Help Me Choose My Weapon...

[Walter Sobchak]

Gents,

I had the good fortune of acquiring several razors over the past few weeks. Yesterday I finally gave them all a good cleaning and they're all ready to be used.

I'm planning on showering up and having a Sat eve shave before settling down with a Guinness or two for the night.

I have not used any of the following razors before and I just can't decide which to use. I'll wait about 15 minutes and see what you guys choose for me. Then I'll go have a shave and report back on how it went.

I normally shave with vintage Gillettes. Usually a Slim on 9 or a Red Tip. Those are my two favorite shavers at the moment.

I usually use a Feather or Astra, but I have Super Iridiums, Red IPs, Bics, Merkurs, Tigers, Crystals, Derby, Wilky Swords, Dorco ST301s to choose from if you guys feel one would be better than another. The single edge blades I have are the Treet SE blades from RiteAid (best I could do on short notice).

Here's what I have to choose from tonight:

A MINT, never been shaved with before, GEM 1912 with the heavy metal handle. *I've never used a SE*

An Excellent condition Slant 37C.
*Never used a Slant or any Merkur, for that matter*

A good condition, shaver grade undated/no date code Aristocrat.
*Of course I've used other TTO and Superspeeds, but not an Aristocrat.*

A Treet SE with a big fat Bakelite handle & 1912 head in Excellent condition.
*An interesting razor, kind of light, but substantially larger than any of the others*

I just realized, there will be no consensus, and I'll have to choose anyway, probably. But hey, its worth a shot.

So, what do you say guys? Which razor and what blade?

 

[americanarmsdealer]

I'm a real sucker for the Gillettes, probably because that's all I currently own and the only DEs I've used thus far, so I'd have to say the Aristocrat. Haven't had the good fortune to pick one up yet, but that's what I'd be shaving with next, given your choices. Well, there's my 2 cents, and like pretty much everything else in life, you get what you pay for!Forgot to choose a blade, guess I read your post really well the 1st time through! I'd go with the BicS, just to change things up from the Astras or Feathers. All 3 have worked great for me.

 

[luvmysuper]

Gents,

I had the good fortune of acquiring several razors over the past few weeks. Yesterday I finally gave them all a good cleaning and they're all ready to be used.

I'm planning on showering up and having a Sat eve shave before settling down with a Guinness or two for the night.

I have not used any of the following razors before and I just can't decide which to use. I'll wait about 15 minutes and see what you guys choose for me. Then I'll go have a shave and report back on how it went.

I normally shave with vintage Gillettes. Usually a Slim on 9 or a Red Tip. Those are my two favorite shavers at the moment.

I usually use a Feather or Astra, but I have Super Iridiums, Red IPs, Bics, Merkurs, Tigers, Crystals, Derby, Wilky Swords, Dorco ST301s to choose from if you guys feel one would be better than another. The single edge blades I have are the Treet SE blades from RiteAid (best I could do on short notice).

Here's what I have to choose from tonight:

A MINT, never been shaved with before, GEM 1912 with the heavy metal handle. *I've never used a SE*

An Excellent condition Slant 37C.
*Never used a Slant or any Merkur, for that matter*

A good condition, shaver grade undated/no date code Aristocrat.
*Of course I've used other TTO and Superspeeds, but not an Aristocrat.*

A Treet SE with a big fat Bakelite handle & 1912 head in Excellent condition.
*An interesting razor, kind of light, but substantially larger than any of the others*

I just realized, there will be no consensus, and I'll have to choose anyway, probably. But hey, its worth a shot.

So, what do you say guys? Which razor and what blade?

My first vote is the Aristocrat with a Red IP, followed by my second vote for the Slant.

Have a good shave, and a great evening!!

 

[brianw]

the 1912 hands down.... just watch your angle and NO PRESSURE... keep the water turned off and enjoy the sound of the whiskers being mowed down

 

[Defend Tacoma]

I'd go Aristocrat... I have a #16 coming in the mail, so that's my vote! I'll live vicariously through ya. Blades? How bout Super Iridiums

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Thanks for your input guys!

Very interesting. The Aristocrat got a lot of love here. SO...I'm going to load that up with an Iridium. But I'm also going to load up the GEM and take a few swipes with that too. I keep reading about the satisfying song a 1912 sings while you shave with one. I'm feeling compelled to at least let it see some lather in this shave. The thing's probably eighty years old and it's never touched a whisker (as far as I can tell).

