Buying vintage Gillette razors

[ElonsMusk]

I've never bought a vintage razor before. I understand they can be fully cleaned up, disinfected, some made to look almost new, and even replated

But when I browse through all the old razors on Ebay looking for one to buy, all i can think about is that scene in the Shining where Jack Nicholson walks into the bathroom and kisses the young naked lady only to realize moments later she is a rotting old disgusting corpse

I know it's kind of irrational but i can't get the thought out of my head, using somebodys old gross razor from many decades ago, ew. It could be sparkling polished and I'd still be thinking, what scum was really inside of this thing.... and who used it years ago...

 

[FarmerTan]

The older the razor the safer it'd be, me thinks. Unless it's got mad cow!

Just scrub it up with a SOFT toothbrush soak it in some Dawn soap, blah, blah.

It'll be fine. I've used old stuff for years. We humans are made pretty tough.

 

[Robbyboxers]

Use Barbicide if you are that freaked out by the though of someone elses use.

It's made for disinfecting razors and other barbering tools/implements.

 

[80211ac]

I've never bought a vintage razor before. I understand they can be fully cleaned up, disinfected, some made to look almost new, and even replated

But when I browse through all the old razors on Ebay looking for one to buy, all i can think about is that scene in the Shining where Jack Nicholson walks into the bathroom and kisses the young naked lady only to realize moments later she is a rotting old disgusting corpse

I know it's kind of irrational but i can't get the thought out of my head, using somebodys old gross razor from many decades ago, ew. It could be sparkling polished and I'd still be thinking, what scum was really inside of this thing.... and who used it years ago...

Exactly my thoughts which is why I haven't really bought one of the old ones just keeping to the new ones. I think its personal thing more than anything else. Lines you can cross and lines you can't.

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[MntnMan62]

I've never bought a vintage razor before. I understand they can be fully cleaned up, disinfected, some made to look almost new, and even replated

But when I browse through all the old razors on Ebay looking for one to buy, all i can think about is that scene in the Shining where Jack Nicholson walks into the bathroom and kisses the young naked lady only to realize moments later she is a rotting old disgusting corpse

I know it's kind of irrational but i can't get the thought out of my head, using somebodys old gross razor from many decades ago, ew. It could be sparkling polished and I'd still be thinking, what scum was really inside of this thing.... and who used it years ago...

Apparently vintage razors are not for you. Nothing wrong with that. But you'd be missing out. They do clean up nicely. It's metal. So they can be very easily cleaned and made to look like new. I've bought lots of vintage razors off ebay, etsy, etc. All I do with them is give them a bath in Dawn Dishwashing liquid and boiling water, scrub them with a toothbrush and maybe apply some metal polish to shine them up a bit. And for silver razors I give them a bath in aluminum foil, baking soda and boiling water. It removes the tarnish and shines them up nicely. I understand where you are coming from because I will never buy a used shaving brush. It may be irrational but I can't get past the possibility that someone esle's skin cells and flakes are embedded deep in the knot and could be released at some point while lathing my face. Irrational? Maybe. But they aren't for me. But vintage razors can easily be cleaned and disinfected in a way that I don't think brushes can be.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

For me a large part of the appeal of vintage razors is precisely because of the previous owners. It is the thought of them possibly trudging off to the trenches in 1914, storming the beaches at Normandy, or any number of other things. The more previous owners the better for that adds to the character and appeal. My favourite razor is the Eclipse Red Ring, it is the finest DE shaving razor I have ever used. If it were new and made by anyone from the cheapest Indian maker, to the GSC knock off, to the finest stainless steel artisan maker, then it would not interest me in the slightest. Why? Because it is not vintage, to me it is dull, soulless and without character, and what is worse it reduces shaving to a joyless utilitarian process of mere beard reduction, which for me happily it is not.

 

[ElonsMusk]

For me a large part of the appeal of vintage razors is precisely because of the previous owners. It is the thought of them possibly trudging off to the trenches in 1914, storming the beaches at Normandy, or any number of other things. The more previous owners the better for that adds to the character and appeal. My favourite razor is the Eclipse Red Ring, it is the finest DE shaving razor I have ever used. If it were new and made by anyone from the cheapest Indian maker, to the GSC knock off, to the finest stainless steel artisan maker, then it would not interest me in the slightest. Why? Because it is not vintage, to me it is dull, soulless and without character, and what is worse it reduces shaving to a joyless utilitarian process of mere beard reduction, which for me happily it is not.

