Have modern DE razors become more popular than vintage?

[lasta]

I wonder if our fathers and grandfathers discussed blade chatter and blade feel.

Nah, they had full wedge razors.

 

[JLWilk]

I have a couple of both vintage and modern, and I love them both. What I wish I had is my Grandpa's, but I was not able to find any. Alas, eBay and the local antique store also works.

 

[CCS]

I always have to remind people about vintage razors that I'm not a collector and don't look for collectible pieces but a I have a collection of vintage razors that are all users including the two old open comb Gillettes that were recently purchased. I do have a couple cases but they are in rotten condition.

I have collections of many things but they are all things I use (the usual guy stuff - guns, golf, guitars, etc. ).

 

[Phoenixkh]

I have noticed, B&B goes through seasons, trends, etc. When I first got here in March earlier this year, Timeless was all the rage. At the moment, Blackland seems to get the most love. Both modern razor companies, obviously.

There are also trends in the Vintage posts. There are several threads running at the moment and that drives the trends, I think. I know it does for me. I showed up here totally ignorant about both Vintage and modern razors. I still have a lot to learn but I have noticed, I can identify lots of razors now when the photographs don't include that information. That's actually a bit scary. <eg>

The only reason I got into a couple Vintage razors was following @Cal 's journal thread. I saw him using a couple Vintage razors almost every day for a few months, it seemed. So I asked him about them and ended getting 2 British Flat Bottom Techs and a NEW Raised Flat Bottom razor. That's it for my venture into Vintage Gillettes at this point.

It was the same for me with modern DE razors. I showed up here with an ESC Claymore Evolution AC SE razor and I used that for my first 5 months here... DE shaving is completely new to me, but based on what I've seen here and what some of the seasoned vets here have shared with me in PMs, I now have 3 modern DE's. That's enough for now, I hope. Never say never.... that's for sure.

I guess I should list them for the B&B record: The Blutt BR-1 with .86 and 1.20 bottom plates; RazoRock Lupo 95OC with an additional .72SB bottom plate; The Pearl Flexi. The plan was to wait until early next year to buy one quality modern DE. I had narrowed it down to the Blutt BR-1, a good choice for me, I think. The Pearl Flexi and the RR Lupo 95OC were sort of impulse buys when I was a bit stoned on pain meds after oral surgery in Bali, Indonesia. <eg> ..... Oooops. <eg>

 

[lasta]

Yeah, trends, you don't say...

I saw the "cheap blades" sign outside and walked in.

Cheap blades alright, but also a bunch of hooligans ogling at shiny holders.

Damn these blades are sharp. But you gotta try them with this 1964 vintage, very rare!

Rare? That ain't got nothing on this 1922, mirror polished, gold plated!

You call that mirror? Ain't nothing can top what my furry little friend makes!

Nothing you say? My Greek friend knows a little something!

Ok, ok. You bring you Greek guy in. I'll see if my guy at the backalley can take it up a notch.

 

[CCS]

Several of the newer razors are capable of giving a tad closer shave, than most vintage razors of a similar type. I enjoy my Fat-Boy, and combined with a Feather or other sharp blade, easily obtain BBS results, however, the BBS shave from the Rex Ambassador stays BBS a few hours longer, being just a tad closer. The Rex of course has quite a bit more blade feel than the Fat-Boy, the Fat-Boy has nearly no blade feel even on 7/8, and even 9 has very little....the Rex on the other hand has blade feel even set down to 1.5, not saying its uncomfortable, only that you absolutely know there's a blade there, and it's capable of drawing blood even at 1.5, whereas the Fat-Boy is nearly fool-proof on 7/8, with 9 possibly giving a slight chance if you're sloppy or heavily rushed. - Ok, maybe not a super fair comparison given a Rex Ambassador runs roughly $250 if you were to buy it, and it's milled stainless, as opposed to stamped brass. (I was just lucky enough to not have to buy my Rex, so technically, the Fat-Boy cost me more).

Even a more lonely Rockwell 6S or 6C with the higher plates will yield a bit closer shave than the Fat-Boy, and that's a more fair comparison, adjusting the original $1.95 pricing for inflation.

A NEW SC does compare favorably to say a Timeless, at least shave quality wise, although in pure smoothness or feel, the Timeless may actually win. (I'm referring to an original 0.95 OC Timeless, not the Bronze OC, which wasn't face friendly to my face).

