New vs Old Adjustable shave comparison: Rex Ambassador vs Vintage Gibbs # 17
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UPDATE! Vintage Gibbs adjustable vs Newest Version of Rex Ambassador DE razors shave redo!
Well I've been promising to update the original shave comparison as I felt like it was the fair thing to do as the first Rex I used had a number of issues which you can read about in the first shave off if your interested so I don't have to go back over it again. So here it is and I know I've gotten more than a few requests to do this shave off again so here it goes.
Ok first off I'd like to send a shout out to my good friend and member Mark aka @Shavemd for sending me his latest edition of the Rex and just so you know the Rex I used in the original shave off was also his and it was a 1st Gen Rex which had the issues. He messaged RE and they replaced his and because his first version had a polished top cap Matt was kind enough to polish this version for him. I thought that was a nice gesture on his part. So thanks again Mark for lending me your Rex. Also a shout out to Gus @GlazedBoker for offering me his in another Rex thread especially since he just got it and only had a few shaves in with it. Thanks for the offer my friend!
Shave gear: So it's 90 degrees out and I thought I want something refreshing today so what came to mind is Grapefruit and so the only Grapefruit Shave soap or should I say cream is my TOBS which I slightly modified by adding some pure Grapefruit oil to which I also did to a bottle of Thayers Witch Hazel and also to a bottle of Dementor Pink Grapefruit cologne which by itself is ok but much better now. Keeping with the Red theme LOL I pulled out my Fine shaving bowl and Italian flag shave boar brush ( you can't see the green part can you? LOL )
A little bit about both razors. The Rex is a result of an ambitious effort to come out with a SS USA made adjustable and from what I've heard threw the grapevine it wasn't an easy task in many ways which I will not go into. I will say my hat goes off and thumbs up to the Matt and crew for making the Rex come to life!
As many of you know the head design of the Rex was very much influenced by the vintage Gibbs #15 and #17 adjustable razor from France. I know the rest of the razor was inspired by the Gillette Fatboy although personally I see more of another all metal very rare Gibbs Adjustable that I can't remember the number of in the Rex than the Fatboy but that may be just me and if someone has a photo of the Gibbs I'm talking about please share it with the rest of us so we can form our own opinions. The Rex is all SS and accepts all commonly found DE blades. The Rex is a brass
razor with Chrome plating and it had used proprietary Mince Blades which are no longer made. So you have to modify a DE blade which is extremely easy and can be done with a cheap $7 hole punch or just a pair of scissors and I've done both and now prefer just cutting them with scissors which i can do in seconds. They both adjust from 1 to 6 so they also share that in common. There are not clicks on either when adjusting which I kind of like. I posted a lot of photos of the Gibbs and Rex side by side so you can see the differences in heads and I'd like to hear comments on that subject so feel free. The handle length on the Rex is obviously longer than the Gibbs and I threw in the Fatboy in one of the photos also for comparison. I have to note the fit and finish on this Rex is way better than the first one I used and personally I'd like to see them all polished like Marks. As you can see from my photos the Gibbs I used in this shave off is one of 3 I own and this one I'd say is in very minty conditon. I have one that is NOS and I'll be honest I don't use it as it's in my display cabinet where it will stay and be passed on to my son. I also have a user grade one that is in very nice shape and it has a custom handle that Aaron at Frugal Shave made for me as the original one had a crack in the handle and with my OCD I couldn't look at it LOL. Embarrassingly at one time I had like 7 of them but I'm thinning out my den and I'm still thinking of only keeping 2 razors of my favorite vintages where I've had multiples before. Let others enjoy them I say.
Anyway enough talk. On to the shave:
So I decided to use a Polsliver blade because it's the blade I used in the first shave comparison and I like to keep things consistent when doing shave reviews or comparisons. Worked up a nice lather with the TOBS Grapefruit and began the shave. I decided to use my Skin Stretch Short Stroke Technique as I know that with my Gibbs I can get a BBS shave is 2 passes using it. Plus I wanted to try it with the Rex.
Also a note: Both razors are dialed to setting #5 for this first pass and I'll probably keep them there throughout the entire shave unless I feel some irritation coming on. It's the setting I use with my Gibbs 99% of the time unless I'm on 1 days growth and want a touch up shave then I use setting 3.
