Help...advice...cool old Gillette

[PalmettoB]

I can't believe I forgot that I had this. I think this belonged to a friend of my grandmother. I got it a couple of years back when we were going through her things in the days after her funeral. It has the rounded edge DE blades, as you can see, but I can't find any markings other than "PAT. Nov.15.'04" I am wondering if a) it can be cleaned up and used, or b) if I should just keep it as a collectible.

If it can be cleaned up, what is the best way to do it?

(EDIT: According to this site: http://www.geocities.com/safetyrazors/gil_ser2.htm
it is a 1907 Model 102, SN A192729)

 

[drP]

Just use some steel polish liquid; i used it to clean up three pre june 1906 double ring Gillettes (the VERY first model, launched in the fall of 1903) which i got in deep "black" stained condition.

Now they look like these:

Peter

 

[GoTeeGuy]

Hi Blair,

That's certainly a great find! I've got a couple just like it at home (without the case). The general concensus on the forums is that older open-comb DE's (prior to the Gillette NEW) do not give as close a shave as the newer models. This is attributed to there being no blade-gap on these older razors. I'd be inclined to give it a good buff with silver polish and set it aside as a great collector's piece. On the other hand, these were made for shaving -- you can always give it a try and see how well you fare.

Cheers,

 

[PalmettoB]

Thanks for the advice, Peter and Ken. I cleaned it up last night with some Maas metal polish. It looks almost as good as my Merkur Classic Long Handle.

You might be right about the blade gap. I think just for the heck of it I will give it a new blade and try it. If I don't get as close, at least it looks great in the case now. Not bad for a nearly 100 year old razor!

 

[cooncatbob]

Some of the problems with these really old Gillettes is that they were designed to use a much thicker blade then the modern thin blades.