gillette old vs new - which do you prefer?

[slimshavy]

I also got an old type at the same time as my NEW SC. No handle, just sharing the common bar handle. I haven’t used it yet. Still working my way up to the old. Have some big hopes and some fears, so we’ll see.

 

[sm29]

YMMV! My frame of reference in date order consists of:

• Ball end Old Type
• Goodwill 164
• New LC
• New SC

All are good but rarely used by me as my Blackland Tradere is the daily driver. I will be using the Old Type next week on what would have been my father’s 94th birthday as this razor best I can tell dates to the late 1920s. The Goodwill 164 shaves exactly the same as the Old Type for me with pros and cons. The Art Deco look and engraving is a big pro. The con is that the blade is more finicky to load. Next is the New LC with a Ball end Handle. It too is a good shaver but has the least blade rigidity of all. I use it to trim the back of my neck and my earlobes now. The New SC with a common bar handle is also rarely used now but is special to me. More than any other razor it taught me To use a light touch and rewarded when I did. Many consider the New SC a mild razor. When I first got it, it was the most aggressive razor I ever used.

I think all are great, but just for shaving, it would likely be the Old Type. My Old Type was a Backroads Gold replate with a repaired handle.

 

[bill64]

Old type by far.

 

[tehnothing]

I love the New Deluxe and the New Short comb. They are both new to me, and, both are giving me the closest shaves of my life.

My Bulldog Old Type arrived early. After one wonderful shave, I can say that between having an excellent exemplar and the improvement of my technique, I am now leaning in favor of the old type. The Bulldog is a lovely razor and and quite a shaver. I like my New De Luxe still, but, I think the Bulldog wins.

 

[Keto]

My Bulldog Old Type arrived early. After one wonderful shave, I can say that between having an excellent exemplar and the improvement of my technique, I am now leaning in favor of the old type. The Bulldog is a lovely razor and and quite a shaver. I like my New De Luxe still, but, I think the Bulldog wins.

View attachment 1353855

That's nice looking. What year is that one?

 

[tehnothing]

According to the serial number 1917.

 

[Keto]

I have a 1918 old style I'm really liking the shave.
I just got a New sc and after one shave I like the old style a lot better, let's see how it goes.

 

[Nidan]

I have the New LC and the New SC. The LC is the better shaver for me. As much as I like my TTOs and my 2 modern razors (Karve and Timeless) that New LC beats them all for close non irritating shaves.

 

[FarmerTan]

I have the New LC and the New SC. The LC is the better shaver for me. As much as I like my TTOs and my 2 modern razors (Karve and Timeless) that New LC beats them all for close non irritating shaves.

I agree on the LC. SC a VERY close second. I was recently PIF'd an ABC. Is that an Old Type? I DEFINITELY liked it as much as a New....and MUCH better than my Old Type.

 

[ShaverAZ]

I get superb shaves with many of my vintage Gillettes, but none surpass my 1917:

 

[Medivh]

Is there any noticable difference between the different Old Types like Double and Single Ring as well as between the thin and thick caps?

 

[Lord NSIC]

Is there any noticable difference between the different Old Types like Double and Single Ring as well as between the thin and thick caps?

For me, all the thin cap OTs shave very similarly as the handles are the only real difference (they're all on the thin side), but I usually hold them near the head for light touch/no pressure shave anyway (no need to hold them like a tennis racket), and all the thick caps shave similarly. As for me, I love the look of the thin caps vs the thick caps, but for unknown reasons I get better, more comfortable shaves from the thick caps than the thin. I'm also less likely to cut myself with a thick cap OT (maybe the thicker cap holds the blade more rigidly, maybe it's the shape, I'm not sure), I just have an easier time with a thick cap than thin, no matter how much I want to love the thin caps.

 

[Windigo]

I really like Old and New. Yesterday I ordered Gillette Oxford which was, unusually, made in England. The razor is in very good condition given that it's almost 90 years old. The choice of a favorite for a particular day depends solely on the mood.

 

[Ron R]

I prefer the Gillette New LC over the Gillette old type because the New LC has better refined open comb teeth. The Old type are a little more pointer teeth, I get a good shave with the New LC also.

 

[Tanuki]

Is there any noticable difference between the different Old Types like Double and Single Ring as well as between the thin and thick caps?

Can't say anything about double rings, but all my thin caps (single ring, ABC, ball end) are more blade forward than the various thick cap (ball ends, one of my Goodwills) that I have used.

So I am agreeing with @Lord NSIC that thick is easier than thin. I do have many decades of practice with a thick ball end, so that is a factor for me.

 

[MyOldKentuckyHome]

New over old all day for me

 

[saj]

the gillette vintage range as a general rule ive found to be amazing razors considering theyre so old and didnt have the science we have today but i just dont seem to like the gillette old and new, maybe i need to give it more tries?

what say you Sir @thombrogan ?

 

[thombrogan]

I’ve been having too much enjoyment with my Fatip Grande to try my Gillette Old. My apologies for that. It’s waiting behind a RazoRock ”37” slant razor and a Sedef barber razor in the “to be tried queue.”

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

I have the Old Type Thin (cap and baseplate) Old Type Thick (cap and baseplate), New Improved, New Short Comb, New Long Comb and 1934 Aristocrat.

I use the OT Thin the most as it was my Grandfather's.

I like the New Short Comb the most. Then the New Improved, then the New Long Comb, then the OT Thin. Not too fussed about the OT Thick nor the Aristocrat.

Stan

 

[saj]

the gillette vintage range as a general rule ive found to be amazing razors considering theyre so old and didnt have the science we have today but i just dont seem to like the gillette old and new, maybe i need to give it more tries?

what say you Sir @thombrogan ?

After using the old and new recently, I 100% definitely retract this post lol

They're both very nice razors

Wanted to ask I understand the old type comes in both thick and thin caps, is that the same with the new type too?

Also are short comb new type Gillette easy or hard to get a hold of? Thanks