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Great inexpensive razors

Bearing in mind I'm talking current cost of vintage razors, not the inflation adjusted cost of them at the time they came out.
Some of the New and New Improved Gift sets were selling for up to 75 dollars. In 1930, 75 dollars is equal to about 1200 dollars in todays money.
Conversely, the 1940's Super Speed was selling for 1 dollar - that's about 15 bucks in todays inflation corrected money.
Brother luvmysuper,
Respectfully, you may have gotten the prices of the Gillette New Improved razor tangled up during the typing. In 2012, I bought a beautiful triple-plated silver 1921 Gillette New Improved razor, including its silver blade bank and its black leatherette case. My notes about the purchase read thus: "It cost $5 in 1921, the equivalent of about $65 dollars in 2012."
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
Brother luvmysuper,
Respectfully, you may have gotten the prices of the Gillette New Improved razor tangled up during the typing. In 2012, I bought a beautiful triple-plated silver 1921 Gillette New Improved razor, including its silver blade bank and its black leatherette case. My notes about the purchase read thus: "It cost $5 in 1921, the equivalent of about $65 dollars in 2012."
Right, some sets were $5 but I think Phil was referring to the high-zoot engraved New De Luxe model like in this advertisement (courtesy of @mr-razor )

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Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
These are just a few razors that I enjoy from vintage to modern that can be had for little money.
Go to a antique store and find a Gillette slim or fatboy adjustable for around $20-30 dollars.
Gem 1912 models or Gem Micromatics for $5 -20 dollars and you will be happy. Use only new blades and not vintage old blades from my experiences.
For modern razors I have used are Razorock SLOC, Razorock German 37 slant (just buy the head) or a Razorock mission (just buy the head if you have handles) these razors shave just as good as some higher priced razors but the heads are Zamac but they last for a long time for $20-30 dollars.
Really what I found over time as your feel of the blade exposure and technique are dialed in I can shave with almost any razor brand and get a great shave.
The modern razors are nice and machined very accurate also and usually made of brass or Stainless of high quality workmanship.
 
There was a market for $1200 dollar razors in the late 1920's and early 1930's? Maybe for Al Capone, gangsters, and a handful of exceedingly wealthy, but not for regular folks.

I wonder how many $1200 safety razors were sold? Anyone want to speculate?

BTW I had a Gillette NEW SC from the 1930's re-plated in 18k gold. The re-plating cost only $150 dollars as I recall. I paid $75 dollars for the original razor. Total cost was about $225. Double that to include a case, blade, and soap stick holders, and maybe we have $500 or $600 dollars. That a long way from $1200 dollars. I don't understand the extravagance of the extravagant.
 
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Inexpensive Razors that are really good?

FATIP Piccolo OC for todays razors.
If you have a look back at the vintage ones there are tons of excellent razors for little money, DE as well as SE.

My favourite vintage DE is the Rotbart Flat Bottom, the German version of the Gillette New Type, followed by the Globusmann CC and the Slim Adjustable.

From the SE world Schicks are outstanding good razors. For shaving fun I love a good old Rolls Razor, widely available, very low prices and for efficiency a Henckels Rapide. Many sellers don't have a clue what they are actually selling and just sell them as old / antique razors on ebay for less than 20 Euros. But man, there is nothing out there that gives you such a close shave like a Rapide with a GEM SS PTFE coated blade.
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
Brother luvmysuper,
Respectfully, you may have gotten the prices of the Gillette New Improved razor tangled up during the typing. In 2012, I bought a beautiful triple-plated silver 1921 Gillette New Improved razor, including its silver blade bank and its black leatherette case. My notes about the purchase read thus: "It cost $5 in 1921, the equivalent of about $65 dollars in 2012."

Yes, some sold for $5.00 other sets sold for $75.00

s-l1600.jpg

Right, some sets were $5 but I think Phil was referring to the high-zoot engraved New De Luxe model like in this advertisement (courtesy of @mr-razor )

Right you are sir!

