What's new

Do vintage razors wear out with regular use

Right or wrong; after each use of a razor (all metal), I finger clean and rinse all soap and whiskers out and give them a swish in a jar of alcohol (to prevent soap scum build up), shake dry and put away (without blade). I've been doing this for a while and they stay looking pristine. My vintage brass ones I hand dry to keep water spots.

IMG_0556.JPG
 
"Do vintage razors wear out with regular use?"

Yes, of course they do. The question is whether your lifestyle will not wear you out much quicker than regular use will wear out your vintage razor, provided that you use the razor as intended and give it a little maintenance.
 
Plating loss is the only wear I've noticed on vintage razors. Chance are good that if I have great grandchildren, they'd be able to use an pass on my razors to their grandchildren.
 
I have and use regularly a Senator which has been used for the past 65 years. The plating seems to have no wear whatsoever. The previous owner used it daily and cleaned it after each shave. He put it up dry and kept it dry and clean. The razor today looks to be in mint condition. I follow the same routine. After the shave wash and rinse the soap scum off using dish soap and an old toothbrush. Dry and apply Alcohol 91% to drive out any water droplets trapped deep inside. and then put up dry to await the next use.

The only wear on the razor is in the blade tray where the blade flexes when the handle is tightened. There is a strip of the finish that appears as if its frosted. But the finish is in great condition there and is no thinning it just appears to have a slightly muted or frost where the blade touches.
I have no doubt this one will last for several hundred years if not abused in some manner.
 
Question for @Captain Murphy or anyone else who may know: With the adjustables and their spring loaded "last quarter turn" knob, if storing or not using the razor for an extended period of time, should the knob be left in the rested position so as not to keep pressure on the spring? Or is it OK to go ahead and leave it in the locked down position?

Just curious - I know that sometimes, certain types of springs can lose their strength if kept under tension for a long time.
To my knowledge Gillette never addressed this issue in their instructions. Therefore I conclude it doesn't make any difference. However, I suggest if the razor is stored without a blade there is no purpose of tightening it the last 1/4 turn. The purpose of doing that is to "torque" the blade, whatever that may mean. If there is no blade in the razor the need to torque is moot.

Personally when I load a new blade I torque it the last 1/4 turn, and leave it that way until its time to change the blade. When the razor is empty and is to be stored for awhile, I snug it up barely closed, but I don't do the last 1/4 turn to torque.
 
To my knowledge Gillette never addressed this issue in their instructions. Therefore I conclude it doesn't make any difference. However, I suggest if the razor is stored without a blade there is no purpose of tightening it the last 1/4 turn. The purpose of doing that is to "torque" the blade, whatever that may mean. If there is no blade in the razor the need to torque is moot.

Personally when I load a new blade I torque it the last 1/4 turn, and leave it that way until its time to change the blade. When the razor is empty and is to be stored for awhile, I snug it up barely closed, but I don't do the last 1/4 turn to torque.
Good suggestion! I'll just copy what you do, and release the tension on my Fatboy and Slim while they're empty. Thanks!
 
I have many (too many?) vintage razors from a pocket edition up to a Super Adjustable that I used exclusively for thirty years and none a worn out yet....
 
Top Bottom