Seems the newer razors, especially the artisan ones, are both works of art and compare very favorably to many vintage razors, in quality of shave, or closeness. (Ok, I've become BBS or go-home in my daily routine, I admit it).

I have learned the closest razors I've found from Gillette are the Old Type and the NEW. Both of these are for more experienced fellows IMO but I'd never used one (they terrified me with those rakes for guards). But the NEW LC (restored and replated by Back Roads Gold) gave me a BBS+ with no issues whatsoever. Easier than a Super Speed. The razor in that condition cost me $100. You can find them all day for less than $50 in user condition.

 

[Medivh]

I have noticed, B&B goes through seasons, trends, etc. When I first got here in March earlier this year, Timeless was all the rage. At the moment, Blackland seems to get the most love. Both modern razor companies, obviously.

There are also trends in the Vintage posts. There are several threads running at the moment and that drives the trends, I think. I know it does for me. I showed up here totally ignorant about both Vintage and modern razors. I still have a lot to learn but I have noticed, I can identify lots of razors now when the photographs don't include that information. That's actually a bit scary. <eg>

The only reason I got into a couple Vintage razors was following @Cal 's journal thread. I saw him using a couple Vintage razors almost every day for a few months, it seemed. So I asked him about them and ended getting 2 British Flat Bottom Techs and a NEW Raised Flat Bottom razor. That's it for my venture into Vintage Gillettes at this point.

It was the same for me with modern DE razors. I showed up here with an ESC Claymore Evolution AC SE razor and I used that for my first 5 months here... DE shaving is completely new to me, but based on what I've seen here and what some of the seasoned vets here have shared with me in PMs, I now have 3 modern DE's. That's enough for now, I hope. Never say never.... that's for sure.

I guess I should list them for the B&B record: The Blutt BR-1 with .86 and 1.20 bottom plates; RazoRock Lupo 95OC with an additional .72SB bottom plate; The Pearl Flexi. The plan was to wait until early next year to buy one quality modern DE. I had narrowed it down to the Blutt BR-1, a good choice for me, I think. The Pearl Flexi and the RR Lupo 95OC were sort of impulse buys when I was a bit stoned on pain meds after oral surgery in Bali, Indonesia. <eg> ..... Oooops. <eg>

I agree. In general, the newest products get more attention than anything else. The vintage razors also spike in popularity here and there, but not many are willing to get very deep into the vintage razors, which is why the modern razors will hardly be ignored.

I like the vintage razors, because some models are not very easy to come by in a decent condition and for a decent price and I have a thing for collecting and using them.

 

[lasta]

The numbers just came in.

I live in Shanghai, I buy second hand razors on Salt-fish (Chinese ebay).

In all of China, there are these many for sale right now:

3 Techs
3 News
1 No77 (which I'm watching)
1 Rocket (just sold)
2 Super Speeds (1 40s, 1 Red Tip which I bought)

9 Rocnels
16 Wolfmen

 

[lasta]

Oh and 19 Lupos

 

[zed117]

I started with Vintage because those were all the rage when I joined a decade ago.

Sure a beautiful British Aristocrat, Fatboy, and NEW SC give good shaves, are nice to look at and have the history attached; but an OC Gamechanger or Rex Ambassador will IMO give a better shave

9 times out of ten I will reach for modern razors so put me in the modern camp.

 

[CCS]

Since starting this topic a few weeks ago, it's become quite clear to me across the forums here that the current membership, generally, likes new everything, and traditional razors, soaps and creams, brushes, etc. have fallen by the wayside. A shame really but everything changes and younger people or people new to this prefer the latest products with slick marketing. A few of us will still carry the torch for vintage and traditional shaving products but our numbers are dwindling.

 

[Rob72]

Since starting this topic a few weeks ago, it's become quite clear to me across the forums here that the current membership, generally, likes new everything, and traditional razors, soaps and creams, brushes, etc. have fallen by the wayside. A shame really but everything changes and younger people or people new to this prefer the latest products with slick marketing. A few of us will still carry the torch for vintage and traditional shaving products but our numbers are dwindling.

Re-posting on this because I recently picked up a Taiga and Konsul. For an out-the-door to 8-10 hours shave, it is still just about impossible to beat one of my Brit Aristocrats, or the Red Ring; however, the Konsul, Rex, Taiga, McMurphy 17-4, Asylum RX and Tradere, can all deliver equally, if not more, efficient shaves, that last 12 or more hours, more frequently than not.

