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How do modern razors measure up to old Gillettes?

One thing I have seen people say is that Gillette was able to produce high-quality razors, in large enough numbers, that have lasted such that there are still a lot of working models, due to the economy of scale of making them back in the days when the market for them was very large (since DE razors, aside from SE stuff like the Injector, were the only game in town unless you wanted to learn to shave with a straight razor).

The end result being that you can get a working Superspeed or whatever from the 50s for less than the price of a case of beer (vary the size of the case depending on how much booze costs locally). Even fancier stuff like the adjustable ones is quite affordable. Compare to the prices you'll pay for a working, halfway-decent condition guitar from back in the day: you can get a working, good quality 1959 Fat Boy for a hundred bucks US or less, and it retailed for about 2 back then.

In comparison, a Stratocaster (for non-guitar nerds: Fender's machined, solid-wood-bodied, bolt-on-neck guitars were originally derided for being cheaper and easier to make than acoustics or Gibson-style hollow/semi-hollow electrics) in 1957 cost under 300 dollars - nowadays depending on condition you could pay somewhere in the neighbourhood of $30,000-50,000. And that's not just for collectors - musicians will swear that 50s and 60s era guitars were just better, especially Fenders. Of course, it's way easier to break or otherwise mess up a guitar than a little thing made of metal. And way more people over the years have done something stupid like refinish their old Strat.

Now that I've finished being amazed at how much people will pay for a guitar, the point: I've got a couple old Gillettes, including the Blue Tip I've been using. Supposedly, current TTOs just aren't as good, certainly not at the same price point. The high-end razor makers seem mostly to be making 3-piece models.

So, the question I'm wondering about is, if I end up buying a new razor, is there any reason to not just get a good-condition vintage model (obviously the issue there is whether or not the seller is telling the truth) instead of a current-production one?
 
For me, no need at all to get any modern razor. The oldies are built like tanks and last forever, so they are all I use. YMMV.
 
Many of the newer all stainless steel razors are generally employing a spare no expense approach to creating some of the highest quality razors you could possibly imagine. The build quality is like that of a fine surgical tool, just absolute perfection. If these were cars this would be on par with driving a Ferrari.

Are they better than the vintage Gillette razors, it depends on what is important to you. I personally prefer the newer higher quality stainless steel razors. But can I get a perfect BBS shave from a vintage Gillette? I absolutely can, and those razors will last a lifetime as well and they are quite enjoyable to shave with. Many can be had for around the $30 mark which to me makes them more appealing to me than many of the newer non stainless steel razors. They did know how to make a quality product back then.

So for me my first choice is a newer stainless steel razor, which gives me my best shaves, followed by a vintage Gillette razor. I tend to skip the cheaply made Zamak razors as I find them to be undesirable.
 
Many of the newer all stainless steel razors are generally employing a spare no expense approach to creating some of the highest quality razors you could possibly imagine. The build quality is like that of a fine surgical tool, just absolute perfection. If these were cars this would be on par with driving a Ferrari.

Are they better than the vintage Gillette razors, it depends on what is important to you. I personally prefer the newer higher quality stainless steel razors. But can I get a perfect BBS shave from a vintage Gillette? I absolutely can, and those razors will last a lifetime as well and they are quite enjoyable to shave with. Many can be had for around the $30 mark which to me makes them more appealing to me than many of the newer non stainless steel razors. They did know how to make a quality product back then.

So for me my first choice is a newer stainless steel razor, which gives me my best shaves, followed by a vintage Gillette razor. I tend to skip the cheaply made Zamak razors as I find them to be undesirable.

How much would you expect to spend on a good current stainless model? I mean, no way I'm dropping $200 American on one of the Feather models. And none of the reviews I've seen on the Merkur adjustables (the only ones I've really have been tempted by) has convinced me any of them doesn't lack some major flaw.

Honestly, of the things I'm having to restrain myself from buying (if I didn't have self-control I'd be out buying aftershave right now, and had to tell myself it was stupid to buy a hundred PolSilvers, which I have never used) the actual razors themselves are the last thing. I'm pretty happy with this Blue Tip.
 
How much would you expect to spend on a good current stainless model? I mean, no way I'm dropping $200 American on one of the Feather models. And none of the reviews I've seen on the Merkur adjustables (the only ones I've really have been tempted by) has convinced me any of them doesn't lack some major flaw.

