Beter of Spain

[2whluge]

Spent 5 days in Madrid, so of course I had to look for stuff I cannot get at home. We were grocery shopping at El Corte Ingles, a big store with groceries in the basement. And what do I see? One of my favorite shaving sticks, La Toja, on sale at 2 for 3€! Grabbed a tube of cream as well. Went back just before we left to grab some more and a few extras for my son in law.

I had ordered a couple these online and it has become my favorite soap. I grated one and put it in a push up tube, and another in a bowl. I’m covered.

Also bought a Spanish razor, Beter, more on these when I’ve used it a bit.

 

[rockviper]

That's the way to do it! Grab what you can when you see it.

 

[Ad Astra]

And you didn't grab the Floid Vigoroso aftershave right next to it!?

Earlier this year in Corte Ingles (Aviles) I grabbed some- and didn't even need the stuff, my Spanish nephew keeps me supplied. But hey, when in Spain- buy La Toja and Floid!


AA

 

[cwnidog]

Good grabbing.

 

[Useless shaver]

You didn't buy Myrsol? El Corte Inglés don't carry those AS, I think, but it's not difficult to find them.

Funny thing is I live in Madrid, I have La Toja at hand, for a song, but it is not one of my favourite soaps... Life is weird...

 

[BigJ]

Great move! La Toja is excellent!

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

Beter has been around since the 1930s and branched out from manufacturing razor blades to DE razors in the 1960s - yet no mention of the company at all in Waits. I understand that no reference work is without error but still, this is a big omission.

 

[Manuel Vazquez]

Beter has been around since the 1930s and branched out from manufacturing razor blades to DE razors in the 1960s ...

At this moment it is a company that sells products imported (almost always) from China, and that sells in neighborhood perfume stores, and in supermarkets. Low range .. However, they are products of some quality but cheap: Baili razors, Omega brushes ... etc

 

[gvw755]

At this moment it is a company that sells products imported (almost always) from China, and that sells in neighborhood perfume stores, and in supermarkets. Low range .. However, they are products of some quality but cheap: Baili razors, Omega brushes ... etc

Yes, as I searched eBay the other night, I was surprised to see brand new "made in Spain" Beter razors that were Baili razors. Now I know that the original Beter were close designs of the Tech, which the Baili comes real close to being a great clone of the Tech, but still...

 

[gvw755]

All this talk about Beter made me take notice of one on eBay. It arrived today and looked good enough for me to do a light cleaning and popped a blade in for tonight's shave. Manual mentioned that they now import Baili razors, and this vintage Beter reminded me of the earlier Baili Tech clone (BT131). The Beter was very light and the stamped base plate looked thin enough to bend. The top cap showed some spots where there was blistering under the plating, which I light sanded to try to smooth it out. I did not pursue it too far as I was not sure if it was brass underneath the plating (which I doubted because of it's lightness). I thought it was unusual for the top cap to be a different color from the rest of the razor, which was gold, but noticed other pictures of different Beter razors showing the same thing. The handle was the best part of everything as the knurling was very well done, and no plating loss.

So, how did it shave? I put a used blade in and lathered up and started my WTG pass. It appeared to like a very steep angle, however it was easy to lose the angle and I ended up just moving lather around a couple of times. Going ATG was a little easier as I could feel the blade better. Overall, the shave was very mild, but surprisingly efficient, not unlike the real Tech or Baili clone. Definitely a razor I will work with a little more to get to know better.

 

[fridelain]

Also bought a Spanish razor, Beter,

I'd bet, dollars to peanuts, the only thing Spanish about it is the brand name, and that blister read on the back something along the lines of "Hecho en China".

 

[Graybeard57]

Spent 5 days in Madrid, so of course I had to look for stuff I cannot get at home. We were grocery shopping at El Corte Ingles, a big store with groceries in the basement. And what do I see? One of my favorite shaving sticks, La Toja, on sale at 2 for 3€! Grabbed a tube of cream as well. Went back just before we left to grab some more and a few extras for my son in law.