For me, it boils down to the quality of the shave. There are tons of mediocre razors, vintage and modern, that I have tried and have sold off. I know it can be challenging to get the same quality of shave from many vintage razors simply because of the knocks and dings of a 100 or so year lifespan.

Regardless of blade or technique, I cannot get the same quality of shave from a SuperSpeed that I can from a '34 Aristocrat, or the Konsul, and regardless of setting, I cannot get as efficient and long lasting a shave with the 195 as I can with the Konsul.

I would say there are about the same number of "good" classic shavers as there are modern, but you may have to hunt a bit for a good specimen, regardless of the year of manufacture.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Perhaps one important factor that has changed with modern razors, and only in the last few years, is the internet and the way artisan razor makers interact with customers.

In the 1930s you couldn’t email King Gillette and tell him you thought the Aristocrat would suit you better if it was a bit more efficient. And even if you had his phone number, and if you had a phone, he still wouldn’t make one the way you wanted. But you can email Wolfman and pick any gap you want for your razor, and all those configurations only exist because he was responsive to the customisations his customers were asking for. A lot of the razor makers today watch the forums and get email feedback from their buyers too, which surely factors into their product offerings.

You can get what you want now, rather than just getting what you got.

 

[CCS]

Like I said...

 

[StewB]

I'm all for vintage razors. I have 3: A 1961 Gillette 195 ("Fatboy"), a 1965 gold Schick Krona, and a 1971 Gillette black handle Super Speed. They are great razors, but they are not as efficient as my modern razors. I'm glad I have both.

 

[zed117]

Since starting this topic a few weeks ago, it's become quite clear to me across the forums here that the current membership, generally, likes new everything, and traditional razors, soaps and creams, brushes, etc. have fallen by the wayside. A shame really but everything changes and younger people or people new to this prefer the latest products with slick marketing. A few of us will still carry the torch for vintage and traditional shaving products but our numbers are dwindling.

Is it truly marketing or is it quality?

12 years ago modern razors were mostly mediocre to say the least and most artisan soaps were glycerine.

For example: 12 years ago I would get a better shave out of some Tabac/MWF/MdC and a Red tip or NEW, then a Edwin Jagger and Col Conk.

Now Artisan Soaps like Barrister and Mann offer a slicker shave and better post shave feel. Many modern razors have imo surpassed/copied/or perfected razor design to offer better shaves with better materials, blade clamping and feel.

A lot has changed in the last decade and lots of people have poured love and ingenuity to create these offerings.

Gone are the days of having to choose between Mama Bear glycerine or Williams, and a vintage DE or crappy zinc razor from china; and the hobby is better for it.

I also hate slick marketing which makes me stay away from companies like PAA.

Just one “Youngers person opinion” though. I still think badger beats a synthetic anyday.

Edit: Just to be clear I’m not down talking vintage as I still have vintage gear from when I started, it’s still as good as it was a decade ago, current stuff has simply surpassed it.

 

[CCS]

No one ever had to choose between the soaps you mentioned. The Italians, French, Germans, and English have had terrific soaps/creams for decades.

It's OK that things have changed, especially for newer shavers. It was an industry waiting to happen. But, I can get as good a shave with a 100 year old Gillette as I can with a modern razor. I have a couple modern razors but they really don't interest me the way vintage Gillettes do. Lotta guys have moved to straights and I doubt there are many improvements over well kept or restored vintage straights. That's nothing I'll ever know first hand.

I do understand why synthetics have been the rage with lots of people. I've come to see some great advantages to them, especially for newbies (which I certainly am not) and seasoned wetshavers.

But the artisan soap market bores me to tears. All the classic soaps and creams I use are as good as I can get while also appealing to my senses. While I'm sure lots of older, experienced wetshavers are on board with the new artisan products, their marketing is not to my demographic (which is smart on their part) but rather to younger and newer wetshavers. Nobody markets anything to my demographic but big pharma.

 

[Medivh]

The reason why vintage razors (in general) fall short compared to the more precise (mostly non zamak) made modern razors, is simply because the ideas behind the drive for both are very different.

The idea behind the vintage razors like Gillette for instance is to sell blades and to make their razors as easy as possible, so more and more people can use them. While it's true that they've made lots of special and cool razors back in the day, the blades were and still are their main way to profit.

