Facebook , Instagram etc all have ads for new double edge razors. They make it sound like it’s something new that hasn’t been around for over 100 years. They are all different prices usually too expensive. I’ve shaved with a lot of different razors and for my face none are as close and smooth or as beautiful as my 90 year old Gillette New Deluxe. There is nothing like shaving with piece of history that could have been used by someone famous or even your Grandfather. All at a fraction of the cost of one of these new razors
All these new double edge razors
- Thread starter robertj298
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You’ve nailed it. Exactly right !
There's a lot more talk on B&B about modern razors than there used to be. When I joined up it was almost 70/30 vintage razors; now that ratio seems reversed.
You're correct, our little subculture does seem to divide itself a bit in the modern vs vintage razor camps. Obviously, many people do some of each.
I've been wet shaving for almost 15 years with a combination of razors, but they have tended to be modern or modern takes on older concepts (newer DE razors and Feather straights). I've yet to try a vintage DE mostly because a) I've read that they are almost all quite mild and I prefer more aggressive razors and b) I'm a little intimidated as to what to buy and how to be sure I am buying one in good condition.
There is probably a wealth of information here on what and how to buy a vintage, but if you all have suggestions, you might give me some inspiration and save me some search time.
I've been wet shaving for almost 15 years with a combination of razors, but they have tended to be modern or modern takes on older concepts (newer DE razors and Feather straights). I've yet to try a vintage DE mostly because a) I've read that they are almost all quite mild and I prefer more aggressive razors and b) I'm a little intimidated as to what to buy and how to be sure I am buying one in good condition.
There is probably a wealth of information here on what and how to buy a vintage, but if you all have suggestions, you might give me some inspiration and save me some search time.
There is little to no way for someone to make a living off vintage razor sales.
Modern machines, CNC, 3D and new materials, make it possible for people to make a business designing or even copying vintage razors amd selling them to new shavers. I would venture to guess, many people outside the forum, don't even know vintage razors exist and still perform like the day they were made.
Modern machines, CNC, 3D and new materials, make it possible for people to make a business designing or even copying vintage razors amd selling them to new shavers. I would venture to guess, many people outside the forum, don't even know vintage razors exist and still perform like the day they were made.
Taking your preferences into consideration (if I'm not mistaken you have a clear preference for "very aggressive razors") I'd say better skip the closed comb vintage razors... For sure, I haven't tested them all, but closed combed Techs, SuperSpeeds and the vintage adjustables are far from being aggressive (according to "your scale"). Even, say, a Fatboy cranked up to 9 is likely a rather mild razor as per your standards.
Perhaps have an eye on the OC Gillette Old Type (but still, I fear you'll end up considering the Old Type to be rather mild razor as well... )...
Cheers!
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- Thread starter
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I would agree with you. I love the prewar techs and they are fine for my beard. My beard is wirey but not overly thick. My most aggressive razor and also the smoothest is Gillettes New Deluxe. I don’t know if it’s the heavy weight of the head or the design but it is my favorite
Wardonia
Myatt-Daymark
Le Coq Caged comb
Famex
Funken
Barbasol Floating Head
really any of the pre-War Gillettes
British Gillettes are pretty much always more aggressive/efficient than USA-made
Yup, but the cost of admission for something like a Tradere could easily get you a mint toggle back then.
It was also the only real artisan choices for a while were Above the Tie or Tradere, then Weber came out with their much more budget friendly entry. Then Ikon started making several different models and slowly other manufactures started joining in.
It was pretty hard for many to justify a lot of these new razors especially when you could buy an Edwin Jagger head by itself for $20 new. Webers and Above the Tie models just seemed to be nice stainless made in the USA versions.
It’s nice seeing new models but an exorbitant price tag is an immediate turn off to me. The sheer quantity of new entries in the last few years by itself is almost overwhelming.
Discussion above has reminded me back when I got into wet shaving 2006-2011 time frame, there really weren't many modern producers of shave products or razors that really crossed my radar and I was participating in some popular internet boards at the time. It seems like Merkur, Muhle, and Edwin Jagger were the only producers making new razors at the time that anyone talked about. It wasn't until I started looking for a new razor in 2019ish and rejoined some boards like this one that I became aware of all these new producers. So yes, I think everyone above is correct that the number of modern razor producers that are around right now is pretty surprising even compared to what was available around 10 years ago. There are probably a handful I am overlooking, but that's my recollection of the time period.
I will say I like my modern razors, but I sure do enjoy using my 48 Aristocrat when it comes up in rotation. A very nice shaving razor that hangs with my modern favorites. Nice to have options.