Thinking I'll go with MWF, Alum, and Musgo. I'll let you know how it went when I'm done.

I guess the Slant with have its own day in the near future.

 

[Defend Tacoma]

Sweet! I win! We require a full report!

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Full Report, Fellas.

Went with MWF, Simpson Chubby1 Best and the two razors and blades mentioned above.

Did the right side of my face and neck with the 1912. I purposely did this because the right side of my neck is the big trouble area for me. It's sensitive, the whiskers are tough, and they grow every which way. It's nearly impossible to shave that area super smooth without some form of irritation/discomfort. I already know how best to hit that area with my VTG Gillettes.

So, on to the 1912. Wow. I sure does give some great audible feedback! I got very close with one WTG pass in the directions I know I can safely go without trauma. Did a second pass XTG. Great! No problems. Then I did what I know I should never do, I went ATG on the trouble areas. Not too bad though. No blood or anything, but I'm sure I'll have the telltale red dots there later on. Overall, I have to say the 1912 is a fine piece of equipment. I am BBS to DFS on the entire right side.

The Left side I saved for the Aristocrat with the Iridium. I know the TTO Gillettes well by now and I figured I'd have no trouble with it. Indeed that was true. No troubles at all. What I hadn't figured is that I LOVE how this thing feels in my hand. Great balance and heft. My entire left side is BBS with three passes, and it felt good while it was happening. Very comfortable shave in every regard. I might have to keep my eyes peeled for this same razor in excellentish condition. I like this Aristocrat better than the Flare Tips I have, Red Tip notwithstanding.

So, that's the first time I've actually used two different rigs during one shave. Interesting. Maybe next shave I'll do the left (the easier side) with the 1912 and the right with the Aristocrat.

Thanks for the help deciding guys.

OH, BTW, considering I was using two American classics, I went with alum followed by a heaping helping of Aqua Velva. A nice finish to a nice shave!

 

[luvmysuper]

Full Report, Fellas.

Went with MWF, Simpson Chubby1 Best and the two razors and blades mentioned above.

Did the right side of my face and neck with the 1912. I purposely did this because the right side of my neck is the big trouble area for me. It's sensitive, the whiskers are tough, and they grow every which way. It's nearly impossible to shave that area super smooth without some form of irritation/discomfort. I already know how best to hit that area with my VTG Gillettes.

So, on to the 1912. Wow. I sure does give some great audible feedback! I got very close with one WTG pass in the directions I know I can safely go without trauma. Did a second pass XTG. Great! No problems. Then I did what I know I should never do, I went ATG on the trouble areas. Not too bad though. No blood or anything, but I'm sure I'll have the telltale red dots there later on. Overall, I have to say the 1912 is a fine piece of equipment. I am BBS to DFS on the entire right side.

The Left side I saved for the Aristocrat with the Iridium. I know the TTO Gillettes well by now and I figured I'd have no trouble with it. Indeed that was true. No troubles at all. What I hadn't figured is that I LOVE how this thing feels in my hand. Great balance and heft. My entire left side is BBS with three passes, and it felt good while it was happening. Very comfortable shave in every regard. I might have to keep my eyes peeled for this same razor in excellentish condition. I like this Aristocrat better than the Flare Tips I have, Red Tip notwithstanding.

So, that's the first time I've actually used two different rigs during one shave. Interesting. Maybe next shave I'll do the left (the easier side) with the 1912 and the right with the Aristocrat.

Thanks for the help deciding guys.

OH, BTW, considering I was using two American classics, I went with alum followed by a heaping helping of Aqua Velva. A nice finish to a nice shave!

Sounds like you had fun, and that's key after all isn't it!

The Aristocrat and the President do shave quite nicely, they are always in my rotation with my Red Tip, and two of my fav straights.

Cheers!

 

[brianw]

I used to have a president and a aristocrat, never really warmed up to them and ended up PIFing them in the big MR. Scruffy PIF. The 1912 is amazing...after you get the angle on these snow shovels(as luvmysuper once referred to them) they give one sweet shave. Almost as good as my straights

 

[Walter Sobchak]

I'm going to put some time in with the 1912 this week. It's too pretty not to. This is the first time that I've used an 'unused' vintage. I did get a good shave, but there is a bad spot on my neck and I did burn it a bit. I can get that bad spot BBS without burn when I use a Gillette and the right blade. I'll keep working with the Gem and try to nail the angle. I'm worried that the Treet blades maybe aren't sharp enough to do that spot properly.