With the modern razors manufacturers things are much different, because they can hardly make any profit from making blades, instead they are focusing on making razors in a way that everyone can enjoy them instead of having (mostly) mild and not super efficient razors.

The other thing that people need to consider is how important is shaving for them. Some folks just don't really care that much and they just grab whatever razor they have and the results they get are either good enough for them or they simply go for whatever shave they can get. Also, keep in mind that the whole 3-4 (and more) pass shave is something relatively new. I highly doubt that any of my grandfather's shaved like that in the past.

And there's the other type of people, who want to get the best shave possible from a razor that combines everything they want. That might be - a very mild and comfortable razor that combines a good amount of efficiency with excellent blade support and it also matches the natural shaving angle of that specific type of people. Or perhaps something super efficient and also comfortable as much as possible.

So the question here isn't whatever the modern razors are better or not compared to the vintage razors, but more like - what fits your need and your needs alone. Obviously, both modern and vintage razors can deliver great shaves, but they are not the same. For instance, I just shaved with my Gibbs 15 and my BBS result is almost as good as with the Blackland Blackbird. Both modern and vintage are good enough for me, but I have to give a very slight edge to the modern razors.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

No one ever had to choose between the soaps you mentioned. The Italians, French, Germans, and English have had terrific soaps/creams for decades.

It's OK that things have changed, especially for newer shavers. It was an industry waiting to happen. But, I can get as good a shave with a 100 year old Gillette as I can with a modern razor. I have a couple modern razors but they really don't interest me the way vintage Gillettes do. Lotta guys have moved to straights and I doubt there are many improvements over well kept or restored vintage straights. That's nothing I'll ever know first hand.

I do understand why synthetics have been the rage with lots of people. I've come to see some great advantages to them, especially for newbies (which I certainly am not) and seasoned wetshavers.

But the artisan soap market bores me to tears. All the classic soaps and creams I use are as good as I can get while also appealing to my senses. While I'm sure lots of older, experienced wetshavers are on board with the new artisan products, their marketing is not to my demographic (which is smart on their part) but rather to younger and newer wetshavers. Nobody markets anything to my demographic but big pharma.

Have you tried any of the best new soaps, though? And have you tried a really good modern razor (the Feather AS-D2 is not one of these - it’s from before the era of artisan razors)? You might be surprised, just as you were when you tried a synthetic brush. They might be a lot better than you think.

 

[CCS]

The reason why vintage razors (in general) fall short compared to the more precise (mostly non zamak) made modern razors, is simply because the ideas behind the drive for both are very different.

The idea behind the vintage razors like Gillette for instance is to sell blades and to make their razors as easy as possible, so more and more people can use them. While it's true that they've made lots of special and cool razors back in the day, the blades were and still are their main way to profit.

With the modern razors manufacturers things are much different, because they can hardly make any profit from making blades, instead they are focusing on making razors in a way that everyone can enjoy them instead of having (mostly) mild and not super efficient razors.

The other thing that people need to consider is how important is shaving for them. Some folks just don't really care that much and they just grab whatever razor they have and the results they get are either good enough for them or they simply go for whatever shave they can get. Also, keep in mind that the whole 3-4 (and more) pass shave is something relatively new. I highly doubt that any of my grandfather's shaved like that in the past.

And there's the other type of people, who want to get the best shave possible from a razor that combines everything they want. That might be - a very mild and comfortable razor that combines a good amount of efficiency with excellent blade support and it also matches the natural shaving angle of that specific type of people. Or perhaps something super efficient and also comfortable as much as possible.

So the question here isn't whatever the modern razors are better or not compared to the vintage razors, but more like - what fits your need and your needs alone. Obviously, both modern and vintage razors can deliver great shaves, but they are not the same. For instance, I just shaved with my Gibbs 15 and my BBS result is almost as good as with the Blackland Blackbird. Both modern and vintage are good enough for me, but I have to give a very slight edge to the modern razors.

As to the bolded, it's why I asked if modern razors had become more popular, not better. Are the higher quality better made razors good? Well, my AS-D2 is better made than any of my vintage Gillettes and I get to BBS more quickly. Is it as much fun? Not for me.

My idea behind this topic was more based on the observation that when I used to read this forum, most of the interest in razors seemed to be vintage. Now, looking at the DE topic list, it's modern razors.