1st Pass - WTG - So I broke my face down to 4 quadrants as my left and right side are really completely different as I'm sure many of you have experienced when mapping your beard. My right side being much more difficult to shave than my left as I have cowlicks and swirly beard patterns on my whole right side while my left is like so normal and predictable like it's out of the book of normal beard growth! I started with the Gibbs on my right side near my sideburns going north to south. My opposite hand behind my razor doing the skin stretching. Like always extremely smooth and in fact I'd like to Stop right here for a moment! I have to say with many shaves under my belt with the Gibbs #15 and #17 that this razor exhibits one of the best combinations of both smoothness and efficiency of any razor I have in my den and I often call it the Paradigm 17 4 of adjustable razors which in my opinion also has a great balance of both qualities. Ok back to the shave and pass. So finished shaving my right side face and as usual a great pass and I haven't used TOBS cream in a while and I found it had a nice glide to it not to mention the really refreshing scent! Love Grapefruit anything! Ok on to the Rex and I surely gave it a task by assigning my right side neck with all the cowlicks to it. As I moved down my neck I immediately felt that the Rex had more blade feel than the Gibbs and more audible feedback as well. The Rex took down my stubble like a champ and so my right side is done and on to my left side face with the Rex which I had in hand. I started my journey south from my sideburns and again skin stretching I could feel the stubble being mowed down effortlessly. I did slow down around my mouth, lower center chin and near my nose. As you notice in the photos the head on the Rex is taller than the Gibbs so not quite as easy to get under the nose but not anywhere near difficult but worth a mention. I finished up the pass and picked up the Gibbs to continue down my neck. Again so predictable and another great pass! Did a quick semi rinse and just lathered up for the XTG and ATG pass which I'll explain...
2nd Pass - XTG/ATG - Ok so some are wondering why I'm listing both XTG and WTG on the 2nd pass. Well it's simple. My face which include my cheeks and around my nose are at a point that I only need one more pass XTG and I know from experience with the Gibbs will result in a BBS shave. With my lower chin along my jawline and below especially on my right side neck need a ATG pass to give me an even BBS shave at least with the Gibbs. So another challenge for the Rex! So I start back on my right side going ear to nose and I get some great skin stretching on XTG pass and the Gibbs did not disappoint! So instead of continuing down to my neck I went right to the other side and did the exact same thing going XTG ear to nose this time using the Rex. Again more blade feel and more audible. 2 other things differ between the Rex and the Gibbs I noticed even from the 1st pass but I'll keep you guys in suspense a little longer and explain in my finial thoughts at the end. Ok finished the pass and keeping the Rex in hand I went down to the Right side of my neck and began the ATG pass south to north and up to my lower jaw so I could tie it into the last pass. Again I could feel it mowing down whatever stubble was left. BTW I love Skin stretching on my neck with a towel a method I took from an old Italian barber video that I happen to love. Ok now on to my left side neck with the Gibbs and on my easy left side I already know my stubble is gone with this on ATG pass from past shaves with my little Frenchie which is my nickname for my Gibbs.. I know silly but I've been naming objects since I named my first bicycle when I was a kid. Back to the shave and after finishing the last ATG pass I rinsed my face and decided to use a little alum to see if there was any difference in areas where I shaved with the Rex and the Gibbs and there was more feedback from the Rex side but not a big difference but noticeable to be honest. Rinsed pat dried and did a hand face feel and thought wow extremely close. So I used my Thayers and let it air dry while I cleaned up both razors, brush and bowl and blades etc. Came back for a 2nd feel and it was confirmed that both razors gave me a very nice BBS shave. An I will add if I was only looking for a nice DFS 1 pass WTG skin stretching would have given me that shave with either razor.
Alright time for some finial thoughts:
Efficiency: Was the same on setting 5 on both Rex and Gibbs. I'll try some other settings in the near future and if things change and I'll up date this thread but for now they were dead even in this shave off.
Smoothness: Ok I noticed this from the first few strokes using both razors The Gibbs is without a doubt smoother and like I said before this is a very hard razor to beat for that quality. I even did a hand feel of the Straight bar on both razors and if you run your finger along the SB you can tell which is smoother. Also the same when the top cap is on and you hold it against your face and go ATG without a blade in it. Now with that said is the Rex smooth? Yes it is and don't let this comment be a deterrent if you are thinking or getting one. That would be like saying don't buy a Timeless because it's not as smooth as a Paradigm 17 4!! The Rex is still a smooth shaver just to be clear.