I like both my vintage and modern razors and while most well made modern razors are quite expensive, the same can be said for some specific models. For instance, the Darwin razors cost on average between $1000 - $2000 and they look ugly as hell. There are also lots of vintage Gillette razors that cost way more than pretty much any modern razor, but of course no one talks about them and instead people compare a Tech to a Rocnel.
Which one is better though? That's up to the user. I own plenty of vintage razors that are on pair with some of my favorite modern razors and I've also used quite a few vintage and modern razors that I didn't like one bit.
I'm not sure how different the 15mm and the 17mm NEW De Luxe versions are, but I find my 15mm to be quite rough and it's not of my favorite.
Which one is better though? That's up to the user. I own plenty of vintage razors that are on pair with some of my favorite modern razors and I've also used quite a few vintage and modern razors that I didn't like one bit.
I'm not sure how different the 15mm and the 17mm NEW De Luxe versions are, but I find my 15mm to be quite rough and it's not of my favorite.
I like some modern razors like my Wolfman WR2’s. They are perfectly machined and shave incredibly.
I still use my 70-90 year old Gillettes regularly though.
Hard to improve on the 100+ year old DE razor design IMO beyond tightening up the manufacturing tolerances to the point where people are unable to notice.
I still use my 70-90 year old Gillettes regularly though.
Hard to improve on the 100+ year old DE razor design IMO beyond tightening up the manufacturing tolerances to the point where people are unable to notice.
There are 3 things that vintage can't offer and what people are looking for.
Exotic materials, i.e. SS, Ti, Cu, Bronze, 3D printing,
Aggression levels: Merkur Future, Muhle R41 and the likes that weren't a thing before,
Different blade choices, AC, Feather Genesys blade, some new injector razor like the Supply, or the ones using half DE blades, etc.
Now if you ask me over the SR fence, there is also starting to shift over with new custom razors creators that are also making a splash like Korat, Drew D, M Sprecker and so on.
In the end we all want choices, and the latest toy.
Exotic materials, i.e. SS, Ti, Cu, Bronze, 3D printing,
Aggression levels: Merkur Future, Muhle R41 and the likes that weren't a thing before,
Different blade choices, AC, Feather Genesys blade, some new injector razor like the Supply, or the ones using half DE blades, etc.
Now if you ask me over the SR fence, there is also starting to shift over with new custom razors creators that are also making a splash like Korat, Drew D, M Sprecker and so on.
In the end we all want choices, and the latest toy.
Thin cap Old Type
New Long Comb
1st Gen Aristocrat
All of them OC‘s and quite efficient. If you buy a refurbished/replated one chances are high that you get a fine shaver. Buying in the wild is always a bit of a gamble but fun. Just avoid the cracked/crooked ones with missing teeth…
Is the NEW Deluxe very different in design from the NEW Improved? I have the latter and I find it smooth indeed, but not aggressive at all. Very comfortable actually. Could be very much YMMV, but I am curious if there is a design difference between the two.
Thanks,
Guido
And to add to that NEW Long Comb Flat Bottom. Great and effective razor. I do find my NEW LC to be ever so slightly smoother.
Guido
I love my Timeless by the way so the variety is great. I read somewhere in another thread we might be in the golden age of wet shaving.
And yet, my shave this morning with my Tech was an excellent BBS a well. My view and experience is that most Gillettes and other vintage razors can certainly pull above their weight.
Guido
And yet, my shave this morning with my Tech was an excellent BBS a well. My view and experience is that most Gillettes and other vintage razors can certainly pull above their weight.
Guido
It is an age of consumerism and newer and better takes on a classic design or system. I do not have experience with vintage razors and shave with a Henson or a Yates so I guess that will color my viewpoint on things shave wise.
Still on the List of to try:
Blackland Era
WSC Merica
Rockwell 6s
Still on the List of to try:
Blackland Era
WSC Merica
Rockwell 6s
I just did the math... 5 out of 17 (so 29.4%) of my razors are Vintage Gillette razors. I'm new so unlike some of you who have been wet shaving for years or decades, I had a clean slate. As a result of showing up here and reading all the new threads and tons of ancient threads, I now have more of the newer developed ones.
I like the designs of some of the newer offerings a bit more, as well as the sounds they make when I shave. My goal is to end up with a few modern and a few classics that provide stellar shaves. I think as I use the razors I've assembled, this won't be a daunting task. Getting to all of them is a bit of a challenge since I only shave every other day, but I'm working my way through them. First world problem.... buying too many new razors in a short time.
I like the designs of some of the newer offerings a bit more, as well as the sounds they make when I shave. My goal is to end up with a few modern and a few classics that provide stellar shaves. I think as I use the razors I've assembled, this won't be a daunting task. Getting to all of them is a bit of a challenge since I only shave every other day, but I'm working my way through them. First world problem.... buying too many new razors in a short time.
