English Gillette flat bottom Tech: Still the all-time Champion

dionesius3 · Dec 13, 2018

awa54 said:
lol, I'm still not a head shaver, so I won't be contesting your opinions of the EBFT jmudrick, to each their own right?

I will admit that this razor seems to be a good bit more available and at a better price than when I shopped for my first copy... at that time a scruffy one off international eBay cost me more than nice ones are going for in 2018 and I had to do lots of manual sorting of search results to find the one I did get.

Scarcity (in the USA) aside, the English variants of many Gillette products have better fit and finish as well as nice design variants on the TTO mechanism which make them mechanically superior to the US versions in my opinion. Add to that the fact that *on my face* and with the blades *I use most* the EFBT and Rocket series give slightly smoother and closer shaves than all but the US made red and blue handle SS flares and you have the reason I like them so much.

If that makes me part of some Great Anglophile Conspiracy, so be it

Ad me as well to the list.
The English Rocket HD and the EFBT are the best and smoothest razors I have ever used. I understand that the same may not be true for all, because like fingerprints all faces are not the same!
But I also don't understand why someone would downgrade someone else choice in razors either. If you like modern razors and think they are the best, I am all for your choice! Enjoy what works for you, read others opinions and make up your own mind.
I have discovered some really nice blades, razors, and creams from reading about other's favorites and giving them a try.
Some I like and some I don't but it doesn't mean I spend my time downing those who do like them. I just give my experience and leave it with, YMMV! Shave on brothers and sisters!

dionesius3 · Dec 15, 2018

Here is my favorite Efbt

It’s a nice 4 piece Travel Tech that is all brass an will fit in a mini Altoids tin for travel. I use it pretty regularly and always take it when traveling.

Bogeyman · Dec 16, 2018

Having owned a flat bottom English Tech I could tell no difference between it and any other post-war Tech for that matter. They have the same blade gap and a flat bottom has nothing to do with the shave as it doesn't touch the face nor give really any more rigidity than a post-war Tech. Because English Gillettes are not as common in the USA I think it's more of a case of confirmation bias. The damned crimp they used on their British TTO's is a SOB and whoever OK'd that should have been... :2guns:

jmudrick · Dec 16, 2018

Bogeyman said:
Having owned a flat bottom English Tech I could tell no difference between it and any other post-war Tech for that matter. They have the same blade gap and a flat bottom has nothing to do with the shave as it doesn't touch the face nor give really any more rigidity than a post-war Tech. Because English Gillettes are not as common in the USA I think it's more of a case of confirmation bias...:

La la la....

dionesius3 · Dec 17, 2018

Bogeyman said:
Having owned a flat bottom English Tech I could tell no difference between it and any other post-war Tech for that matter. They have the same blade gap and a flat bottom has nothing to do with the shave as it doesn't touch the face nor give really any more rigidity than a post-war Tech. Because English Gillettes are not as common in the USA I think it's more of a case of confirmation bias. The damned crimp they used on their British TTO's is a SOB and whoever OK'd that should have been...

I don’t know what crimp you are talking about but I still don’t think you have any legs to stand on with the opinion because there are too many people who know different. Just as with blade preference, lots of people have a favorite blade but their favorite is indistinguishable from any other common blade in my opinion.
That doesn’t mean they are wrong in their preferences but that they do know there is a difference for them.

Bogeyman · Dec 17, 2018

dionesius3 said:
...I still don’t think you have any legs to stand on with the opinion because there are too many people who know different. Just as with blade preference, lots of people have a favorite blade but their favorite is indistinguishable from any other common blade in my opinion.
That doesn’t mean they are wrong in their preferences but that they do know there is a difference for them.

There is no scientific reason for it to shave different. The blade gap is the same. The cap is the same & the safety bar is the same. Just as with the Rocket, I could tell no difference between those and their properly mated American equivalent. The heads are the same including the mid 60's change to a smaller dome which is what the "S" stands for on those English Rocket TTO's. Clearly a case of "the farther the reach, the sweeter the peach" syndrome IMO. A similar myth is that the pre-war Tech is more aggressive when it is not. Same blade gap as the post-war, just a little less blade rigidity that some equate to more aggression.

dionesius3 · Dec 17, 2018

“ and still he crows...” said by Looney Tunes cartoon characters
About a persistent crow.

