Rant: Just can't get a good shave with vintage Gillettes...

[Umma2gumma]

I have absolutely no problems getting a great shave with a variety of modern razors. Two Parker Variants (original and OC), three Baili razors (the mild BD176, the slightly less mild BD179 TTO, and med-aggressive BT131), Maggard V3A (the blade exposure looks scary but it's an excellent and forgiving shaver), Muhle R41 (for me it's too aggressive for everyday shaving, skin starts to burn after a few days, but I can absolutely get a good shave out of it anytime).

I have no such luck with my vintage Gillettes. Specifically, let's talk Super 109.

I tried it again this morning. Very, very carefully watching the shave angle and pressure. Setting it to 7. Using a sharp blade (Bic). Carefully applying lather. I did get BBS but it still required a few extra passes, and now my throat and under the chin areas are somewhat irritated.

With, say, Maggard I just do three passes with minimal cleanup and no irritation.

I am starting to think that this razor is just too mild for me and no matter what I do, it will not get better. Either I don't do all that extra cleanup and don't get the shave quality I am looking for, or I get irritation.

Same with the post-war Tech. It's super mild and will not irritate at all, but it will not provide the clean efficient shave I am used to unless I go extra length trying to get BBS.

Just wondering if anyone had realized that these post-war Gillettes are just too mild for them, or if there's a few tricks I did not try yet.

 

[abies]

I like mild razors so I'm not sure I can speak to that. The Superadjustable is one of my favorite razors.

*However*, I do get a general impression that the TTOs, especially the adjustables, while generally really well-made, are more susceptible to being off due to various things over time. So it's possible you got a Superadjustable that's off for some reason? The Tech is pretty mild so there's that.

I guess what i'm saying is I'm wondering what you'd think of a red tip Superspeed or something like that. You might also like an older pre-war Gillette too.

Or maybe the angles just aren't a good fit for you. I think some razors are just better suited to some people for mysterious reasons.

 

[Joezamboni]

I’m the other way but haven’t tried the other razors you’ve mentioned aside from the R41 which was rough and less than impressive to me.

I get the best shaves from my Fatboy and non-plastic baseplate short handle super adjustable. From there everything can be pretty good.

My for sale list is turning into a Lupo, Gamechanger, WR2 1.15, and a few other mostly moderns. I‘m keeping my slants and Above the Tie products.

 

[AshleyC]

Just bought a 109 Super Adjustable at an antique store two hours ago. Looking forward to my first go with it.

I think my best shave to date was two months ago, Fatboy with Derby Premium. BBS with no, I mean NO, alum or AS feedback. I didn't think that was possible.

 

[Chef455]

Perhaps a tech is indeed too mild for you. But IMHO if you can't find an angle to get a decent shave with a Fat Boy or slim on 7-9 you're doing it wrong. YMMV

Edit:

I apologize for not reading your post thoughrouly @Umma2gumma . You dis state that you achieved BBS but with irritation. Were you chasing the BBS?

 

[Umma2gumma]

Perhaps a tech is indeed too mild for you. But IMHO if you can't find an angle to get a decent shave with a Fat Boy or slim on 7-9 you're doing it wrong. YMMV

Edit:

I apologize for not reading your post thoughrouly @Umma2gumma . You dis state that you achieved BBS but with irritation. Were you chasing the BBS?

Yes, I was. I get BBS with all of my modern razors, there should be no reason not to get it with Gillettes.

 

[DesertIguana]

Here is the thing I know 100% for sure, I have no way of knowing what you consider. Good, great, or Poor. Sir will make observation about something I have read many times, and seen mention many time by shave reviewers on U-Tube.

Mr. King c. Gillette made Razors, and comparable that gave a large percentage of population good shave, so they stay home to shave.

Other who had the money went the Straight route by professional barber, or they used straight to fill the gab to get shave they chased.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Why assume these problems are an intrinsic property of the razors? Millions of people have shaved with those razors without major issue for years.

I get great results with pre-war and post-war Techs using BICs, Feathers, Russian Gillette blades, you name it. Gillette NEWs or Super Speeds, also good. With the adjustable razors, I'd prefer a lower setting like 5.

Maybe you just haven't cracked the code yet.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Why assume these problems are an intrinsic property of the razors? Millions of people have shaved with those razors without major issue for years.

…

Maybe you just haven't cracked the code yet.

These two statements are a little contradictory.

Either these razors are extremely easy to use, or there’s a code to crack. Can’t be both.

I think the problem is chasing BBS. I am sure millions of people were happy with just getting a socially acceptable shave. It’s when I am trying to get a BBS quality shave that I have issues.

 

[MrSpeedy]

Early in my wet shaving journey I tried a variety of vintage Gillettes. At the time, I also struggled to get a good shave with them. So I stopped trying. A couple of years later I gave it another try, and I was able to get good shaves.

You could have the angle wrong (compared to your modern razors). Or possibly it's a technique issue. Either way, don't stress about it. Pack them away and revisit another time. You might be surprised!

 

[Mojo88]

I have found a vintage Gillette razor with a feather blade is a a good as any modern razor I have tried. Probably the closest thing to modern I have found is an Aristocrat or Fatboy. The techs were just too mild for me.

 

[BigJ]

Early in my wet shaving journey I tried a variety of vintage Gillettes. At the time, I also struggled to get a good shave with them. So I stopped trying. A couple of years later I gave it another try, and I was able to get good shaves.