Honestly, of the things I'm having to restrain myself from buying (if I didn't have self-control I'd be out buying aftershave right now, and had to tell myself it was stupid to buy a hundred PolSilvers, which I have never used) the actual razors themselves are the last thing. I'm pretty happy with this Blue Tip.


The newer high end stainless steel razors are around the $185 mark which is right where you don't want to be. Feather also wouldn't be my personal choice. Wolfman (good luck with the wait list for this one), ATT and Timeless are the manufacturers I'd look at. There are some exceptions price wise like the Rockwell that has a sintered (cast) stainless steel version that can be had as a set for around $99. These get a lot of praise and seem to be a very good value so that would be my budget choice. Do note that these are by no means necessary if you're happy with what you're using now. You have to decide what you want to spend and what is best for you.

If I were looking at a Merkur adjustable for around the $70 mark I'd rather spend a slight bit more and get the Rockwell set for $99. While they do have many loyal users, I don't believe that the Merkur adjustable razors are made of stainless steel nor do I believe that they are made in a way that they will outlast you and I. If I'm spending a good deal of money on a razor I want something that's going to last my lifetime.
 
I have a variety of vintage Gillette and modern razors including several of the stainless steel varieties popular today and have both in my rotation .I prefer the three piece models both modern and vintage to the TTOs (excluding the Brit Aristocrats). While several of the modern razors give great shaves so do the vintage Gillette razors: the NEW DeLuxe or Brit RFB shave as well as any modern razor I've tried . IMO modern does not mean better, Gillette and other vintage brands got it right a long time ago .Some of the modern stainless steel razors have the wow factor in looks and craftsmanship as do many of the vintage razors but it is hard to beat the cool factor of shaving with an 80 year old first generation Aristocrat . A lot of the modern razors are homages to or copies of the great razors that preceded them.There are more of the aggressive razors produced today while Gillette back in the day manufactured mid aggressive to mild razors for the mass market.Which is superior is a matter of taste you really can't go wrong with either depending on your personal preferences. If you are happy with the Blue Tip I'd say that is a good place , as many shavers are always seeking and are not content to stay with one razor (I count myself in this crowd). As for TTOs IMO the Fatboys and Slims were not an improvement on the Superspeeds or Rockets and I have not tried any modern TTO.

Glenn
 
I have a rule. Never use anything from the 60's and forward! :) But I do belive new razors are as good as most vintage gillettes but for me it's about the feeling shaving with a razor another gentleman, or serial killer, used! That's really cool! :)
 
I love the authenticity of shaving with a vintage razor, all the more so as I know it's shaving as well now as it did 40/50/60 years ago and I'm not having to compromise shave quality for nostalgia.

The exception to that rule is the Fatip Piccolo, with which I am completely besotted.
 
There is definitely something cool about shaving with a vintage razor and I do enjoy them from time to time as well.
 
How much would you expect to spend on a good current stainless model? I mean, no way I'm dropping $200 American on one of the Feather models. And none of the reviews I've seen on the Merkur adjustables (the only ones I've really have been tempted by) has convinced me any of them doesn't lack some major flaw.

Honestly, of the things I'm having to restrain myself from buying (if I didn't have self-control I'd be out buying aftershave right now, and had to tell myself it was stupid to buy a hundred PolSilvers, which I have never used) the actual razors themselves are the last thing. I'm pretty happy with this Blue Tip.

If you are happy with the Blue Tip use it. Gillette was selling razors cheap because the would make the money back on blades. Nowadays DE razors are a niche market. If you want a QUALITY razor it will cost you.
 
What you're paying for when you buy a new stainless steel razor is the cost of manufacturing it. These things are made on expensive machinery using computer controlled CNC machines. The guy running the machine is not an $8 guy and the tooling of this material is very expensive. I don't suspect that there is a huge profit margin considering the time it takes to make each one so they aren't cheap.

You also have to think that these are a product that's designed to last several lifetimes in a society that basically makes everything to throw away. For example, my wife uses hair dryers that usually run about $40 and last about a year or two. If I could buy one that would last forever and cost me $185 I'd do it because I'd be saving money in the long run.

We're conditioned to think that a razor handle should cost $6 because that's what the plastic ones cost in the store. They more than make up for that cost with the $30 pack of carts that you have to keep buying over an over again. Hell they'll give you one for free from time to time so that you buy the carts. With these razors it's the other way around. The razors are expensive and the blades are dirt cheap.

