I might have added, in terms of size, weight, balance and feel, the ball-end Old Type is the best I've ever tried, new or vintage. (I dislike exposed side stabs, however.) The trouble is, it isn't adjustable, and I want to be able to adjust blade exposure depending on how many days have passed since my last shave. Today's three-piece DE razors with multiple available base plates are what make new better than vintage for me.
My subjective ranking of vintage Gillettes
- Thread starter Umma2gumma
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- #42
Well, I need to change my ranking and move the post-war Tech close to the top.
I haven’t used it in a while. Either my technique with vintage Gillettes has improved, or the blade change helped (I don’t recall ever using a Perma-sharp in it, although I did try Feathers) but I just had two wonderful shaves with my 1960 Tech. Still hate the original ball end handle, though, this isn’t likely to change…
I haven’t used it in a while. Either my technique with vintage Gillettes has improved, or the blade change helped (I don’t recall ever using a Perma-sharp in it, although I did try Feathers) but I just had two wonderful shaves with my 1960 Tech. Still hate the original ball end handle, though, this isn’t likely to change…
@Umma2gumma I seem to recall that you're a fan of Maggard's V3A head (let me know if I am not remembering that correctly). Have you tried the Maggard V3M which uses a Tech-like design? I was wondering how they compare.
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- #44
Yes, and no.
Big fan of V3A. Never used V3M.
Compared to my latest (great) shaves with Tech, I’d say V3A is more aggressive with lots of blade feel. Also less sensitive to the shaving angle or the blade used. Needs a little more attention but is still a forgiving razor.
I had a load of Gillettes at one time: SuperSpeeds thru '55, '59 Tech, Slim, FatBoy, and Aristocrat. Even a Heritage. My favorites were the early 50s SuperSpeed. The Tech was also pretty good, but the adjustables drove me crazy finding a proper setting and the Aristocrat was too aggressive for me. I haven't used any in years, selling or giving most away.
This is why i have a hard time selling a razor unless it’s a copy I acquired in a lot.
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- #47
I don't sell any razors. But then I don't have really expensive ones, and I am not going to bother with $15 minus shipping and eBay fees...
That kills it too. A flipper bought a bunch of razors I had previously though and pretty much relisted them as I sold them for $15-$20 extra on the auction site. Something about buying from eBay seems worth it no matter how well I describe the razors here.
Yep- the value in most of mine individually is so low it isn’t worth the hassle to list, ship, package, communicate with buyer, etc, and the ones that do have decent value are the ones I don’t want to sell and have had re plated or wish to do so at some point.
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- #51
Getting to the post office is a major hassle for me. The couple days during the week when it’s opened late I would be coming from work and absolutely the last thing I want to do is stand in line. And on Saturday, there’s too much going on.
UPS would be much faster but also a lot more expensive,
A few razors that I would part with are so cheap that it just makes more sense to PIF them. If I have to go through all that hassle of shipping them, might as well feel good about it.
“master every model you acquire”
This is why my vintage Gillettes are becoming wall art.….
Using one after the other, most Gillettes of a certain type (adjustable, superspeed, OC), to me feel similar to others in the same family, but not so much that some would not require their own technique to some degree. My favorite is adjustables, and I like the slim and Fatboy a lot more than my super 84.
In order to master a razor, I feel I must spend significant time with it, and if I can’t/won’t do that I can’t appreciate it so I may as well thin the herd. Why master a bunch of razors with exploratory, less than perfect shaves that are never going to equal my best when I have a couple of razors I can pick up and know my shave will be the best I can get? Now that I have two amazing moderns, my vintage Gillettes all feel somewhat obsolete.
However…
I just picked up a $2.88 Chinese Gillette Super Blue (tech) and it is shockingly good- runs away from my LNIB 50’s tech in every measurable way. If the Chinese Tech was the only razor I owned I would be fine. If I had to buy 10 of them to last me the rest of my life it’s still a cheap, fantastic shaver. The problem is once I got used to/preferred heavy razors that little zamak jewel from China has created an appetite to try lightweight razors…..
Hello darkness my old friend….the rabbit hole.
An interesting observation indeed and appreciated.
Yet there is always a however to these discussions I think.
I have an overwhelming majority of vintages in my small collection of around 35 razors. In fact only 2 are technically modern.
Of my razor family the large majority are Gillettes, and I find there is a large discrepancy in their performance. The early 60's US Tech is mild, the Pre-war a different beast. The English Gillettes in turn have a completely different character. And this is not counting the various OC models.
And that does not include the non Gillette vintages. The superbly efficient Souplex OC and bakelite Double Six Minor with its innovative differing blade gap and exposure on each side of the head, the English 7 O'clock OC which shaves very differently to any Gillette New (which is roughly contemporary in time frame) and the English Laurel all provide fascinatingly different shave experiences in terms of performance.
I would not really like just two razors to cover my beard condition on a given day, length between shaves and growth. I find I have a fantastic and highly flexible tool kit with the Gilettes' alone which cover all my needs. And yes I have figured out each of their quirks and subtly different strengths by mastering them as i have long experience now in their use and individual characters.
I just enjoy the vast variety I find in the performance of all of my vintages. The English Gillette Aristocrat Junior No 48 for instance, is vastly different and unique in the shave it gives compared to its US contemporaries. It's just cool to pick up a specific razor for a specific 'type' of shave which you may need on that specific occasion.
Interesting that you mention the Chinese Super Blue Tech. I've got one still in it's packaging with a couple of blades. I really must break it out and give it a run. I've heard that its very good. Thanks for cementing that idea with your observations of it.
