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Any Vintage Blade Users Out There?

Anytime I've tried to use vintage DE blades, the experience was so harrowing that I understood why disposable cartridges and whatnot were able to gain dominance in the mid-70s.

Thankfully, today is different.
I have to wonder how many shaves you have tried with vintage blades, what brands, and what condition the blades were in?
 
I have to wonder how many shaves you have tried with vintage blades, what brands, and what condition the blades were in?
Exactly. Top brand vintage blades in good to pristine condition are unmatched by today's.
 
I have to wonder how many shaves you have tried with vintage blades, what brands, and what condition the blades were in?

I think the last ones I tried were called "Shamrock" and came with a green bakelite razor endorsed by a Chicago newspaper. I'd have to check once I get back home...sobriety permitting...
 
I think the last ones I tried were called "Shamrock" and came with a green bakelite razor endorsed by a Chicago newspaper. I'd have to check once I get back home...sobriety permitting...
No, no, no. Not what we're talking about. No.
Gillettes
Schicks
Personnas
Wilkinson.......
double edge razor blades.
 
Those Shamrocks are DE blades! And I'm sure they were widely used by some...sucker...frayed at the cuffs and down at the heels.
 
So I’ve laid in a supply of about 225 Spoilers and 100 US-made 1980s Gillette Platinum Plus. They’re my favorite blades. I prefer to use them over my recent manufacture blades. But I have plenty of those too. It just seems that I don’t get as many shaves out of 21st-century blades as I do out of the old US Gillettes, but I get perfectly good shaves from all of them.

What I won’t use are any vintage blades that don’t have Teflon coating on them. So 1960s Spoilers are as old as I’ll use.
 
I used them in the 70s, before they were vintage (English-made Wilkinsons left over from my dad, although there might also have been some Personnas). Cue Jonie Mitchell: "Don't it always seem to go..."

Recently I bought a few Personna 74s, to scratch my curiosity itch (and my face). I enjoyed the shave, and they do last (the first one was still slogging it out like a champ on #11, on the 10th June, and showed no signs of flagging).

On the other hand, I'm getting a fantastic result with Astra SPs and Rockwell 6S.

In twenty years, if there are any young DE-ers, they will hold such mundane gear in awe, and trade it for big money.
 
Those Shamrocks are DE blades! And I'm sure they were widely used by some...sucker...frayed at the cuffs and down at the heels.
I never said they weren't, and I'm sure they were "widely used by some" but dollars to donuts it wasn't because they were as good as the ones I mentioned. Frayed or not.
 
If there are any DE shavers left 30-40 years in the future (assuming that I will live that long lol), i'll be telling stories about my stash of 2000 Polsilver blades (assuming that any of them will be left by that time lol) and how I got them for around 140$ with shipping from Bulgaria. I will also tell everyone how great they are and that no other current blade can match them in any way possible and also try to sell them for as much as I can. The thing about history is that it always repeat itself.
 
Started my vintage DE razor blade journey today with a French Gillette Silver Platine.

Have some Schick Plus Platinum and English Wilkinson Sword Super Sword-Edge NOS sealed in plastic on the way - and have my eye on a few other vintage Gillette lots.
 
Started my vintage DE razor blade journey today with a French Gillette Silver Platine.

Have some Schick Plus Platinum and English Wilkinson Sword Super Sword-Edge NOS sealed in plastic on the way - and have my eye on a few other vintage Gillette lots.
All good blades, congratulations. I’ve got quite a few of each of those you mentioned, as well as spoilers. I don’t use them exclusively but they certainly get used & enjoyed.
 
I have one pack of Personna 74's with a few blades left, that I keep for special occasions. Today I couldn't resist the urge anymore, took one out and cut it in half to try it out in my Leaf Twig razor. And man, what a great shaving experience the paired Personna 74 and Twig give. A sort of old skool and new skool rocket age shaving experience!

I love the Twig for smooth troublesome shaves anyway, but the experience differs of course based on the blades that you are using. The Personna 74 in my Twig delivered a knife through butter smooth shaving experience. The two day stubble disappeared easily without any irritation or knicks/cuts. So now i am curious how many delightful shaves I will get from this combo. Will keep you updated. ;-)
 
I use modern and relatively modern (Silver Star, Super Irridium, Sharp Star), but prefer vintage blades. I've got a stock of Wilkinson London Bridge (England), Polsilver, Spoiler, Platinum Plus, Plus Platinum, and a few Personna 74's.
 
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I started off using modern blades but now primarily use vintage blades from the golden era 1960's-1990's. I get more smooth shaves from the vintage blades and that offsets the increased cost.

Nothing to see here...Keep moving along and buy your new Astra SP blades......
 
Anyone ever try any of these? I just got them in today's mail. They're most from the 1920s and 1930s. Thoughts? Advice?
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