First post, what have I gotten myself into?

[ExtremelyDanger]

Oh boy, this is something I probably shouldn’t have started! Haha
I just acquired some vintage razors, was reading an old post on The Art Of Manliness about safety razors and thought I might give it a try. Well, I ended up with seven safety razors and an old straight for $40, and I don't really know what I have yet.

The top is a Frederick Reynolds, Sheffield, “The Old English Razor” which I’ve read is from somewhere in the mid-1800’s. I don’t think I’m going to use this one

Middle row, left to right:

-Gem Micromatic, made in USA

-Ever-Ready, BKLYN.N.Y.U.S.A

-Valet, Autostrop Safety Razor Co. Limited, Toronto Canada, patented 1914-1923


Bottom row, L to R, all Gillette:

-Super Speed, Flare Tip D2, USA

-Super Speed, not sure what it is yet, but made in England

-Ball Tip? Made in Canada

-No idea what this one is, handle comes apart in two pieces and is reversible? so it’s more compact, also made in Canada, 1932

The box on the bottom is just what the “English Razor” was in.


Let me know what you all think, I’m not sure which I should start with, or what blades each would need. Please let me know anything I should know about these!

Thanks,
Jude

 

[APBinNCA]

Ha, ha! One of us, one of us. Welcome to B&B.

 

[Balin]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Leverspro]

You've never used a double edge razor?

 

[APBinNCA]

So yeah, I am voting for using the flair tip super speed based on the picture. You need to get some blades, double edge. You can get them on ebay quickly and easily or Amazon if you must. If you need anything else, then you can add a blade sampler from one of the shaving sites.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Next to the flare tip is a 1940s super speed. Other name is the first super speed. The 4 piece razor on the end is a travel razor from canada.
You have a nice start in collecting. Id recommend finding some gillette Nacet DE blades and start with the flare tip. Give them all a good cleaning with dish soap and a brush. Then put them to use. The straight takes much more work to use and learn. We are happy to help you along the way.

 

[Chef455]

Welcome to B&B! Some Dawn and a toothbrush are in order. I'd agree that the flair tip will be the easier jumping off point. All you need now are some decent DE blades. Go a bit further and pick up a brush and some soap or cream and you'll likely be hooked. The straight is a whole different can of rabbit holes to discover, I wouldn't recommend giving it a whirl without some further research. Happy shaves!!!!

 

[CJB3]

Welcome! You’re off to a great start.

 

[gpjoe]

Welcome to the insanity, Jude.

You are off to a fast start. Personally, I would try one of the Superspeeds (either of the two on the left in the bottom row). Get a blade sample pack with some mid-tier blades like Astra SP, Astra SS, Gillette Super Blue, Gillette Platinum, Shark, Treet, Wisamet...etc, and start shaving. If you want to research blades first, check out the Razor Blade forum here. You can pick up a sample pack of blades on Amazon, or at razorbladesclub.com, and many other places on line.

Of course you will need a different soap and brush for each razor (joking), but you might consider getting a brush and some soap. You don't need anything extravagant or expensive. You can get a nice Omega boar or Razorock synthetic brush for under 15 bucks and a tub of Srirling soap for another $15, or buy some Stirling samples to try different scents. Of course there are a lot of other nice soaps and creams out there, but I find Stirling to be a great soap (pretty popular here too) at a fair price, and it performs well.

Anyway, good luck and happy shaves.

 

[ExtremelyDanger]

Thank you all for the tips and warm welcome!
Yes I was originally just going to grab the Flare Tip as it seems to be in pretty good shape, but my friend at the local antique shop also gave me the straight razor for free, and then I did some reading on here and thought “what the heck, might as well take the rest too!” Lol
And no, @Leverspro I’ve never used anything like this before, I’m only 23, should be an interesting learning curve for sure!
I plan to get a brush and cream/soap as soon as possible.

Also have an ultrasonic cleaner at work I could toss them in...

 

[gpjoe]

Thank you all for the tips and warm welcome!
Yes I was originally just going to grab the Flare Tip as it seems to be in pretty good shape, but my friend at the local antique shop also gave me the straight razor for free, and then I did some reading on here and thought “what the heck, might as well take the rest too!” Lol
And no, @Leverspro I’ve never used anything like this before, I’m only 23, should be an interesting learning curve for sure!
I plan to get a brush and cream/soap as soon as possible.

Also have an ultrasonic cleaner at work I could toss them in...

It's a process, and you will likely have some hits and misses as you learn what you prefer. There is a bit of a learning curve and if you stick with it and read and ask questions, you will be fine.

My first DE shave was OK, with a couple of minor nicks and a lot of irritation. I was pressing too hard and probably shaving too fast, which a cartridge razor will forgive but a DE - not so much.

The good news is that it gets better with with every shave as you learn your technique. The important thing is to take your time, have fun, and enjoy your shaves.

For me, the best part was kicking Gillette to the curb, and getting the best shaves of my life.

 

[ExtremelyDanger]

It's a process, and you will likely have some hits and misses as you learn what you prefer. There is a bit of a learning curve and if you stick with it and read and ask questions, you will be fine.

