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I see that the Rockwell Model T is finally available for retail sale, nearly four years after the launch of its crowdfunding campaign. The tab is $150. I’m curious what folks here think about its prospects in the market. Personally, I think it may be a tough go at that asking price, given the...

I know the RR Lupo is intended to be a copy of the Wolfman; I believe the WR-1 from what I've seen. I don't, and am not likely to ever, have a Wolfman to compare to my Lupo, so for those who have used both, just how similar is the shave? I should add that I'm talking about the original machined...

A while back on somewhat of a whim I picked up a Parker semi-slant. Though I’ve tried a few slants over the years I never really got the bug in a big way. But I found the Parker delivering some really impressive shaves and it prompted me to revisit another slant I still own, the RazoRock German...

I'm looking for some help with identifying this vintage DE. Obviously it is a Bakelite handle Tech knock-off, right down to the triangle-shaped slots on the base plate. But it's not a Tech. The only mark is the "NP" trademark on the base of the handle, the head is unmarked. Anyone have any...

I came across this pack of vintage Personna hospital blades in the wild a couple of years back; I didn't know it at the time, but upon unwrapping it turned out these were the legendary 74s. A score, for sure. I've used a few of them since and have had good, if not spectacular, results. A very...

By my count there are around a dozen brands of modern stainless DEs currently on the market, most selling for well north of $150. I’ve wondered if the relatively small market for DEs (and smaller yet for the really high end stuff) could support all of these enterprises over the longer term...

I'm a hobbyist brush restorer, so my brushes are pretty much all vintage handles with knots from various vendors, mostly TGN finest and V. Sheng silvertips, along with a couple of Omega boars. I find these brushes to be very good performers, and of course the vintage handles are very cool (and...

I recently came across this in the wild: a 100 pack of vintage Personna blades, marked "For Hospital Use". There were 20 or so blades left in the package; I picked it up for $5. I figured what the heck, some vintage Med Preps. Then, when I unwrapped one of the blades, here is what was...

Trying to curb my tendency for excess, I've gotten pretty selective about my restorations. But I do have a soft spot for Erskine brushes, so when I came across this one in excellent condition ... well, let's just say that the shelf is now a little more crowded. I set this one with a new (to...

I’ve been wondering why modern production three piece razors all seem to use pins or studs for blade alignment. Why don’t more razors use corner tabs or, better yet, center bars with corner tabs, ala vintage Gillette three piece heads? The standard two pin/stud design is notoriously unreliable...

I was lucky enough to come across this beauty out in the wild. The seller was not knowledgeable regarding shaving stuff, but assumed that anything made of Bakelite is "collectible" and therefore commands a premium price. her asking price was pretty painful, but a little discussion, a little...

Here’s a recent find; as you can see, it’s an old OC marked “EverSharp”, or perhaps Ever Sharp (?), it’s hard to tell for sure given the cursive font. Also, it is possible to read it as “EvenSharp”, but I’m inclined to go with “Ever”. As you can see, it’s a Gillette Old Type knock off...

I offer this as conclusive proof of the adage that sometimes it really is better to be lucky than good. Last weekend my wife and I took in an outdoor antique fair, mostly just as a way to spend a beautiful early fall day together. She likes to browse the assortment of vintage stuff; I of...

I recently finished up the restore on this Erskine 3109 handle. I neglected to take any before photos, but this one came pretty gunked up and I wasn't sure how it would clean up. But as it turns out, pretty well. I wanted to preserve a bit of the ambering/patina, so I took a pretty light...

I've always liked Erskine handles, particularly the older ones that often feature elegant, sculpted shapes. They aren't necessarily that common in my experience, so when I came across this one I was pretty stoked. Not only is it a cool shape with the hexagonal Bakelite base, this particular one...

Proving the adage that sometimes it is better to be lucky than good, I came across this incredible specimen on a recent outing. Of course I don't have any way of actually knowing for sure, but this thing looks to me as if it has never been used. Even the box is in near pristine condition...

I had a Semogue 1305 that I liked very much, but (as is apparently standard for this handle) it didn't take long for the paint to start chipping off. And this, just about the time it was nicely broken in and really hitting its stride. Eventually it became pretty ratty looking and wasn't seeing...

I recently finished up restoring this pair of old Klenzo black and butterscotch handles. I love butterscotch Bakelite, and I especially like the "matching" pair aspect of these, and also that they "go" with my old Klenzo Razor and Blade combination gift pack. I set them both with TGN Finest...

Here's my most recent project, this Ever Ready with a wood handle base. The only marking other than the ER logo shown on the front is the letter "A" on the back side. I've seen lots of these old wooden handle brushes over the years, of various brands, and usually the wood is in tough shape...

I have a thing for the unusual, so when I saw this, I had to have it. What you see in the first photo are the only markings on the razor, namely the “Xs” and “Os”, the numeral “3” and “Made in USA” embossed on the bottom of the plate, and also the...