Maneuverability: So for me and I say for me because you may find it different but the Gibbs is absolutely more maneuverable that the Rex not only by design but worth mentioning is the head of the Gibbs which has a lower profile which for me resulting in getting around my nose, mouth and center chin much easier. Also if I wanted to do a J Hook for example it would be much easier with the Gibbs.
Availability: Well that is easy to figure out the Rex wins this one hands down and it has a warranty. If there is an issue with it you just send it back and it will either be fixed or you'll get a band new one. With the Gibbs you are taking a chance hoping that the razor you buy online or just from a seller on a BST is in great working order just like any vintage razor you'd buy. Remember the Gibbs could be 60yrs old so a lot can happen in that amount of time. So if you are thinking of getting one. First job is to fine one and I'd suggest trying to find a nice one. I have had my best luck on the French, Italian and UK bay. If you do I'd suggest messaging the seller and asking all kinds of questions on the conditon and working order of the razor before you purchase it. Make sure the razor goes easily from 1 to 6 in the settings. The Gibbs can be taken apart and adjusted as far as dial goes as if you don't screw the dial back on just right your settings won't line up with the red dot. If I got one that needed a little TLC I'd probably send it out to Cap for a tune up. Also a note they do hold their value very well.
Summary: These are both great shaving razors and you could just have either one of them as your only razor and being both adjustable use them every day wether you have one or 4 days growth as you can adjust the efficiency of either razor.
NOTE: Since the Rex is described as being inspired by both the Gibbs and the Gillette Fatboy a shave off between them is coming soon but it will be included in a much bigger shave off that is in the works with a few members...just a tease..
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Nice review. I'm tempted to try the Gibbs razor one day. The vintage RAD bug has not hit me yet.
Great update @Dragonsbeard!
Both beautiful razors! I’m glad Rex has been able to make their corrective adjustments and improve the QC.
Both beautiful razors! I’m glad Rex has been able to make their corrective adjustments and improve the QC.
UPDATE! Vintage Gibbs adjustable vs Newest Version of Rex Ambassador DE razors shave redo!
Well I've been promising to update the original shave comparison as I felt like it was the fair thing to do as the first Rex I used had a number of issues which you can read about in the first shave off if your interested so I don't have to go back over it again. So here it is and I know I've gotten more than a few requests to do this shave off again so here it goes.
Ok first off I'd like to send a shout out to my good friend and member Mark aka @Shavemd for sending me his latest edition of the Rex and just so you know the Rex I used in the original shave off was also his and it was a 1st Gen Rex which had the issues. He messaged RE and they replaced his and because his first version had a polished top cap Matt was kind enough to polish this version for him. I thought that was a nice gesture on his part. So thanks again Mark for lending me your Rex. Also a shout out to Gus @GlazedBoker for offering me his in another Rex thread especially since he just got it and only had a few shaves in with it. Thanks for the offer my friend!
Shave gear: So it's 90 degrees out and I thought I want something refreshing today so what came to mind is Grapefruit and so the only Grapefruit Shave soap or should I say cream is my TOBS which I slightly modified by adding some pure Grapefruit oil to which I also did to a bottle of Thayers Witch Hazel and also to a bottle of Dementor Pink Grapefruit cologne which by itself is ok but much better now. Keeping with the Red theme LOL I pulled out my Fine shaving bowl and Italian flag shave boar brush ( you can't see the green part can you? LOL )
A little bit about both razors. The Rex is a result of an ambitious effort to come out with a SS USA made adjustable and from what I've heard threw the grapevine it wasn't an easy task in many ways which I will not go into. I will say my hat goes off and thumbs up to the Matt and crew for making the Rex come to life!
As many of you know the head design of the Rex was very much influenced by the vintage Gibbs #15 and #17 adjustable razor from France. I know the rest of the razor was inspired by the Gillette Fatboy although personally I see more of another all metal very rare Gibbs Adjustable that I can't remember the number of in the Rex than the Fatboy but that may be just me and if someone has a photo of the Gibbs I'm talking about please share it with the rest of us so we can form our own opinions. The Rex is all SS and accepts all commonly found DE blades. The Rex is a brass
razor with Chrome plating and it had used proprietary Mince Blades which are no longer made. So you have to modify a DE blade which is extremely easy and can be done with a cheap $7 hole punch or just a pair of scissors and I've done both and now prefer just cutting them with scissors which i can do in seconds. They both adjust from 1 to 6 so they also share that in common. There are not clicks on either when adjusting which I kind of like. I posted a lot of photos of the Gibbs and Rex side by side so you can see the differences in heads and I'd like to hear comments on that subject so feel free. The handle length on the Rex is obviously longer than the Gibbs and I threw in the Fatboy in one of the photos also for comparison. I have to note the fit and finish on this Rex is way better than the first one I used and personally I'd like to see them all polished like Marks. As you can see from my photos the Gibbs I used in this shave off is one of 3 I own and this one I'd say is in very minty conditon. I have one that is NOS and I'll be honest I don't use it as it's in my display cabinet where it will stay and be passed on to my son. I also have a user grade one that is in very nice shape and it has a custom handle that Aaron at Frugal Shave made for me as the original one had a crack in the handle and with my OCD I couldn't look at it LOL. Embarrassingly at one time I had like 7 of them but I'm thinning out my den and I'm still thinking of only keeping 2 razors of my favorite vintages where I've had multiples before. Let others enjoy them I say.
