Gillette Aristocrat

These seem hard to come by and it's a shame. It's not a game changer in the razor world, but it certainly is a looker. It's well made, a slightly thicker handle than most Gillette razors and I think the no-notch blade posts fit more snuggly than the notched ones.

This is one sweet shaving razor. The Aristocrat has a little more blade exposure than most TTO designs and thus shaves a bit more aggressive. But the weight of the razor combined with the way the blade is locked in gives most blade types their best shaves in this razor. It is smoother than a Red Tip and about as aggressive if not a bit more aggressive.

It is smoother than a Tech or a NDC SS, it is smoother than a Slim. It is the one TTO razor that to me is the best Gillette made with solid guard bars.

Some say the Sheraton shaves better, I can't say for sure as I don't own a Sheraton, but I do know its the best TTO I have ever used.

The only thing that keeps me from using mine everyday is fear of wearing the Gold plate off.

Otherwise this thing would be used much more often.

It does bite if not handled well so maybe not the best razor for learning on, but it will serve very well if you have some experience.

I have the 1948-1950 notched model of the Gillette Aristocrat. I paid a premium price as it was re-plated. It was worth it. I have a medium to heavy beard and I shave with a Feather blade. The balance, the substantial feel, and the high quality appearance of this razor is outstanding. I envision this is what a "non-adjustable medium aggression Fat Boy" would be like. The shaves are outstanding. The Gillette Aristocrat is one of my favorites.

The first thing you notice is the patina of gold/copper. Then as one picks it up you feel suprised by how well it's balanced. Then you appreciate how the knurling of the diamond cross stiching. No slippage here. I'd say the weight distribution is <53/47> . One of the features I like best about the Aristocrat is it's fatter handle & TTO knob. Made for people with bigger hands/fatter fingers. Unlike my Merkur 180 which is a pencil by comparison. The nitty gritty:

Mechanically the doors open invitingly to accept a double edge razor along the center bar. Smooth operator. To assist in this, mine is notched which securly grabes the blade.

Shave wise two opposite comparison come to mine. While the Merkur offers a close shave it also is substantially lighter which makes it easier to move around the face. An analogy would be a cheap light sports car. While capable it's still is lacking in one area. More on that later. The Toggle is like shaving with a boat anchor. But since I'm comparing razors to cars, the Toggle is like an old school V12 cadillac. Nice ride & glide. Heavy though. Made for long passes. Whilst the Aristocrat is a well balanced BMW 7 series. Heavier but no less capable of accomplishing it's task of carving the curves of your face & straightaways. In comfort I might add. And elegance. That one area? With a simple 1/8 of a turn and VIOLA the bay doors elevate ever so slightly(not open mind you), and you have an adjustable or a more aggressive shaver. For the Aristocrat, this comes naturally. An added bonus feature if you will. This Razor in a single swoop replaced my adjustables which I'm going to sell. Those adjustables have become a paper weight. Or fishing weights. There IS a hole along the center bar...Highly recommend it. Buy it!

This is the only razor that I have used for quite some time. Nothing else approaches this classic. Compact, balanced, impeccable shaver. I change blades frequently, as I did oil with a 1964 Galaxy. Every shave is delightful as was every ride in that great car. I hope others get to enjoy this gem.

Received mine as a gift from my son, thanks Bob!

I have been wanting one of these since I began my DE journey 2 years ago, but never could get the price I was willing to pay on the Bay. This thing is definitely Gillette quality at its best IMO. Being gold plated, the razor held my eye as soon as I removed it from the box. It has a very nice and balanced heft to it. Just holding it lets you know that you have something special.

I've had it for 3 weeks now, and I have orphaned my other 4 razors in my rotation, including my beloved Merkur Progress. This is the only razor that I use now. I don't even have any desire to use any of the others. The grip is perfect with the knurling.It's aggressiveness I list as a 7, because I have 2 adjustables, and this one is a bit less aggressive than those two on their highest settings. Each shave is close and smooth, using 2 different blades thus far. I am a huge Feather blade fan, but I have only used a Shark and a Derby blade in this beauty so far. The Sharp lasted 12, yes twelve shaves easily! Not sure if that's a plug for the blade as much as it is for the razor. So far, no matter what blade I insert, it lasts longer than any of my other DE razors. I believe I have a razor marriage that others only dream about.

This review is for the Gillette President, which is very similar to the aristocrat ( at least I think so).
It is easy to see why a lot of veteran wet shavers tell newbies to try out an old Gillette instead of buying a "brand new" razor. Once you pick one of these up, and notice the heft, and overall feel of quality to it. I liked the plating on the president as well ( nickel? rhodium?). I had only used the 3 piece style of razor previously, this is my first "twist to open" style. Changing blades is so easy, (you could change blades during a shave if you wanted, without much trouble at all). The downside would be these are a bit collectable now, and if it is in good shape with a case, it can turn into a bidding war. This razor has a nice balance, and grip to it too, which really helps when going XTG. When this razor was made in 1953 Eisenhower replaced Truman as president, the first color TVs, and Corvettes went on sale, and the first issue of Playboy came out.

It is great razor. I wish it would a little bit more aggressive.