Cheers!
Thank you for your kind words. And just when I realize I will never even get to all the domestic (to me) Gillettes I don’t yet own I have to own up to the fact that I have never experienced any of the British Gillettes! I quit buying Gillettes once I felt like I had fairly good samples of each “family” or “type” as I never had any intention of buying them all but remain open to suggestions from those more experienced than I if I’m missing out on something that would suit me well or is vastly different from what I have already tried. The two razors that have possibly killed RAD, or at least slowed it considerably for me are the Overlander and Athena. As for Gillettes,
The ones I’ll keep-
Old Type
New LC
New SC
Tech-1955
Red Tip
Slim
Fatboy
My son will be shaving soon, and a Blue Tip, GC 68, Tech and Krona will be his first razors, one at a time. He can then explore the joy of working thru the Gillettes as his beard thickens and his technique is learned. I also picked up a 2nd Overlander to save for him. What doesn’t make his cut will be sold, eventually. I personally have no desire to keep, for me-
40’s SS
Blue tip SS
Black tip SS
Flair tip SS
Super 84 is on the fence. Was always rough, but just had BRG service it so I’m giving it another chance as it completes the adjustable collection.
Ive also worked my way thru most Gems and a lot of Schicks, and neither are really my thing. I have no desire to learn/maintain straights, and so far haven’t been tempted enough to try any other SE razors.
As always, YMMV.
The ones I’ll keep-
Old Type
New LC
New SC
Tech-1955
Red Tip
Slim
Fatboy
My son will be shaving soon, and a Blue Tip, GC 68, Tech and Krona will be his first razors, one at a time. He can then explore the joy of working thru the Gillettes as his beard thickens and his technique is learned. I also picked up a 2nd Overlander to save for him. What doesn’t make his cut will be sold, eventually. I personally have no desire to keep, for me-
40’s SS
Blue tip SS
Black tip SS
Flair tip SS
Super 84 is on the fence. Was always rough, but just had BRG service it so I’m giving it another chance as it completes the adjustable collection.
Ive also worked my way thru most Gems and a lot of Schicks, and neither are really my thing. I have no desire to learn/maintain straights, and so far haven’t been tempted enough to try any other SE razors.
As always, YMMV.
Foot in mouth, again…saw no need to try a cheap eBay48-49 Aristocrat missing end caps after @alumladd had helped identify it because I kept reading that it shaved so similar to a red tip. So- I wasn’t going to use it till I had it replated. TBH, I was shocked at how smooth, efficient, safe and gentle this razor was with a new Plat blade. Dumbfounded. BBS and completely comfortable. So, I have a definitive “winner” out of my Gillettes and I like it as much as my Karve.
Attachments
Gillette over the years made so many good, great, moslt OK Razor that work for 75-80% of the population that shaved, that is and was a great accomplishment. For practical purposes Gillette owned the Razor & Blade market.
I've been wet shaving for less than a year, started with Henson al13, moved mainly to razorock GC, but I have been interested in a TTO style for a little bit. Been learning more about the vintage Gillette scene and decided to try and score some eBay gold. First time even using eBay lol, but I've got bids in for a red tip SS and a slim ! I'm a little more interested in the slim as it would be a triple whammy: first vintage, first adjustable, and first TTO, but the red tip looks to be really close to mint based on the photos, just a little bit of brassing on the underside of the head. The slim looks to be in good shape, but I noticed in the red tip listing seller mentioned the razor was cleaned and polished before listing, where the slim still looks like it could use a good scrub, but no corrosion or big plating loss that I could see.
Anyway, these are proper auctions so still not guaranteed I will win either, but if not, I think the hunt will continue! Excited to try a true antique shave
Anyway, these are proper auctions so still not guaranteed I will win either, but if not, I think the hunt will continue! Excited to try a true antique shave
Good luck with the auction. I love my slim and reach for it more frequently than other much more expensive modern razors.I've been wet shaving for less than a year, started with Henson al13, moved mainly to razorock GC, but I have been interested in a TTO style for a little bit. Been learning more about the vintage Gillette scene and decided to try and score some eBay gold. First time even using eBay lol, but I've got bids in for a red tip SS and a slim ! I'm a little more interested in the slim as it would be a triple whammy: first vintage, first adjustable, and first TTO, but the red tip looks to be really close to mint based on the photos, just a little bit of brassing on the underside of the head. The slim looks to be in good shape, but I noticed in the red tip listing seller mentioned the razor was cleaned and polished before listing, where the slim still looks like it could use a good scrub, but no corrosion or big plating loss that I could see.
Anyway, these are proper auctions so still not guaranteed I will win either, but if not, I think the hunt will continue! Excited to try a true antique shave
I’ve only used various Techs and Superspeeds.
I agree with you 100% about the 56 Super Speed: Smooth, easy, comfortable with a sharp blade like a Gillette Silver Blue. The one ring to rule them all for me (if we’re talking about DE razors).
The Techs…I found them all WAY TOO aggressive for me, I did not find them mild whatsoever, but I know a lot of people echo the same feelings as you do about them.
I agree with you 100% about the 56 Super Speed: Smooth, easy, comfortable with a sharp blade like a Gillette Silver Blue. The one ring to rule them all for me (if we’re talking about DE razors).
The Techs…I found them all WAY TOO aggressive for me, I did not find them mild whatsoever, but I know a lot of people echo the same feelings as you do about them.