My first DE shave was OK, with a couple of minor nicks and a lot of irritation. I was pressing too hard and probably shaving too fast, which a cartridge razor will forgive but a DE - not so much.

The good news is that it gets better with with every shave as you learn your technique. The important thing is to take your time, have fun, and enjoy your shaves.

For me, the best part was kicking Gillette to the curb, and getting the best shaves of my life.

Haha yes my dad and brother were very skeptical when I mentioned safety razors, telling me I’ll hack my face up, but I am undeterred. So far anyway...

 

[gpjoe]

Haha yes my dad and brother were very skeptical when I mentioned safety razors, telling me I’ll hack my face up, but I am undeterred. So far anyway...

Oh, you WILL cut yourself - we all have.

Just go slowly and use a light touch. You are using a razor blade on your skin and must respect it as you learn, but don't fear it...and if you don't get a perfectly smooth shave right away don't fret over it. It will happen in time.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

Oh boy, this is something I probably shouldn’t have started! Haha
I just acquired some vintage razors, was reading an old post on The Art Of Manliness about safety razors and thought I might give it a try. Well, I ended up with seven safety razors and an old straight for $40, and I don't really know what I have yet.

The top is a Frederick Reynolds, Sheffield, “The Old English Razor” which I’ve read is from somewhere in the mid-1800’s. I don’t think I’m going to use this one

Middle row, left to right:

-Gem Micromatic, made in USA

-Ever-Ready, BKLYN.N.Y.U.S.A

-Valet, Autostrop Safety Razor Co. Limited, Toronto Canada, patented 1914-1923


Bottom row, L to R, all Gillette:

-Super Speed, Flare Tip D2, USA

-Super Speed, not sure what it is yet, but made in England

-Ball Tip? Made in Canada

-No idea what this one is, handle comes apart in two pieces and is reversible? so it’s more compact, also made in Canada, 1932

The box on the bottom is just what the “English Razor” was in.


Let me know what you all think, I’m not sure which I should start with, or what blades each would need. Please let me know anything I should know about these!

Thanks,
Jude

Hey Jude, welcome to B&B, so much lovely razors, that will shave you much better. Use light pressure, and you won't injure your skin, and when your in the xen moment of the shave, happier you shall be.

I agree with other's, what an incredible start, to the beginnings, of your wet shaving journey woohoo! Out of your new collection, the razor that is my favorite in your picture, is the ball end tech. I think your gonna love it. But I also agree with your decision to get them cleaned in the ultrasonic, they do indeed need cleaning.

I am not a vintage razor expert, I only started my journey into traditional wet shaving 10-months ago. But what I can tell you, is that you have some real gems there, some of those are heavily sought after. And how lucky you to have a friend who works at an antique shop, thats what I call a win win.

I also agree with other's, do not be afraid to ask this forum questions as you go. Some of us have been doing this for a year, and some of us have been doing it our whole lives. So, your going to have lots of useful tips at your fingertips, to help you along your journey. I am happy for you that your getting to start out with such a leap ahead.

PS: I have two vintage razors, a 1959 code E-3 Gillette 195 Fatboy adjustable, that I love whole heatedly. And I have a 1959 Gillette RED Flare Tip SuperSpeed, which requires restoration. The rest of my razors are more modern. Again, welcome to B&B, I wish you Good luck to you fine sir!

 

[LRod]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Time Bandit]

Hey there @ExtremelyDanger. Welcome! We're glad to have you here.

Nice finds in the wild, as I like to put it. I myself have a large collection of razors both vintage and modern. I'd suggest you stick to the Gillette, Gem and Ever-Ready razors for a good while. The ones you have are good choices and will provide you many fun, quality shaves.

If you ever have any questions don't hesitate to ask. Myself and many others here will gladly offer you guidance and feedback.

Welcome aboard, but be careful there's a lot of enabling that goes on here.

 

[rbscebu]

@ExtremelyDanger, sorry to read that you are shying away from using the straight razor (SR). Most who get into SR shaving wish that they had started in their teens.

I moved directly from cartridge razor shaving to SR shaving. "Safety" razor shaving still scares me. SRs are much safer because you can see the blade's edge on your skin.

 

[ExtremelyDanger]

@ExtremelyDanger, sorry to read that you are shying away from using the straight razor (SR). Most who get into SR shaving wish that they had started in their teens.

I moved directly from cartridge razor shaving to SR shaving. "Safety" razor shaving still scares me. SRs are much safer because you can see the blade's edge on your skin.

Oh I’m sure curiousity will get the better of me one day! For now I’ll have to take things one step at a time.

Thanks again everyone for the support, the enthusiasm here is quite contagious!
I will keep you all posted on my progress as I clean these up and start using them, as well as any new additions. (you know it’s going to happen )

Cheers,
Jude

 

[Leverspro]

Great advice here. I got into using double edge blades also by starting with cheap vintage stuff. Presently I'm really enjoying GEM blade holders. The razor on your top left is a great razor. The GEM blades aren't as common but Connought in England sells a 100 pack at a good price. Definitely worth trying.

 

[Eric_75]

Welcome to the forum!