There was a market for $1200 dollar razors in the late 1920's and early 1930's? Maybe for Al Capone, gangsters, and a handful of exceedingly wealthy, but not for regular folks.

I wonder how many $1200 safety razors were sold? Anyone want to speculate?

BTW I had a Gillette NEW SC from the 1930's re-plated in 18k gold. The re-plating cost only $150 dollars as I recall. I paid $75 dollars for the original razor. Total cost was about $225. Double that to include a case, blade, and soap stick holders, and maybe we have $500 or $600 dollars. That a long way from $1200 dollars. I don't understand the extravagance of the extravagant.

The folks like J. Paul Getty, Howard Hughes and John D. Rockefeller wouldn't blink an eye at a $1200 razor.
With the mark up over manufacturing costs, all they had to do was sell a few and it was huge profit.

Only the rich understand the extravagance of the rich!
 
an inexpensive modern razor that's actually pretty good is the Parker 99R which I just got done shaving with a bit ago as I type this, Parker and Fatip seem to be the two best beginner razors for people trying to dip their toes in the water on wetshaving, Merkur is also good but they are overwhelmingly zamak potmetal junk sadly
 
Dorco PL 602

Take my advice with a grain of salt because I'm completely new to wetshaving/DE but I've had good experiences with it and its only about $12 on ebay and elsewhere

From what I've read online, many experienced wetshavers with DE collections also enjoy it
 
Gillette Tech or, if you want a TTO/Butterfly type, a 1940s-style Gillette Super Speed. Basically indestructible, inexpensive, easy to find in great condition, and will give as fine a shave as any $100+ modern copy. If I had to use only one razor for the rest of my life, it would be a 40's-style Super Speed.

IMG_6539.jpg
 
I have several budget flea market finds in my den that works very well.
In the local flea markets here in Sweden you can pick up vintage Matador "Precisionsrakhyvel" for just 2 Euros, British Gillette Ball End's and Fat Handle's for 2-5 Euros.
One of my absolute favorite is my British Flare Tip that I paid 2 Euros for (I bought 5 vintage safety razors in a bag for 10 Euros).
 
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I'm currently using (and enjoy) my 15Euro King C Gillette. Bailli Tech new replica model is also an cheap alternative alongside Wilkinson Plastic. A more expensive one is Merkur 37C, but it is worth it.
 
IME, I have purchased vintage DEs and SEs from as little as $1.00 for a Schick J Type Injector to $52.50 for my 1934 Aristocrat. In that mix I have Super Speeds, Senators, Sheratons, Fat Boys, various 1912 type SEs and a smattering of other razors. While I like the 1940s style Super Speeds for a closed comb razor, I vastly prefer my 1934 Aristocrat. This is the smoothest of my DE razors by a good margin. While it was a bargain compared to new stainless steel models, it was fairly pricey (yes, I realize that after I got mine the prices went up). The Aristocrat is the only DE I keep on hand in my medicine cabinet. The DE I keep on hand is a GEM 1912 that I got for $5.00 and I also keep a Feather Artist Club SS on hand.

Therefore, I have a mix of 2 expensive razors and one cheapie that I find as best in type for me and that I keep handy. If I could only have 1 of those, the GEM would go and it would be a tough choice between the Aristocrat and Feather.

If my grandsons want into this hobby, I would start them with a 1940s Super Speed and see where they go from there. I picked up mine for $6.11 & $7.00. Handy as I have 2 grandsons...
 
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BTW I had a Gillette NEW SC from the 1930's re-plated in 18k gold. The re-plating cost only $150 dollars as I recall. I paid $75 dollars for the original razor. Total cost was about $225. Double that to include a case, blade, and soap stick holders, and maybe we have $500 or $600 dollars. That a long way from $1200 dollars. I don't understand the extravagance of the extravagant.

I asked a friend of mine (an economist) this very question many years ago. He explained it like this: “It’s only a nickel to them.”
 
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