I don’t know why, I don’t really care why, but I Know what I Know and that is the Flat Bottom Tech is a better razor than ANY US made Tech. And you can say it’s not till you die and it won’t change anything so as all things razor related... YMMV!

Bogeyman · Dec 18, 2018

dionesius3 said:
“ and still he crows...” said by Looney Tunes cartoon characters
About a persistent crow...

I can do without the cheap shot. If you have objective evidence then present it.

dionesius3 · Dec 18, 2018

Bogeyman said:
I can do without the cheap shot. If you have objective evidence then present it.

I can do without the same thank you very much as well! Have a Merry Christmas And a Happy New Year!

dionesius3 · Dec 18, 2018

Bogeyman said:
Clearly a case of "the farther the reach, the sweeter the peach" syndrome IMO

jmudrick · Dec 18, 2018

Bogeyman said:
I can do without the cheap shot. If you have objective evidence then present it.

Cults are based upon blind faith. Not the band for you older people.

dionesius3 · Dec 18, 2018

Faith?? Faith in what???
I thought we were talking about razors not religion???

Akke · Jul 17, 2020

Gotta give my own opinion to this.
I like flat bottom much. did have 6other razors, they did not perform so well. Now i have bought 5different razors more, to challenge flatt bottom.
Its the only razor i can shave ewery day 7days week! (and EJ89)

As always, no war. YMMV

eaterofdog · Jul 17, 2020

I'd say there are US Techs that shave about the same, BUT... the US made ones have cheap stamped baseplates and the Brits are machined extrusions. It's a whole different level of quality and the extra weight works better to balance the razor if you're not using a light handle.

Akke · Aug 2, 2020

Akke said:
Gotta give my own opinion to this.
I like flat bottom much. did have 6other razors, they did not perform so well. Now i have bought 5different razors more, to challenge flatt bottom.
Its the only razor i can shave ewery day 7days week! (and EJ89)

As always, no war. YMMV

Going to reply my own message. Have now tryed gillette ball end 50s tech, full brass england. It is completely different razor for me. There is much more blade support in ball end. That support makes ball end bether, because it does not nick my skin. no blade chatter.

Just put flat bottoms guard upside down on table, and 50s guard behind, and you will see the huge difference betwen those supports. This case, of feel chatter does matter on your skin.

ponykilr · Aug 2, 2020

I have a mid 50s Tech and 2 “pre war” triangle slot techs. I’m not sure why and I have no scientific proof, but the old techs shave more efficiently and closer. It’s not in my mind.

NPK · Aug 3, 2020

Post war Techs give an awesome amount of blade support. I tried prewar Techs, TTO Gillette's, and TTO Gillette clones and none of them come near to the amount of total blade support I prefer.

awa54 · Aug 4, 2020

As to my (and possibly others who prefer the EFBT to other Tech variants) status as deluded snobs or cultists, I can conclusively prove that isn't the case in this instance, since I *hate* the English Aristocrat Jr. (which is much scarcer, heavier and more expensive than a plain old Rocket, or Parat).
:wink2:

But seriously, shaving isn't a contest and while I may not choose the same razor, soap, techique, etc. as another shaver, I'll never try to deny another shaver's experience of *their own shave*, if it works best for you, then it's obvious that we just have different skin/whiskers/technique, not that you're wrong and I'm right!

As a clarification for those who may have needed one: My thread was an attempt to proclaim my love for a razor that really does it all right for *me* and to share that with other like minded shavers, or to spread the awareness of this razor to those who might not have known about it... NOT to put down anyone who doesn't share my opinion of the EFBT.

postscript:
The EFBT has been pushed off of the top position in my rotation by the RazoRock Game Changer .68, I still love the old Brit, but the GC gives the same level of performance in a heavier, lower maintenance packace. We should all leave ourselves room to grow and/or change our minds as we have new experiences.

ponykilr · Aug 4, 2020

awa54 said:
The EFBT has been pushed off of the top position in my rotation by the RazoRock Game Changer .68, I still love the old Brit, but the GC gives the same level of performance in a heavier, lower maintenance packace.

Interesting. So for you the GC.68 is as good or better than the FBT?

ponykilr · Aug 5, 2020

Thanks to @Flying Dutchman I scored a Flat Bottom Tech from GB for 19 pounds plus shipping. Ended up being $45 total.

Looks like it’ll clean up well.