"Must Have" vintage safety razors

[Hannah's Dad]

Just wonderful, Dan

Thank you Peter. I shaved with it yesterday morning, and this morning I had very little stubble left to shave. I’m a little baffled by the doors. There’s no rhodium left, and I very gently polished them with some Maas. They are now as smooth as glass, with hardly any surface imperfections. It almost appears as if someone re-plated just the doors in gold.

 

[Jim99]

Great thread!

I find that my overall best DE is a 1940s Gillette super speed. I found it at a rediculously low price, it has the right amount of aggression for daily use, the shaves are always consistent, most any blade works well in it and they just look so nice.

To me, a 40s super speed is a must have in any den!

 

[sharktown]

Eclipse Red Ring, Aristocrat, Red Dot Fatboy, Gold Slim

 

[JB1963]

I base the razors I collect solely on how well they shave,
These are my favourite vintage shavers:
Gillette British Aristocrat #21
Gillette British Aristocrat #66
Gillette British Popular #46
Gillette Regent
Mulcutto Pop up slant
Eclipse Red Ring
Gibbs Adjustable
Apollo Micron

I still need to try a few, Kirby, Darwin, L'Essore. Thats what makes this fun.....

 

[dmshaver]

Again which British Aristocrat Jr. do you have? mr-razor.com shows the different models over the years.

There is:

1947 USA
1948 British
1949-1952 British
1953-1954 British

I haven't found much on the first USA one. But the 1948 is rumored to be the most aggressive and efficient. Found in #48 and #49 sets and had the same head as the #21 Aristocrat.

The 1949-1952 was more mild and shared the head from the #16 Aristocrat. The Jr were #51 and #53 depending the case.

Sorry for the delay in responding to you. I have the 1949 British Aristocrat Jr.

 

[coase]

Fatboy. Slim is cheaper.

 

[preidy]

A NEW SC would also fit nicely into the "must have" category.

 

[Northstonehill]

Thank you Peter. I shaved with it yesterday morning, and this morning I had very little stubble left to shave. I’m a little baffled by the doors. There’s no rhodium left, and I very gently polished them with some Maas. They are now as smooth as glass, with hardly any surface imperfections. It almost appears as if someone re-plated just the doors in gold.

Strange. Maybe someone tried to polish it up with the wrong chemical? Perish the thought

 

[Northstonehill]

Challenge accepted. But dang there are many!

At least these for me - in prioritized order:
Hybrid Tech
Aristocrat #66/#70
New RFB 2-piece
Eclipse Red Ring
Bohin adjustable
Henso
1941 Ranger Tech
Darwin Deluxe
Slim adjustable
Apollo Mikron adjustable
Any and all Rockets bar none

Ok, you learn as you try new razors... today I would say:

For me - in prioritized order:
Hybrid Tech
Aristocrat #15 oc (1st gen)
Aristocrat #22 (3rd gen) sb
Aristocrat #66/#70 (4th gen)
New RFB 2-piece #77/88
Eclipse Red Ring
Shavex Zee-Kol heavy handle
Bohin adjustable
1941 Ranger Tech
Any Darwin
Slim
Apollo Mikron adjustable
Toggle

Will change for sure...

 

[Merk61]

Well, the ones I have are:
Single Ring '07
Old Type Ball End
Goodwill 31-35
Sheraton 37-39
Senator 38-39
Aristocrat 40s
Ball-end Tech
Milord
40s Super Speed
Black Tip Super Speed 51-52
Blue Tip
Red Tip
Fat Boy 61
Slim 61
Gold Slim 61
Flare Tip Super Speed
Lady Gillette 68
Black Handle Slim Adjust

I have various duplicates, between 30 and 35 razors.
I would like to acquire the following:
Double Ring
Toggle
Psycho
Executive Gold Fatboy
Khaki
ABC

Dale

 

[taelen112]

I don't know about must have, I just buy what I find locally and clean them up.

I got a Fatboy, a couple Slim's, a handful of super adjustables, 40s style super speeds...plus some moderns. I find the 40s style super speeds to be comfortable enough to shave with daily. I would say I could do the same with adjustables....the super adjustable 84mm handle is my favorite there.

As for must have, all of them haha

 

[emwolf]

I've had my priorities reorganized lately. My new favorite vintage is a British Gillette Aristocrat Jr. I don't have the emotional connection of say, my O4 Super, but that Jr is a darn-near perfect razor.

