The "Not Gillette" Vintage DE Thread

[Haiku]

Congrats on owning this wonderful razor. Somehow the body of it reminds me of the GEM G. I am wondering whether GEM took the design and adapted it for the the G.

Just picked up a FirmBlade. From the patent info it is a Birth year patent, 1953.

 

[Mougrim]

Just picked up a FirmBlade. From the patent info it is a Birth year patent, 1953.

Looks like a potato peeler to me. No, really. Truly unique razor.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Couple more.

Is the Ab and Fitch a sterling silver razor ? The profile looks like a new baseplate with a safety bar ,pretty cool pick up congrats you find some unique stuff

Glenn

 

[chamm]

Random uploads.

I have a "Standard Safety Razors" model exactly like that one! Have you managed to find anything out about it? I scoured the Internets and have some up mostly empty.

Mine offers an absolutely phenomenal mild shave.

 

[bakerbarber]

Is the Ab and Fitch a sterling silver razor ? The profile looks like a new baseplate with a safety bar ,pretty cool pick up congrats you find some unique stuff

Glenn

It's marked Sterling on the head and Reyna Taxco on the handle end.
Cleaned and polished up like fine silver. Have no idea how pure it really is.

Before cleaning pics.





Sadly though Glenn, aside from looking similar to a New it bears no resemblance to one in how it shaves.
The mildest razor I've ever used in my life. It took me six or so passes to knock down a day's worth of stubble.
I like mild razors and this was just impossible to use for me. I'm going to try a shim or few because I really want to use it.
Nice and heavy!



I don't have better pictures though. Will get some when the little one nods off later hopefully. She's a handful.

 

[bakerbarber]

I have a "Standard Safety Razors" model exactly like that one! Have you managed to find anything out about it? I scoured the Internets and have some up mostly empty.

Mine offers an absolutely phenomenal mild shave.

I'm impressed that you have used yours!



I don't have the guts to try mine. Looks super intimidating to me.

I also know very little about it. I got the head pieces on a Tech handle that clearly didn't match. In with a lot of items a handful of years ago.

I have a few oddities more I don't have much information about that I'll try to post up here eventually.

Hopefully some time soon.

 

[Cha-wing!!]

Well well well long time no post, here ! Here are some nice "Not Gillette" DEs :

The Circlette (very mild ! Although made for women...) :


The Figaro (not tried it yet, intimidating...) :



The Fredos (classic, but nice case) :



The all-metal Ile de France (does not use regular blades, but incredibly awesome looking razor) :



The Kirby Beard "108" :


The Phenix Double Ringer (French made, company was then bought by Leresche) :


The Shavex (already shown previsouly, but still nice !)

 

[TobyC]

@Cha-wing!!


Nice!

I love seeing these razors.

 

[tukyou]

That Kirby looks really famialer, love the looks of that Ile de France and you can send me that Figaro for a test run Cause I'm not scared! Love Figaro AS as a side note. Have not posted here in sometime myself and I really should take the time to do so.

 

[DrAwkward]

We can always count on [MENTION=58051]Cha-wing!![/MENTION] to find a variety of fantastic non-Gillette razors.
The Phenix looks very much like the Jarville double ring. I wonder if they were made in the same factory?
That Ile de France razor is really something special. Thanks for posting!

 

[eastomjac]

 

[WSKenneth]

So as I am 5 months into DE shaving, I have only picked up three vintage razors (with two of the ones that may not be mentioned in this thread, on the way)
I have some trouble with finding info on these two. I can read from the Rotbart, that it is a mond-extra. But the base plate does not look like the others that I find here on b&b threads. Does this hit that it is an earlier model (as it seems less sophisticated as the Rotbarts I can find)?
The other does not give much hint as to its origin or the manufacturer - it says made in Germany on the top plate. It is maybe not THAT old.

So if anyone should happen to know something about these, I would appreciate the story.

 

[Dangsta4501]

This is cool...I hadn't seen this thread before. Here's a pic of my nicest non-Gillette. It's a Gnat from around the 1920's from the UK. Shaves really nicely and the thing is tiny. It's also silver which is a bit of a change up from my usual ones. I put it next to my DE Fatboy for a size comparison.

 

[adamchur]

After all this time - how did I miss this thread ?
I've got 3 vintage adjustables, all based on Gillette razors, but all good razors in their own right.......

1980s Severodonetsk-1 Adjustable from Ukraine, Based on a Gillette Fatboy - Mild
I tend to go WTG on #9, XTG on #8, ATG on #7 & Buffing on #6
View attachment 686040

1980s Wizamet W-11 Adjustable from Poland, made under license from Gillette - Mild/Medium
I tend to go WTG on #5, XTG on #4, ATG on #3 & Buffing on #2


1990s Ideal Adjustable from Russia, based on the Gillette Super Adjustable (plastic baseplate) - Medium/Aggressive
I tend to go WTG on #4, XTG on #3, ATG on #2 & Buffing on #1

 

[DrAwkward]

So as I am 5 months into DE shaving, I have only picked up three vintage razors (with two of the ones that may not be mentioned in this thread, on the way)
I have some trouble with finding info on these two. I can read from the Rotbart, that it is a mond-extra. But the base plate does not look like the others that I find here on b&b threads. Does this hit that it is an earlier model (as it seems less sophisticated as the Rotbarts I can find)?
The other does not give much hint as to its origin or the manufacturer - it says made in Germany on the top plate. It is maybe not THAT old.

So if anyone should happen to know something about these, I would appreciate the story.

View attachment 686025View attachment 686028

Both of those razors are good scores and good shavers. I don't know much about the German solid bar razor. There were quite a few no-brand German makers before WWII who made razors like that.
As far as I know, your Rotbart model is the first and only model that the company made before being acquired by Gillette. I have long enjoyed the irony that Rotbart's only razor while an independent company was a clone of the Gillette Single Ring. After being acquired, Rotbart starting making lots of interesting and innovative razors.
Here is a good thread on the subject:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/376278-Safety-Razor-of-the-Month-December-2013-Rotbart

 

[WSKenneth]

Both of those razors are good scores and good shavers. I don't know much about the German solid bar razor. There were quite a few no-brand German makers before WWII who made razors like that.
As far as I know, your Rotbart model is the first and only model that the company made before being acquired by Gillette. I have long enjoyed the irony that Rotbart's only razor while an independent company was a clone of the Gillette Single Ring. After being acquired, Rotbart starting making lots of interesting and innovative razors.
Here is a good thread on the subject:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/376278-Safety-Razor-of-the-Month-December-2013-Rotbart

Thank you for the info. Great to know more about them.
Now I just need to build up the courage to actually try them out.

 

[Shawnboy]

Oxford razor, made in England:
I bought this razor from a chap in France. I have very little information on it.
The handle screws into a small recess on the bottom plate.
I think it's a nice looking razor, and I would guess that it was probably made in the 1930's?
More information would be greatly appreciated!
View attachment 488398View attachment 488399View attachment 488400

Cornishman, first thanks for posting your razor, second, hopefully you're still around and active on here. I see your post is just over 2 years old.

I picked up a razor very similar to this one, this recently. Here's mine. Have you found any more information on yours?. The head and plate on mine are chrome plated and the handle appears to be brass under a layer of scum. The case is most likely, just a "lucky fit" for all the parts. Any additional info, in identifying this one would be great.

 

[kcb5150]

Tondeo flip top. Not mint but only the second one I have ever seen...

 

[kcb5150]

Miller wave. A pretty brilliant design.

 

[Feather-man]

Miller wave. A pretty brilliant design.

I love it. But could Pepsi sue for trademark infringement?