Anyway enough talk. On to the shave:
So I decided to use a Polsliver blade because it's the blade I used in the first shave comparison and I like to keep things consistent when doing shave reviews or comparisons. Worked up a nice lather with the TOBS Grapefruit and began the shave. I decided to use my Skin Stretch Short Stroke Technique as I know that with my Gibbs I can get a BBS shave is 2 passes using it. Plus I wanted to try it with the Rex.
Also a note: Both razors are dialed to setting #5 for this first pass and I'll probably keep them there throughout the entire shave unless I feel some irritation coming on. It's the setting I use with my Gibbs 99% of the time unless I'm on 1 days growth and want a touch up shave then I use setting 3.
1st Pass - WTG - So I broke my face down to 4 quadrants as my left and right side are really completely different as I'm sure many of you have experienced when mapping your beard. My right side being much more difficult to shave than my left as I have cowlicks and swirly beard patterns on my whole right side while my left is like so normal and predictable like it's out of the book of normal beard growth! I started with the Gibbs on my right side near my sideburns going north to south. My opposite hand behind my razor doing the skin stretching. Like always extremely smooth and in fact I'd like to Stop right here for a moment! I have to say with many shaves under my belt with the Gibbs #15 and #17 that this razor exhibits one of the best combinations of both smoothness and efficiency of any razor I have in my den and I often call it the Paradigm 17 4 of adjustable razors which in my opinion also has a great balance of both qualities. Ok back to the shave and pass. So finished shaving my right side face and as usual a great pass and I haven't used TOBS cream in a while and I found it had a nice glide to it not to mention the really refreshing scent! Love Grapefruit anything! Ok on to the Rex and I surely gave it a task by assigning my right side neck with all the cowlicks to it. As I moved down my neck I immediately felt that the Rex had more blade feel than the Gibbs and more audible feedback as well. The Rex took down my stubble like a champ and so my right side is done and on to my left side face with the Rex which I had in hand. I started my journey south from my sideburns and again skin stretching I could feel the stubble being mowed down effortlessly. I did slow down around my mouth, lower center chin and near my nose. As you notice in the photos the head on the Rex is taller than the Gibbs so not quite as easy to get under the nose but not anywhere near difficult but worth a mention. I finished up the pass and picked up the Gibbs to continue down my neck. Again so predictable and another great pass! Did a quick semi rinse and just lathered up for the XTG and ATG pass which I'll explain...
2nd Pass - XTG/ATG - Ok so some are wondering why I'm listing both XTG and WTG on the 2nd pass. Well it's simple. My face which include my cheeks and around my nose are at a point that I only need one more pass XTG and I know from experience with the Gibbs will result in a BBS shave. With my lower chin along my jawline and below especially on my right side neck need a ATG pass to give me an even BBS shave at least with the Gibbs. So another challenge for the Rex! So I start back on my right side going ear to nose and I get some great skin stretching on XTG pass and the Gibbs did not disappoint! So instead of continuing down to my neck I went right to the other side and did the exact same thing going XTG ear to nose this time using the Rex. Again more blade feel and more audible. 2 other things differ between the Rex and the Gibbs I noticed even from the 1st pass but I'll keep you guys in suspense a little longer and explain in my finial thoughts at the end. Ok finished the pass and keeping the Rex in hand I went down to the Right side of my neck and began the ATG pass south to north and up to my lower jaw so I could tie it into the last pass. Again I could feel it mowing down whatever stubble was left. BTW I love Skin stretching on my neck with a towel a method I took from an old Italian barber video that I happen to love. Ok now on to my left side neck with the Gibbs and on my easy left side I already know my stubble is gone with this on ATG pass from past shaves with my little Frenchie which is my nickname for my Gibbs.. I know silly but I've been naming objects since I named my first bicycle when I was a kid. Back to the shave and after finishing the last ATG pass I rinsed my face and decided to use a little alum to see if there was any difference in areas where I shaved with the Rex and the Gibbs and there was more feedback from the Rex side but not a big difference but noticeable to be honest. Rinsed pat dried and did a hand face feel and thought wow extremely close. So I used my Thayers and let it air dry while I cleaned up both razors, brush and bowl and blades etc. Came back for a 2nd feel and it was confirmed that both razors gave me a very nice BBS shave. An I will add if I was only looking for a nice DFS 1 pass WTG skin stretching would have given me that shave with either razor.
