Hi all,
Like many, I got initially hooked after shaving once with a Van Den Hagen set bought on relative impulse at Walmart. Since then I've bought and used a Merkur Futur and 34c, an Edwin Jagger de89, and of course the initial VDH. Also like many...I was intrigued by the popularity of the vintage razors, and not just in some quaint sense like an old car you have to give up a lot of comfort to enjoy, but in the sense that they really do represent the pinnacle of razor engineering with military/war level tolerances with an overall quality current manufacturers couldn't dream of matching at the volumes they produced.
Anyway, for those who can't imagine an old razor going head to head with a new one, just spend the $15 or so for a 60 year old piece of history you can hold in your hand, that has the feel of being a daily use tool that will continue to work perfectly long after your beard has stopped growing. This is an incredibly well made razor, and truly gave me an excellent, enjoyable, smooth, confidence inspiring, very close shave. That nickel plating looks as good as new, and as it sits in my razor rack, it doesn't look like the old one, it just looks like the nicest one.
So far, I would put this razor and my 34c as the two I enjoy shaving with the most out of my small, but rapidly growing collection. I've been busy on ebay...and should be receiving any day now a very nice fat boy and a birth year slim adjustable that I'm now really looking forward to trying out.
On a separate note, as I held the VDH and the Super Speed side by side and compared them, it is pretty clear what they were basing their design on when they were trying to figure out what to knock off...very very similar features, just a much much cheaper level of quality. I wonder what it would cost to produce these or the vintage adjustables today...?
I've been a long term lurker, and thought I'd post a newby's perspective for those who may be wondering about whether it's worth it...it definitely was for me.
CopYaLater,
Brad
Like many, I got initially hooked after shaving once with a Van Den Hagen set bought on relative impulse at Walmart. Since then I've bought and used a Merkur Futur and 34c, an Edwin Jagger de89, and of course the initial VDH. Also like many...I was intrigued by the popularity of the vintage razors, and not just in some quaint sense like an old car you have to give up a lot of comfort to enjoy, but in the sense that they really do represent the pinnacle of razor engineering with military/war level tolerances with an overall quality current manufacturers couldn't dream of matching at the volumes they produced.
Anyway, for those who can't imagine an old razor going head to head with a new one, just spend the $15 or so for a 60 year old piece of history you can hold in your hand, that has the feel of being a daily use tool that will continue to work perfectly long after your beard has stopped growing. This is an incredibly well made razor, and truly gave me an excellent, enjoyable, smooth, confidence inspiring, very close shave. That nickel plating looks as good as new, and as it sits in my razor rack, it doesn't look like the old one, it just looks like the nicest one.
So far, I would put this razor and my 34c as the two I enjoy shaving with the most out of my small, but rapidly growing collection. I've been busy on ebay...and should be receiving any day now a very nice fat boy and a birth year slim adjustable that I'm now really looking forward to trying out.
On a separate note, as I held the VDH and the Super Speed side by side and compared them, it is pretty clear what they were basing their design on when they were trying to figure out what to knock off...very very similar features, just a much much cheaper level of quality. I wonder what it would cost to produce these or the vintage adjustables today...?
I've been a long term lurker, and thought I'd post a newby's perspective for those who may be wondering about whether it's worth it...it definitely was for me.
CopYaLater,
Brad