Bulgarian Barbasol

[mjclark]

So I took a chance on this eBay razor that I thought might be a Barbasol.
No it isn't, it's something Bulgarian from the 1970's with quite a similar head design.
I wonder what the shave will be like?

It came with a hideous gold tone Soluna style handle but it looks and feels a lot better with something heavier:

So has anybody seen one like this before?

 

[Highspeedlane]

Never seen anything like that but it looks highly interesting an unusual. Once you've used it post the results. Congrats!

 

[nemo]

Cool razor! Bulgaria ended up with a lot of old razors for some reason. You're lucky you got it, the last time I bought one from there it never arrived.

 

[TobyC]

The handle is way off center, it's right at the "lather slot" on the left, and pretty far away from the one on the right. You might want to check that before you shave with it, might be overly aggressive on one side as is.

 

[Highspeedlane]

The handle is way off center, it's right at the "lather slot" on the left, and pretty far away from the one on the right. You might want to check that before you shave with it, might be overly aggressive on one side as is.

Spot on Toby, now I see it. Amazing!

 

[Bondage007]

I actually have a couple of very similar Bulgarian razors. One standard and one travel. If I can find tomorrow I'll snap a picture.
These razor heads look very similar to the Swing type razor head. Although I have never have seen a serrated type bar
like yours.

Cheers
John

 

[chongo gordo]

I'd picked up one of these on the auction site, and I agree, the head cap covers the blade tabs much like that of the Barbasol, and it provides a similarly aggressive shave.

In appearance it looks very much like the Fatip Testina Gentile.

View attachment 700261

 

[mjclark]

The handle is way off center, it's right at the "lather slot" on the left, and pretty far away from the one on the right. You might want to check that before you shave with it, might be overly aggressive on one side as is.

Well spotted - thanks for pointing this out.
Turns out it's a problem with the threading on that handle.
The head and pins themselves are symmetrical:

 

[rabidus]

I have one of these. It is very aggressive and has blade aligning issues.

 

[mjclark]

I have one of these. It is very aggressive and has blade aligning issues.

View attachment 700268
View attachment 700269
View attachment 700270
View attachment 700271

Ha ha - it sounds like a true classic and just my sort of razor [emoji3]
Did these have a Brand Name?

 

[TobyC]

Well spotted - thanks for pointing this out.
Turns out it's a problem with the threading on that handle.
The head and pins themselves are symmetrical:

Cool!

 

[TobyC]

Is it all brass, or is the cap aluminum?

 

[BigJ]

This one is new to me! Thanks for posting!

 

[mjclark]

Is it all brass, or is the cap aluminum?

All brass and sturdy.

 

[TobyC]

All brass and sturdy.

Thank you sir!

 

[rabidus]

Ha ha - it sounds like a true classic and just my sort of razor [emoji3]
Did these have a Brand Name?

I have no idea what it's called...

I believe mine was shipped from Bulgaria also.

 

[chongo gordo]

BTW, the same to come equipped with a two-piece travel style handle. The balance on these i way off considering the size of the massive head and cap. I used mine on a fat-handled Tech handle.

 

[mjclark]

Shave this morning with a new Polsilver:

Having read the comments from other people who own this razor and just looking at how the blade sits in the head I already knew this was going to be a fierce shave.

A lot of the Iron Curtain razors are aggressive but also rough so I was preparing for a rocky ride.

But wow! what an excellent shave, very aggressive with lots and lots of blade feel and yet beautifully smooth.
The nice weighty head deserves a good weighty handle to pair it with and this really is a superb shaver.

I just bought this as a novelty but with the right handle it's up there with some of my best DEs.

It also reminded me of a thought which I've been pushing to the back of my mind, that for very aggressive shaving DEs like this give the very best results.

When I first started using a Cobra Classic somebody PM'd me and said how they'd been using a Cobra daily for a year but then they got a 2011 R41 and they sold the Cobra.

So I've had a Cobra and a Mongoose and now a Rocnel SE50 as well as a Feather DX.
For sure they're an incredible amount of fun and blow most other razors out of the water.
Also those GEM/ER SEs and the injectors which give an amazingly smart and supremely comfortable shave every time.

And don't forget the real straights which are simply a delight in every way and a most amazing journey.

But super aggressive DEs which allow steep angle like this one give me the best shave of all in terms of results... and I don't really want to admit that.

 

[mjclark]

Update!
A couple more of these amazing razors have turned up on the bay and the sellers say that these razors come from the TPK "Brotherly Labour" (workers co-operative) steel casting factory in Sandanski.

 

[BSAGuy]

Interesting razor and provenance, Marcus. Thanks for sharing your research.