Alright time for some finial thoughts:
Efficiency: Was the same on setting 5 on both Rex and Gibbs. I'll try some other settings in the near future and if things change and I'll up date this thread but for now they were dead even in this shave off.
Smoothness: Ok I noticed this from the first few strokes using both razors The Gibbs is without a doubt smoother and like I said before this is a very hard razor to beat for that quality. I even did a hand feel of the Straight bar on both razors and if you run your finger along the SB you can tell which is smoother. Also the same when the top cap is on and you hold it against your face and go ATG without a blade in it. Now with that said is the Rex smooth? Yes it is and don't let this comment be a deterrent if you are thinking or getting one. That would be like saying don't buy a Timeless because it's not as smooth as a Paradigm 17 4!! The Rex is still a smooth shaver just to be clear.
Maneuverability: So for me and I say for me because you may find it different but the Gibbs is absolutely more maneuverable that the Rex not only by design but worth mentioning is the head of the Gibbs which has a lower profile which for me resulting in getting around my nose, mouth and center chin much easier. Also if I wanted to do a J Hook for example it would be much easier with the Gibbs.
Availability: Well that is easy to figure out the Rex wins this one hands down and it has a warranty. If there is an issue with it you just send it back and it will either be fixed or you'll get a band new one. With the Gibbs you are taking a chance hoping that the razor you buy online or just from a seller on a BST is in great working order just like any vintage razor you'd buy. Remember the Gibbs could be 60yrs old so a lot can happen in that amount of time. So if you are thinking of getting one. First job is to fine one and I'd suggest trying to find a nice one. I have had my best luck on the French, Italian and UK bay. If you do I'd suggest messaging the seller and asking all kinds of questions on the conditon and working order of the razor before you purchase it. Make sure the razor goes easily from 1 to 6 in the settings. The Gibbs can be taken apart and adjusted as far as dial goes as if you don't screw the dial back on just right your settings won't line up with the red dot. If I got one that needed a little TLC I'd probably send it out to Cap for a tune up. Also a note they do hold their value very well.
Summary: These are both great shaving razors and you could just have either one of them as your only razor and being both adjustable use them every day wether you have one or 4 days growth as you can adjust the efficiency of either razor.
NOTE: Since the Rex is described as being inspired by both the Gibbs and the Gillette Fatboy a shave off between them is coming soon but it will be included in a much bigger shave off that is in the works with a few members...just a tease..
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Very well done my friend. Very well done.....
Great review! I would only add that the chrome plating vs. SS is an advantage in smoothness for the Gibbs. Also you have a whole lot of shaves under your belt with your Gibbs so it is very familiar to you and the Rex is quite a bit heavier. The only thing I found better on the Rex as compared to the Gibbs you let me try is the grip on the handle and no blade modification. Great review my friend.
Here's a shot from a recent Ebay France auction. Even with serious plating damage on the head it sold for over $100.
The seller only posted two photos, and the model number wasn't visible in either. I agree that the Rex resembles this razor more than it does the Fatboy.
WOW you found it! Thank you so much! I've been looking for one for over a year and that one probably got by me for sure. I'm glad you see the resemblance between the Rex and this Gibbs as a whole razor. The only thing for me that resembles the Fatboy is the feel of the SB on the Rex and the size.
Thanks again!
You are quite welcome. I made a run at that one, but I dropped out when it went north of 80 bucks. It would have meant sacrificing one of my two #17s to make it complete, and I couldn't justify that in my mind.
There was a large area of chrome plating loss on the head. I imagine someone with a box of old Gibbs parts snapped it up .
I think that the Rex in these pictures is the older model. The older model had many issues. The new model Rex has fixed a lit of them. Much better than the older model.
