Gibbs No 15/17 Brass head w/ Chrome coating (and rarer Personna Precision)

[AJSharp]

@Dragonsbeard Did you put the handle on upside down as I initially did until I figured it out ? Did @Clouds help you out as his work was more than precise. OMG that tape measure must be from Little House on the Prairie

@novitiate Looks like another convert for Frank and his Foo Foo Fan club - welcome to the cult

 

[jmudrick]

Hey I have a request.. if anyone has a tool to measure the gap I’m curious to know what it is on the Gibbs at max setting. Or tell me the tool I need and I’ll order one. Probably should have one anyway.

A $5-$10 feeler gauge set off Amazon would probably do.

 

[novitiate]

Hey I have a request.. if anyone has a tool to measure the gap I’m curious to know what it is on the Gibbs at max setting. Or tell me the tool I need and I’ll order one. Probably should have one anyway.

It's tough to get a caliper in but on mine from the top of the bottom plate to the bottom of the blade looks like ~1mm on the "6" setting. I have metric feeler gauges somewhere but not handy. Will use those to confirm when I find them.

 

[novitiate]

Great and thank you I really want to know because on max setting it is a very efficient razor and I wanted to compare the gap to other razors in that same category that I have and know the gap. Call me curious. It looks to be substanual without anything to measure it with so when you get a chance to use your metric feeler that would be much appreciated plus some of the members in this thread I guess would like to know as well.

You bet!

Have not dragged out the Gillette adjustables to eyeball but from memory the Gibbs gap seems huge in comparison. It may be an optical trick though from the high polish on the Gibbs. Now you have me curious to compare them!

 

[novitiate]

@novitiate Looks like another convert for Frank and his Foo Foo Fan club - welcome to the cult

I hope there's a t-shirt or a pamplet at least.

 

[jmudrick]

I hope there's a t-shirt or a pamplet at least.

T-shirt would be nice. I'll take one.

 

[novitiate]

I’ll have them made!

Put me on the list.

OK, Day 4 in use with my 15/17...

This is a very good razor. As my technique improved I am now at 4/4.5 and it's a delight to use.

Except for their annoying Gallic blade solution they'd probably have been around longer, a pity.

Any thoughts as to what it compares to from other companies?

 

[jmudrick]

Put me on the list.

OK, Day 4 in use with my 15/17...

This is a very good razor. As my technique improved I am now at 4/4.5 and it's a delight to use.

Except for their annoying Gallic blade solution they'd probably have been around longer, a pity.

Any thoughts as to what it compares to from other companies?

The Gibbs had about a two decade run which is pretty darn good.

 

[novitiate]

The Gibbs had about a two decade run which is pretty darn good.

Only if you take Gillette & Merkur out of the sample group.

 

[jmudrick]

Only if you take Gillette & Merkur out of the sample group.

Sure not as good as the Tech, Progress, or 1912 but still s good run in my book.

 

[novitiate]

Sure not as good as the Tech, Progress, or 1912 but still s good run in my book.

I was referring to razor companies in general. I suspect Gibbs was like many French manufacturers of the era; happy to stay small. They did enough business to grow a bit each year but were also content with the business they had. You'd have to dig in on the business climate then but it would not surprise me if their size was dictated by their corporate tax rate. Too big and you got pounded so they chose to stay where they were. And then there is their proprietary blades...

cue gallic shrug...

 

[86-foxtrot]

I'm still waiting on my extended handle to arrive in the mail. It cleared the South Africa post Xmas week. I bet it's still in customs somewhere. Hopefully it's not lost.

I had bought some mustache wax and moisturizing cream a month before that got misdelivered and was never recovered. $40 down the drain and PayPal didn't do much of anything to remedy the situation.

I remain optimistic that is not the case here though.

 

[Sharp_Obsession]

I'm still waiting on my extended handle to arrive in the mail. It cleared the South Africa post Xmas week. I bet it's still in customs somewhere. Hopefully it's not lost.

I had bought some mustache wax and moisturizing cream a month before that got misdelivered and was never recovered. $40 down the drain and PayPal didn't do much of anything to remedy the situation.

I remain optimistic that is not the case here though.

I’m in the same boat. I think mine just cleared JFK. I am hoping to get it soon. Fingers crossed and I’m going to be patient. Things usually work out.

 

[jmudrick]

I was referring to razor companies in general. I suspect Gibbs was like many French manufacturers of the era; happy to stay small.

cue gallic shrug...

Small company they were not. Their main business was soaps, not razors. They were also big in toothpaste, creams, perfume, and shampoo. They were (and still are) part of Unilever from 1929. Today they are Elida Gibbs-Fabergé division.

The Gibbs company goes back to 1712 in England, In 1906 D & W Gibbs engaged Parisian Pierre Thibaud to act as their French agent selling Gibbs Cold Cream. In 1907 Thibaud went into partnership with M. Maurice de Madre to form P.Thibaud et Cie, and began French sales of Gibbs shaving soap. The firm continued to market Gibbs products as they developed manufacture and sales in France and Belgium. In 1931 the company name was changed to Thibaud Gibbs et Cie.

CalmView: Overview

 

[jmudrick]

A, couple of good links

GIBBS - collection de lame de rasoir - rasoir - affileur - savon a barbe
La malle à Papa - La malle à Papa

 

[novitiate]

Small company they were not. Their main business was soaps, not razors. They were also big in toothpaste, creams, perfume, and shampoo. They were (and still are) part of Unilever from 1929. Today they are Elida Gibbs-Fabergé division.

The Gibbs company goes back to 1712 in England, In 1906 D & W Gibbs engaged Parisian Pierre Thibaud to act as their French agent selling Gibbs Cold Cream. In 1907 Thibaud went into partnership with M. Maurice de Madre to form P.Thibaud et Cie, and began French sales of Gibbs shaving soap. The firm continued to market Gibbs products as they developed manufacture and sales in France and Belgium. In 1931 the company name was changed to Thibaud Gibbs et Cie.

CalmView: Overview

Fantastic info. Any deeper info on the razors specifically?

If anything it looks like that wasn't their core business. Perhaps that's why they didn't stay with it?

 

[jmudrick]

Long handle mod in the house. 101.4g , balance spot on.

 

[Sharp_Obsession]

Long handle mod in the house. 101.4g , balance spot on.

Looks great. Can't wait for mine.

 

[jmudrick]

Looks great. Can't wait for mine.

For me length is just perfect..fun tomorrow

 

[86-foxtrot]

I got notice from USPS that mine is at the post office. Can't wait to get it.