I have an Aristocrat that I bought recently on ebay for a bit under $25. It has the un-notched center bar so I guess its an earlier version, but still post WWII. It's functionally perfect with a fair amount of plating loss. It's really a pleasure to use--I wish I had one of the nickel ones, as the plating seems to last much longer on those. One of my favorite razors.

Had my first shave with a newly acquired #16 British Aristocrat. Very good shaver, this will be a regular in my rotation

My favorite razor. Period. End. My Fatboy, Slim, Super, Merkur, Tech all take a back seat to this razor. Great balance, grip, ease and the best shaves I have ever gotten. Plus the elegance of the razor is unparalleled. Built like a tank with the looks of Raquel Welch, what more could you ask for?

Price: Can be very expensive on auction sites. However, if you find one that you can identify from the picture as being an Aristocrat, and the seller never calls it that, you can get one cheap. It takes work but they can be found at low cost like any other vintage.
Quality: Feels like it is built better than any other TTO gillette that I have used. I only gave it a 9 because since I started using it, the gold has quickly rubbed off the handle. The protective lacquer must be gone.
User Friendly: TTO- very friendly. I have a year without the notch. However, as I don't use that style blade holder, it doesn' t matter to me.
Grip: Feels fine - I haven't had any grip issues
Ease of replacement : TTO - no problem
Balance: Again, never had a balance issue with this. It feels grea in my hand.

Although it isn't adjustable or overly aggressive, the Aristocrat feels like a better build at a higher quality level than the superspeeds that were out at the same time. This razor is an excellent member of the rotation and another razor that without RAD I would happily be able to use as a daily shaver.

I have picked up two of these in the past months at good prices ($20 each, through B&B sell and trade forum) and they are my everyday razors now.

I had been using a low profile '66 SuperSpeed as my daily razor (very fine razor - low profile head is great for shaving under your nose), but wanted to try an Aristocrat because of what I had read about the weight and balance. It is heavier than any SS I have, quite a bit actually. But the joy of this razor is the balance of the weight, which seems well apportioned between the head and the handle, which makes for smooth, consistent three- and four-pass shaves without problem. The grip of the handle is great as well - I shave in the shower - and the grip is much, much easier to hold when wet and soapy than any SS, Tech or Merkur I own.

Not an aggressive razor, IMO - or should I say that it was easy to find a comfortable angle for my average beard and irritation-free on multi-pass shaves.

This is not an adjustable razor, so I gave it a ten as to not penalize the razor for a non-applicable category.

I have a tough beard which is sensitive to pulling. I have tried the Slant, 38C, Gillette Slim, Fatboy, Tech and various others. I always come back to this razor and have come to the conclusion that it cant be beat. It cuts better and is smoother than any other razor bar none. I can get a closer shave with a feather or Swede than I can with a slant. If you have a tough beard then look no further, I honestly don't believe you will find a better razor. Additionally you have the satisfaction of shaving with a real old school razor with class. It just doesn't get any better than this.

I love my '54 Super Speed, but I wanted a something a little heavier. I was looking for a Red Tip, but found this for under $15 shipped. I've found this razor to be fantastic. It has the extra heft I was seeking, and looks great. The grip is grippy even wet and soapy. I checked the blade gap, and it is the same as my Super Speed. The small additional weight would be the only factor in making this razor any more aggressive than a SS.

This is a fantastic razor, I have an American Made '51 model. It is my favorite razor I own. Every shaver needs to at least try this one. I can do three passes with an IP blade and get a BBS shave with no irritation. I love this razor.

Depending on your auction luck you can get an amazing bargain with these razors; but even when you pay more they're certainly worth it.

Build quality and weight distribution is fantastic.The head just seems to land at the correct angle, and it is surprisingly difficult to use too much pressure as the feedback is unparalleled in my experience. Sure you can rip yourself up if you try hard enough, but it does take effort to really mess up. Which I will admit for some is a detraction, as it can hide poor technique.

Generally the shave is both smooth and easy; not to mention quick, and as it is a twist-to-open design a breeze to replace blades.

If only a company out there made a contemporary parallel for those not lucky enough with flea markets and eBay.

Interesting razor. My first 3 shaves were horrible. Very aggressive. Combined with a duller blade, this thing can be mean. If you are not careful it has enough blade exposure to slice off portions of your face. I had a bump on my chin that came right off thanks to a 2nd use Derby. It was my fault, but I wouldn't have had the same issue had it been my Slim on 3 or 4. Regardless this razor has a great feel (good handle grip and lots of heft). Simplicity is key, while keeping with the great Gillette TTO design.

A great razor when used with a little caution.

I used my 1940's British Aristocrat this morning and was astounded at how well it is balanced. The majority of the weight is in the thick, barber pole style handle, which allows for the razor to be controlled exceptionally well. Finding the correct blade angle is a breeze due to the head geometry.

Fantastic shaver, much better than my British Rocket which has more weight in the head than the handle.

Of course. YMMV.

- Jeff

One of the nicest razors ever made.

The adjustabilty rating is meaningless here since it is a fixed blade and as always the aggressiveness criteria is plain silly, a hang-over from when the majority of gentlemen on the shaving forums thought aggressive meant good, when exactly the opposite is true.

Regards
John