Sure you can buy a vintage Gillette and spend only $30 on it and have a great lifetime razor. That's certainly an option. But if you bought another modern massed produced razor like for example an R41 or maybe something else being mass produced. These razors are made of Zamak and unfortunately they don't last forever, so you'll replace it every say five years at a cost of $50. After fifteen years you could have bought a stainless steel razor and used it the rest of your life before passing it to your son who could then use it the rest of his life as well. So overall are they really that expensive considering the enjoyment you get in using them and the amount of time that they will last. If I computed the number of shaves I got from a given razor over the span of my lifetime (that I likely have left) even the most expensive ones would be maybe a couple cents a day or less.

Again, it's your money and you have to decide how to spend it. To me, it's worth it as a luxury item that I enjoy using to start my day with. Some people will stop every day on the way to work and buy a $6 coffee, for me I enjoy spending a little more on a nice razor so that I can better enjoy my morning shave.
 
I prefer Gillette safety guard bar TTO's made in 1950 or earlier and Gillette adjustables, mainly the Fatboy.

My favorites are the Postwar Tech, NEW SC, 46/47 Aristocrat, 48-50 Aristocrat, Fatboy, and NDC 40's style Super speed.

Modern razors that I bought and sold are the ATT M1, R1, H1, ASD2, Muhle R41, Fatip Piccolo.

I find my favorites to be better than the modern razors that I sold.
 
So, the question I'm wondering about is, if I end up buying a new razor, is there any reason to not just get a good-condition vintage model (obviously the issue there is whether or not the seller is telling the truth) instead of a current-production one?

I've found sellers on B-S-T to be quite truthful, and the prices are often less than what you would on auction sites. Most people there want to see items go to members of the community and be used, and they are priced accordingly.

The largest reason for a current-production one might be aggressiveness. Some people find that they prefer razors more aggressive than Gillette Old Types or Gillette Adjustables set on their most aggressive. Aggressiveness data for lesser-known vintage vintages can be difficult to find, so current production often provides a good option.
 
I've found sellers on B-S-T to be quite truthful, and the prices are often less than what you would on auction sites. Most people there want to see items go to members of the community and be used, and they are priced accordingly.

The largest reason for a current-production one might be aggressiveness. Some people find that they prefer razors more aggressive than Gillette Old Types or Gillette Adjustables set on their most aggressive. Aggressiveness data for lesser-known vintage vintages can be difficult to find, so current production often provides a good option.

I've got light hair (don't really grow anything one would call a "beard") and sensitive skin, so thanks for the information - a modern, more aggressive razor is probably the last thing I need.
 

Raven Koenes

My precious!
Fatip's are rocking it since they've re-tooled and come out with new lines. Their shaving heads are superb and they are all brass razors. Their open combs can be had from 19 dollars for the Piccolo, 25 dollars for the Grande, and 30 dollars for their new closed comb their Testina Gentile. Their wood handled razors that look a lot like the Joris (which Fatip makes the head for) run around 35-40 dollars. So yes they are a modern razor that measures up and are affordable.
 
I use old, I use vintage. I like them all. Some vintage razors are excellent. Some new razors are excellent. Try them, back and forth-- all till you find what works for you. What you prefer, what you like. Just don't try with a closed mind. Much like all the different razor blades. This brings back the old adage of: "...some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in the pot--9 days old!". What would make people think that someone, somewhere couldn't make, machine, or otherwise, a razor as good or better than what was made 50+ years ago? The question is do they have the skill? Some do, some don't! Feather, others? Case in point?
 
Use them all, prefer new ones, they give me a better shave. R-41, Rockwell, Fatip, Parker 3-piece, Parker 99R TTO, DE89, etc. But, there is something about vintage, wondering about who owned it, what history it has seen, etc.
 
Playing guitar has always been a hobby. Shaving hasn't. I'm not sure "quality" is quite the right word to use for a handle designed to hold a razor blade.

We have made a hobby out of something that wasn't one when these things were made (Gillettes). It's a bit like talking about coffee in the 60's and coffee now. It wasn't a "thing" then. :)
 
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tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
The short answer to your question is - no. Vintage razors are fantastic and an excellent value. Let's keep all the old Gillette's out of the landfills!

Having said that, I thoroughly enjoy my modern Merkurs. Merkur razors seem to have fallen off in popularity lately, I think due to the proliferation of cheaper zamak razors from India and more options for high-end stainless steel razors. But I think they are brilliantly engineered and wonderful razors to use. If I get 5-10 years out of one, I'm fine with that. I don't consider something "disposable" just because I can't pass it on to my great-grandkids.
 
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