Newbie Intro - 1914 Single Ring Find

[Hewge]

Hi team, greetings from Australia.

The razor thing hasn't gained enormous traction here as yet, though its starting to, so I came looking for you. Didn't have much interest myself until I acquired a few safety razors by accident and got interested. That can be a slippery slope for me.

Please assume that any knowledge I appear to have is A. Newly acquired B. Not necessarily correct and C. Everything I know. So get in there and educate me.

Anyhoo. Couple of items you may be able to inform me further about. Forum folk generally enjoy a good bit of informing, I find.

First one is what I believe is a silver plate 1914 single ring open comb with the slim handle, even though it is the year the Bulldog handle came in. No apparent damage to comb teeth or cracks in the handle. Original box, fairly distressed.

So.

• Is this truly exotic or just a bit unusual (Important to know. I tend to keep the special things I find, and move the less special on.)
• To polish, or not to polish. That is a question.

The other piece, which I will photograph another day, is a British travel set which includes an open comb two piece which is marked only Made in England. That one is in near mint / as new condition although I believe the set as at least 50 years old.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Welcome to the Shave Den.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Flintstone65]

Hi team, greetings from Australia.

The razor thing hasn't gained enormous traction here as yet, though its starting to, so I came looking for you. Didn't have much interest myself until I acquired a few safety razors by accident and got interested. That can be a slippery slope for me.



First one is what I believe is a silver plate 1914 single ring open comb with the slim handle, even though it is the year the Bulldog handle came in. No apparent damage to comb teeth or cracks in the handle. Original box, fairly distressed.

So.

• Is this truly exotic or just a bit unusual (Important to know. I tend to keep the special things I find, and move the less special on.)
• To polish, or not to polish. That is a question.

I don't see the exotic or unusual parts of this razor -- but I'm definitely not one of the Gillette experts around here -- looks to be a fairly standard Single Ring that is in really nice condition (i.e., fairly straight teeth and no cracks with little to no brassing).

As to the polish or not to polish -- I tend to polish the ones I'm going to use (it's a sanitation thing), and your's is already lacking any kind of patina, so if it were mine, I would lightly polish it. By "lightly", I just mean I'd use a gentle silver polish and do it by hand (no electric tools or anything like that).

I would absolutely keep it, but your threshold may be different. Are you a shaver-collector, or just a collector? Have you shaved with it yet -- or never will? If you're going to display it with it's original case (and I've not seen that case before, plus it's in rough shape) and blade holders (which I don't see, and maybe they got away from those in later years, I don't know) -- then perhaps you look for a different set. Lots of these (millions) were produced, but how often do you run up on a 100+ year old item that still works as well as it did 115 years ago?

Also, if you don't know the Mr-Razor site, you may want to check it out....here is a link to his "Old Type" page, where you will see many Single Rings. Mr-Razor Old Types

 

[BigJ]

I don't see the exotic or unusual parts of this razor -- but I'm definitely not one of the Gillette experts around here -- looks to be a fairly standard Single Ring that is in really nice condition (i.e., fairly straight teeth and no cracks with little to no brassing).

As to the polish or not to polish -- I tend to polish the ones I'm going to use (it's a sanitation thing), and your's is already lacking any kind of patina, so if it were mine, I would lightly polish it. By "lightly", I just mean I'd use a gentle silver polish and do it by hand (no electric tools or anything like that).

I would absolutely keep it, but your threshold may be different. Are you a shaver-collector, or just a collector? Have you shaved with it yet -- or never will? If you're going to display it with it's original case (and I've not seen that case before, plus it's in rough shape) and blade holders (which I don't see, and maybe they got away from those in later years, I don't know) -- then perhaps you look for a different set. Lots of these (millions) were produced, but how often do you run up on a 100+ year old item that still works as well as it did 115 years ago?

Also, if you don't know the Mr-Razor site, you may want to check it out....here is a link to his "Old Type" page, where you will see many Single Rings. Mr-Razor Old Types

+1! Mr-Razor is a great place for information!

I would soak the razor for awhile in hot water and Dawn detergent. Polish it with a soft cloth and/or an old toothbrush, then see how it shaves!

 

[ajkel64]

Nice razor. I have a couple of them but I have not used them yet.

 

[Saxonbowman]

I have one like that. It shaves as well or better than anything Gillette produced later. They are not particularly rare, but being over 100 years old not common either. A little light polish won't hurt. Like others have said soak in warm water and dish detergent and clean with an old toothbrush. Polish afterwards if needed. Be gentle so as not to damage the silver plating. Its a little less durable than the later nickel finish.

 

[Hewge]

Thanks for your input folks.

I just find I like the thing more, the more I look at it.

I have worn a full beard for several decades, but there's still the trimming of awkward strays. A man doesn't want to look like a Yeti. Or Bigfoot, in cultural equivalency.

So I might just put a blade in it and keep it working.

(Fun fact. This came from a box from a deceased estate. In the same box were a 50s GIllette Tech, apparently unused or barely used; and a Ronson Electric, also never or barely used. But the single ring had a blade in it, and evidence of use. So Old School aint a new idea.