I hear you, i guess there's a little difference between some of the super-old ones that have the military history. And then there's your typical 60's or 70's razor that sat in soap scum and dirty water in some sweaty greasy hairy guy's smelly bathroom right next to where he took his dumps for over two decades and oh he may have also used it to shave his groin area every now and then.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

While I have no desire to shave with a vintage razor (after all, I shaved with one when I started shave in in 1967, but it wasn’t vintage yet), I would like to own a Gillette from the 50’s or 60’s. I would probably put it in a shadow box to hang in my bathroom. I can’t call it’s shave den since I share it with my wife and I don’t have any stuff to display yet.

 

[ShaverAZ]

in kind: I go to a restaurant & can't get past what grossly disgusting food was previously served on the dishes, and what disgustingly foul smelling denture breath old being stuck that cutlery in their reeking mouths.

Guess it's just a personal preference ... leaves more vintage razors for me.

 

[karacha]

Vintage razors are awesome when properly cleaned, disinfected or even replated. My oldest is a platinum replated "1912" GEM from 1920.

 

[ElonsMusk]

in kind: I go to a restaurant & can't get past what grossly disgusting food was previously served on the dishes, and what disgustingly foul smelling denture breath old being stuck that cutlery in their reeking mouths.

Guess it's just a personal preference ... leaves more vintage razors for me.

You're not alone. When it comes to restaurants and cafes (any kind of outside dining) etc. if given the choice I prefer to eat off new paper and plastic plates, trays, bowls, etc and with all disposable utensils.

 

[santamariasteve]

Brother Musk,

There are no germs "inside" a metallic razor. All the baddies are on the surface, and they are easily washed off with soap and water, and can be further sterilized in sunlight for a few hours.

A used razor can be as clean (maybe cleaner) as the dishes, glasses and flatware in your favorite restaurant.

I have been on this forum for almost 10 years, and I have never read a post from a person that claimed he got sick from using a second hand razor. Not one!

Let not your heart be troubled. There are much bigger issues in life to be concerned about.

 

[Ad Astra]

Lucky for me, a friend thought the same way and gave me a 1912-made silver ABC set, in perfect condition.

It shaves great, and is worth $$$.


AA

 

[Chesty]

I would be reluctant to be critical of the concern about vintage razors, but I consider it comparable to going to the barber shop. The same instruments are used client by client and cleaned/disinfected for use on the next person. I am not a scientist but I am comfortable that all of the vintage razors that I own are as safe as the new ones once they have gone through the simmering in Dawn, soaking in Barbicide, scrubbing bubbles treatment and general washing.

 

[sarimento1]

Welcome to B&B, Sir Elonsmusk!

For my part, love my vintage Gillettes!! A part of history!

These are easily sanitized, no worry whatsoever!!
But, do whatever you feel is right!!

 

[Cleanface]

I don’t own any vintage razors but if I were to consider buying one I would recall that I’ve been to the dentist numerous times in my 70 years and all those stainless picks, tools and drill bits were in someone else’s mouth before mine. Just saying

 

[fhalden]

I don’t own any vintage razors but if I were to consider buying one I would recall that I’ve been to the dentist numerous times in my 70 years and all those stainless picks, tools and drill bits were in someone else’s mouth before mine. Just saying

That equipment gets sterilized in an autoclave between each use.

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[Whiterook]

Yeah and all those organic vegetables grown in "natural" fertilizer!!

NOTHING IS SAFE!!!

 

[Omarz]

Get your hands on new old stock still I. Packaging that’s what I did still gave it a scrub but and a douse of iso alcohol but good enough

 

[Demolition]

I hear you, i guess there's a little difference between some of the super-old ones that have the military history. And then there's your typical 60's or 70's razor that sat in soap scum and dirty water in some sweaty greasy hairy guy's smelly bathroom right next to where he took his dumps for over two decades and oh he may have also used it to shave his pubes every now and then.

Now I see why you suffer from paralysis when it comes to choosing razors, brushes, soaps, etc. If I analyzed things this deeply every time that I needed to perform a task, I'd probably just lock myself in my house.

As for vintage razors... I got most of mine from my Dad. My first shave was with a Slim that he had used earlier the same day. I didn't think twice about it. Now that he's gone, I feel extremely lucky to have had that experience.