits me like a glove and is my minds idea of the perfect Italian racer. It's the art-bicycle bridge. So if I had to choose one bike...well, let’s hope it doesn't come to that.

TSL: What are your feelings on the current state of or image of professional cycling?

BC: I must admit, last year’s tour really dampened my hopes that things were turning for the better in regards to the doping issues. I have watched nearly all of my favorite racers over the last 10 years get nailed for or accused of drug use. I think much of the headway that Lance made in bringing awareness and interest in cycling to the states has since been lost, at least by the non-cycling masses. I can only hope that the teams and riders are as serious about solving the problems as they claim. As witnessed by the withdrawal of longtime sponsor Telecom, the financial backers ARE willing cut ties, and I believe another tour/season riddled with cheating could lead to a mass exodus, if not an all out cancellation of the Tours.

I sort of hung up my road bike mid season out of disappointment. Although I am nowhere near a pro level athlete, I had no interest in being even remotely associated. I hit the mountain biking hard during the last half of the season and just enjoyed being by myself on the dirt. For the upcoming year though I plan to follow the local race scene, and enjoy some cross during the off season. In essence, turn off the TV and drive to a race if I want to spectate, and jump behind the start line if I wanna ride.

TSL: If you could sit down at a dinner table with anyone-living or dead, who would it be? What would you serve?

BC: My mom. I lost her to cancer 3 years ago. Since then my wife and I had a daughter, Noella, of whom I am the stay at home parent of. I was raised primarily by my mother and worked side by side with her in her embroidery business for years. I had an immense respect for her, but never fully realized the strength she had. Now that I am a parent, I would give anything to sit down with her and not only ask a million questions about parenting, but tell her how truly amazing she was in her life.

As for the menu...sausage gravy over homemade biscuits. We made that together most Sunday mornings. We started before the sun and always had great conversations over the stove.

TSL: Are you worried about global warming?

BC: Yes, but I can't claim to be on the bandwagon about it. I try to personally minimize waste and impact on the environment but I don't go to rallies or put bumper stickers on my Volvo if you know what I'm saying. We [my wife and I] currently have no need for a large vehicle, so we drive smaller low emission cars. We live very close to her workplace, and I use a bicycle for any local errands possible. A 20 mile round trip errand is not uncommon. I can't really put a feather in my cap about it though because I would do it regardless of the issue.

TSL: What is your greatest extravagance?

BC: Two wheeled vehicles. Mainly bicycles, but they have shared garage space with Vespas, Ducatis, and Triumphs.

Although I prevent myself from actually buying them, I have a very unhealthy craving for time pieces as well. If I were ever unable to ride the bikes, they would all be replaced with wrist watches.

TSL: If you could live in any era, when would it be?

BC: Although I am pretty happy with my life in the current "era", I would love to have been present during the late 40s to mid 60s. Everything during that time seemed condensed and concentrated. The movements in art and music, politics, science, fashion...it was all wildly potent; abstract expressionism, Einstein essentially reshaping the scientific world, the beat generation, cafe racers in Europe…so many things these days are diluted and nearly impossible to get to the heart of…too many choices.

TSL: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

BC: Barcelona; wonderful people, music, food. Even though it is a large city you can still feel the sense of community. Artwork is everywhere, literally lining the streets. Gaudi was prolific.

TSL: Whiskey, Scotch, Vodka, Beer, Wine?

BC: I didn't drink till I was 26. No principled reason, just didn't care for the taste of it. Problem was, the only thing I had really been offered was Budwiser, or Natural light. It took my first trip abroad to be introduced to something worth drinking. How could a Guinness served by an Irish woman, over an Irish bar that had been dismantled and moved to the coast of Marbella, Spain taste bad? I am slowly finding my tastes.

As for beer, right now I am enjoying Belgian brews. Duvel and Leffe Blonde are currently in the fridge. Session lager is another top choice in beers.

I love any of the Trapiche wines out of Argentina.

The only "drink" I will order is a Bombay Sapphire Martini. Dirty.

TSL: What else are you into; Bullfights, Polo, Horse Racing, Motorcycles, F1, Rally, Croquette, Bocci, Axe Throwing?

BC: Motorsport in general, but Motorcycles specifically. I've had at least one in the garage for the last 15 years. For several years I worked in the industry, selling high-end European bikes; Guzzi, Ducati, Triumph, BMW. It was a fairly heady experience to be selling a product you're as equally passionate about as the customers. I've done a few rebuilds and love the wrenching.

I also have a beautiful cypress-wood flamenco guitar that taunts me. Spanish guitar can get a hold of me. Once I am able to dedicate the needed attention it will engulf me, as for now though, a 10 month old keeps my free time to 15 minute intervals.

TSL: What’s your idea of the perfect lunch?

BC: Good company can make any meal perfection, but aside from that, I love a rustic meal with the taste of the outdoors…if it can be cooked over a fire, all the better. Prosciutto wrapped melon and prosecco to start, field greens salad with radishes, pine nuts, oil and vinegar, a loaf of crusty bread, braised rabbit with some garlic rosemary potatoes...a bottle of Trapiche Malbec. Caramelized pears, a dollop of crème-fraiche and a coffee would end it nicely.