I had ordered a couple these online and it has become my favorite soap. I grated one and put it in a push up tube, and another in a bowl. I’m covered.

Also bought a Spanish razor, Beter, more on these when I’ve used it a bit.

So, your trip seems to have paid for itself!

 

[Feather-man]

Beter made an open comb razor at some point,

 

[Manuel Vazquez]

[QUOTE = "fridelain, post: 9396063, member: 118935"] Apostaría, dólares por cacahuetes, lo único español es la marca, y esa ampolla leyó en la parte de atrás algo así como "Hecho en China ". [/ QUOTE]

Las afeitadoras Beter son en realidad un cambio de marca de los chinos, específicamente son Baili. Pero también Beter ha abandonado la comercialización de la línea para hombres (de todos modos, no se pierde nada). Los Baili son más baratos en eBay, y sus pinceles (Omega) eran de muy mala calidad y (en mi caso) eran defectuosos. Repito, ¡nada está perdido!

 

[rockviper]

Google translation of ^^^^^^

The Beter shavers are actually a change of brand of the Chinese, specifically they are Baili. But also Beter has abandoned the marketing of the line for men (anyway, nothing is lost). The Baili are cheaper on eBay, and their brushes (Omega) were of very poor quality and (in my case) were defective. I repeat, nothing is lost!

 

[gvw755]

Beter made an open comb razor at some point,

View attachment 846097

View attachment 846098

Looks "beter" than my POC Tech clone. I like that chiseled head design. I have a Personna DE with that design and Blackland uses that design for their DE razors. Gives great shaves.

 

[Snowbeard]

Here's some more shots of a vintage Beter Open Comb safety razor, like Feather-man's above. I got it from todocoleccion, the Spanish classified ads website. I've managed to acquire 3 razors from this site, and all were smooth, flawless transactions. (Hopefully I haven't jinxed myself here, as I still have one more razor coming, a Maravilla Curvada.) I recommend this site for those interested in Spanish safety razors. It takes a while for good razors to come up, of course, as many razors there do appear awfully beaten up. But not this Beter!

 

[Clouds]

You certainly manage to find them @Snowbeard - Nice find.

 

[Snowbeard]

You certainly manage to find them @Snowbeard - Nice find.

Thanks Clouds, I know this comes from a fellow searcher, and a person who also appreciates somewhat obscure razors. Any success I enjoy in this endeavor I attribute to:

• Google Translate,
• Regularly spending inordinate amounts of time hunched over a computer,
• Having the ability to spend fairly silly amounts of cash (at least sometimes), and
• Being blessed with a partner who can be forgiving, understanding or just preoccupied.

 

[Snowbeard]

Beter en realidad solo es una tienda, un comercializador, pero sus productos son chinos . Han abandonado la seccion de afeitado para hombre . Su brocha era italiana , de Omega , su razor, era de Baili ... no era un nivel muy elevado de producto . Se ha ido ... pero no es algo lamentable !

To Google translate your words, looks like you said (approximately):

"Beter is really just a store, a marketer, but his products are Chinese. They have abandoned the men's shaving section. His brush was Italian, Omega's, his razor, it was Baili ... it was not a very high level of product. It's gone ... but it's not unfortunate!"

So, are you saying that all Beter razors were made in China, including vintage ones, or only more recently produced ones? If you are saying "all", I personally would be surprised if this were true. For me, and with the greatest respect, the statement above from Salty O'Rouke seems to make more sense, at least with regard to the many vintage Beter razors to be found in Spain. Perhaps your suggestion may be correct with regard to more recently made Beter's. But, I really don't know to be honest, I'm just giving my thoughts here. Maybe you have much more solid information to provide. My gut feeling is that Beter's seem to have a German look and feel to them (if they are indeed not actually made in Spain). Similar to the Luso, which was marketed in Portugal but made in Germany (apparently). If you have more information to provide, it would be welcome, and I'm happy to be straightened out, no problem.