 

[romsitsa]

Catch all and pass forward the ones you don’t need.
If I would start from scratch, I’d get a
gen 2 Aristocrat
Ot clone Rotbart
Lc New (British)
Merkur with non adjustable Progress head

Adam

 

[Zoost]

Since I started this hobby I have tried dozens of modern razors, and dozens of vintage razors, both DE and SE in search of the absolute best razor for my shaving needs. I have finally decided on my top three, I own them all and have sold all my other razors. Out of the three I have chosen my 'perfect shaving instrument'. So, In descending order:

3) GEM Damaskeene. In my opinion, not much to look at and a little shoddily made and it is also a little too mild. I also find it awkward to shave under my nose with it. But oh my goodness. It may be mild but it gives me an exceptionally smooth and close shave. A great performer. (Picture below is not my razor - although I do own one in similar condition)

2) Gillette Aristocrat #21. There is no question, the most beautiful DE razor ever produced. Actually, the British Gillette Aristocrats were all beautiful, but the 21 takes the honors as the most stunning in my opinion. Its shaves like a dream. Just the right aggressiveness, blade feel and blade feedback, smooth and comfortable. BBS in 2 passes. (picture below is not my razor - although I do own one in similar condition)

1) Ever Ready Streamline. Incredibly well constructed. Stunningly beautiful. Ideal weight. Easy to use on every part of my face. Aggressive. Smooth. Exactly the right amount of blade feel and feedback. Ridiculously smooth. Outstandingly efficient. BBS in 1 pass with touchups. The perfect razor for me. I can not say enough about this instrument. The one below is one of mine - the 2nd generation 'Jewel' set. Ill be purchasing a GEM Jewel, and a 1st generation Streamline in the next month or so, and continue to collect them.

 

[Twelvefret]

We tend to think those hard to find as superior to those which are more common. Everyone interested in collecting should have a Super Speed, a GEM Micromatic Open Comb, a Gillette New, a Gillette Old Type, a Schick Type E injector razor. These are readily available and not expensive. For those who have used them, they know how good of a tool they can be in the right hands.

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

Well, this is the DE forum so I'll stick to DE - something I don't always do. I'll skip over the rarities that will not be available to most newbies (I'm talkin' 'bout you, Schotz Slant) and concentrate on obtainable, superior DE razors. Please note, there's not a Gillette in the bunch...

#1 with a bullet - any Wardonia DE razor. If you get one of the few that accept a modern blade you're in luck, but if you have to use one that requires modifying the blade, no sweat, it's an easy procedure. Hands down the smoothest, most comfortable shave resulting in the longest-lasting BBS feeling of any DE razor I own, on par with the best injector and GEM-style SE razors.

#2 Gibbs Adjustable - requires blade modification unless you're lucky enough to find and can afford a Gibbs #9 click-style razor. The same tool I use to mod a blade for the Gibbs is equally good for modding blades for the Wardonia.

#3 Any Leresche DE razor - more readily available in Europe but still plentiful, a super smooth and close shaver. The comb corner teeth sit higher that the rest of the comb, leaving a wider blade gap.

#4 Either the Phoenix Prismatic or the Phoenix DOC (Double Open Comb) razors - copies of/homages to a pair of iconic, long out-of-production razors. Both are superb shavers.

#5 Probak - the blade that brought down Gillette. The razor is similar to Gillette's Goodwill with a better handle. In fact, after Probak's parent Auto Strop wound up in control of Gillette, some Goodwills shipped with Probak handles just to use them up. A piece of razor history and a decent shaver.

As with any new-to-you razor, these will take a few shaves to dial in the technique, but once mastered they are all top razors.

 

[rif]

I am very, very new to this. Hopefully you don't mind if I ask this in reverse to the thread's original purpose.

Are either of these special?

#1 Super speed, no date codes. I've been told it's a '46-'51 (was my grandfather's! )
#2 Slim, date code k4.

#1 will start my collection with #1 course, and its my daily razor. I'll keep #2 if it shaves well or is collectible.

Thanks!

 

[Hannah's Dad]

I am very, very new to this. Hopefully you don't mind if I ask this in reverse to the thread's original purpose.

Are either of these special?

#1 Super speed, no date codes. I've been told it's a '46-'51 (was my grandfather's! )
#2 Slim, date code k4.

#1 will start my collection with #1 course, and its my daily razor. I'll keep #2 if it shaves well or is collectible.

Thanks!

Both are special! #1 is an heirloom. Period. #2 is special (I also have a K-4 Slim) because it’s an awesome shaver, and if it’s good enough for James Bond ...

 

[Cearball]

For me

Chromium NEW Big Boy deluxe (first vintage I bought & only razor I have found in the wild)

Now onto my recommendation s

1st generation UK aristocrat #15 or 2nd generation UK aristocrat #21 or Aristocrat Jr 48. Any of these.

3rd generation UK aristocrat #16 or UK aristocrat junior #51

Rocket HD, or #58

 

[BigJ]

Tech, Tech, and more Tech. Seriously, my favorite. I've tried a FatBoy, Slim, and a Toggle. They just weren't my cup of tea.

+1! Techs definitely ‘belong’ on your ‘to try’ list IMHO!!