You can check out more of his work at bradclick.com, and his blog at LINK

SPORTING: Le Grimpeur -"Hemingway’s Grimpeurs"

This is a great piece by our friends over at "Le Grimpeur" about Hemingway's interest in and reverence for the world of competitive cycling...(LINK)

"...I had coffee out on the terrasse with the team manager of one of the big bicycle manufacturers. He said it had been a very pleasant race, and would have been worth watching if Bottechia had not abandoned it at Pamplona. The dust had been bad but the roads were better than in France. Bicycle road-racing was the only sport in the world, he said. Had I ever followed the Tour de France? Only in the papers. The Tour de France was the greatest sporting event in the world."

-Ernest Hemingway (The Sun Also Rises)

CULTURE: Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison

On January 13^th, 1968, Johnny Cash recorded a live album at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, California. Having done a little time himself, he could identify with the prisoners, singing what they felt, and speaking to them in their shared language. It was a monumental album for him and his career.

This was the first Johnny Cash album I'd ever listened to. The language in which he spoke and sang was like nothing I'd ever heard before, setting me on a revised path and inspiring me to explore the darker aspects of life, art, music, and literature.

Back in ’05, The Virginia Quarterly Review printed a story about Gene Beley’s experiences and personal recordings made at the Folsom show, shedding new light on this ground-breaking album. (LINK)

STYLE: Harris Tweed

Photo by Chago Abii-Bua

In leaner times, I had a favorite second-hand store I would frequent to keep my wardrobe and library in good shape. One particularly fortunate find was an actual “Harris Tweed” jacket buried amongst the Bart Simpson and “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” t-shirts…the proverbial needle in a haystack. It came in particularly handy during my winter forays into the jungle when I moved up North.

To carry the moniker of a true “Harris Tweed”, the wool must be woven in the Outer Hebrides. The particularly rough woven and sturdy fabric made it suitable for the types of country Sporting activities I was subjecting it to. The bonus was that I looked particularly good in it, especially bellied up to the bar next to some wannabe lumberjack who’d probably never seen the business-end of an axe.

The above image is an almost exact replica of the one…if you add a few miles to it. Unfortunately, the jacket was lost when it became caught on a box-car I had hopped to carry me to the other side of town…to the jackets credit, the tweed held on longer than I did. I have since bought a new jacket, but I will always have a place in my heart for my first.I like to think that some lucky Hobo found a jacket that fit him well, kept him warm, and looking sharp.

-Brett

BE A MAN..."Emasculated Nation"

This is a great op-ed piece from the Boulder Weekly.

Emasculated Nation
by Ben Corbett

The previously owned Acura with Nickelback stickers sat lifeless across the street, parked haphazardly with a flat tire. The owner, a blond co-ed in her early 20s, paced around, dialing numbers frantically on her cell with that paralyzed look of shock that accompanies the sudden loss of mobility. Meanwhile, the girl’s idiot boyfriend leaned against the trunk of the car in a technological coma, looking stupid while his girl took command, phoning ex-lovers, her dad, and finally AAA to figure out what to do...(LINK)

ASK OL' SPORT: Bubbling Waters

Dear Ol’ Sport,
I had dinner at a nice French restaurant the other night, but when I ordered a Perrier and poured it over a glass of ice, the waiter looked at me as if I’d poured ketchup on my escargot. What gives?

Best Regards,

Dallas Wakefield III (San Francisco, CA)

Dearest Mr. Wakefield,
Perrier and the like are considered “mineral waters”, and by pouring them over ice you are in essence “contaminating” or diluting them…that is if the ice is not made using the same mineral water. I don’t see a problem with it and do it often, and the next time the French waiter gives you the stink-eye because you’re “contaminating” his precious water, remind him that the menu is not written in German, thanks to American’s, and you can pour their precious Perrier over good ol’ American ice if you damn well please!

-Ol’ Sport

ON THE CHEAP: Razor Burn

I am no Oliver Stone conspiracy theorist, but I know when I’m being juked. Case in point…the “lubricating strip” on those expensive razor refills. I can hear the in-house focus group at Gillette now…”How do we sell more razors?” “How’s about we put something on the razor to make people think the razor is dull before it is?” I remember reading somewhere about how Tabasco was trying to figure out how to sell more sauce, and some genius came up with a brilliant idea…”make the hole bigger.” Brilliant!

I like these new fangled razors, they do a good job, but I attribute that to the revised design allowing the shaved whiskers to pass through the blades, rather than getting all clogged like the old style ones, but what I have to call bullshit on is the so-called “lubricating strip”…anyone who knows anything knows that if this strip were to actually work, it would be BEFORE the blades, thus lubricating before you shave, and not AFTER you shave. So I asked myself…”what’s the point?” and then it hit me…to sell more razors! If people had a visual gauge that dissipated faster than the razor actually dulled, they will discard them before they’re actually dull, thus selling more razors. I have found that my razors are sharp long after the strip has dissolved, typically lasting twice as long as the strip would indicate.

-Brett

Bonus: Soak the razor in cold water before you shave…the molecules of the steel will be smaller and thus the blade sharper.