You could have the angle wrong (compared to your modern razors). Or possibly it's a technique issue. Either way, don't stress about it. Pack them away and revisit another time. You might be surprised!

+1! Great advice!!

This is about all I can suggest as I prefer a ‘mild/moderate’ razor (including many vintage options) + sharp blade.

 

[StewB]

I haven't used many vintage razors, but for me the best of the ones I have tried is the Schick adjustable injector. It shaves me much better than any of my vintage Gillettes DEs. (In fact, I wonder whether the success of the injectors was one of the market threats behind Gillette's development of the cartridge design.)

 

[DesertIguana]

Why assume these problems are an intrinsic property of the razors? Millions of people have shaved with those razors without major issue for years.

I get great results with pre-war and post-war Techs using BICs, Feathers, Russian Gillette blades, you name it. Gillette NEWs or Super Speeds, also good. With the adjustable razors, I'd prefer a lower setting like 5.

Maybe you just haven't cracked the code yet.

Razor are like Running Shoes, with 10.5 Foot Size. Not all 10.5 Sized Shoes fell great on every 10.5 Foot. Each make use different LAST aka Form, or Mold to washing their shoes upon. So a 10.5 in BRAND "A" could be your go to, and in Brand "N" hurt your feet.

 

[GlazedBoker]

I have absolutely no problems getting a great shave with a variety of modern razors. Two Parker Variants (original and OC), three Baili razors (the mild BD176, the slightly less mild BD179 TTO, and med-aggressive BT131), Maggard V3A (the blade exposure looks scary but it's an excellent and forgiving shaver), Muhle R41 (for me it's too aggressive for everyday shaving, skin starts to burn after a few days, but I can absolutely get a good shave out of it anytime).

I have no such luck with my vintage Gillettes. Specifically, let's talk Super 109.

I tried it again this morning. Very, very carefully watching the shave angle and pressure. Setting it to 7. Using a sharp blade (Bic). Carefully applying lather. I did get BBS but it still required a few extra passes, and now my throat and under the chin areas are somewhat irritated.

With, say, Maggard I just do three passes with minimal cleanup and no irritation.

I am starting to think that this razor is just too mild for me and no matter what I do, it will not get better. Either I don't do all that extra cleanup and don't get the shave quality I am looking for, or I get irritation.

Same with the post-war Tech. It's super mild and will not irritate at all, but it will not provide the clean efficient shave I am used to unless I go extra length trying to get BBS.

Just wondering if anyone had realized that these post-war Gillettes are just too mild for them, or if there's a few tricks I did not try yet.

I know how frustrating this can be. I too, went through a bout with Vintage Gillette Tech’s some time ago early in my shave journey that simply just befuddled me to no end. Tried everything from different blades, soaps, angle of cutting including modifying shave technique to a certain extent. Nothing I did seemed to work at least comfortably and to my expectations of a good shave. I chase the baby nearly 99.9% of the time. So, I’m somewhat of an anomaly as I constantly seek the perfect shave at every given moment of my shave exercise. I know, many consider this to be a worthless endeavor as presentability, close enough & comfortable are paramount for most all shavers. Unfortunately, I can’t help myself. Sometimes I’ll even concede to ultimate ease and comfort while most times I say to meself “Damn DFS or CCS! I’ll take my chances on potential weepers and irritation to smack the baby’s bottom on my mug. Full Speed Ahead.” Trust me, I DO NOT recommend this approach. Fortunately, I have a higher tolerance for some discomfort in the trade-off for the “perfect shave.”

Back to your question and it’s as simple as back to the basics amigo. I stopped using my lone Tech years ago and actually pif’ed it to a fellow shaver. This past year, I bought 4 Vintage Gillette Tech’s (Post-War, Pre-War, Milord & a 60’s Tech) as I was determined to beat the Tech dominance it had over me. I settled on the sharpest steel known to wet shave kind this side of a perfectly honed G. Wostenholm & Sons 8/8‘s Wedge. The venerable and to some feared, the Feather Hi-Stainless. I hunkered down and settled in for some fierce but, determined action against my nemesis in wet shave land. Suddenly and almost as if pure providence had intervened, an epiphany of sorts occurred. The Tech & Feather pairing worked flawlessly and delivered certified perfection from the first re-encounter with my Techs. Technique, muscle memory and patience through my shave journey allowed me a better understanding of what I had to do to achieve success in my shave regime with the Tech. Techs are known for their mild feel that translates to uber comfortable shaves at the expense of denying oneself a very close shave and efficient shave. My hair growth, though not super thick or heavy is wirey thin yet rough and erratic all over my skin with swirling patterns in my neck and throat area. No easy task for a mild mannered razor. The cutting window on a Tech varies from model to model but, generally, that window is quite small and one has to be in tuned in finding it and keeping it there. Once you do however, the light bulb turns on and the rest is history. For me at least that’s what occurred. Skin stretching also helped in achieving every last bit of performance from my Tech’s in giving me a BBS finish that lasted easily through an 8 hour work day with some shaves spectacularly lasting up to 12 hours in duration mostly from my Pre-War Tech. Did I crack a code? We’re the shave god’s smiling upon me and showed me mercy? Or was it some other anomaly that lurks in the realms of the unexplainable? No. What I believe happened was that I took a break from the Techs and gradually improved my skill & technique with a far ranging journey into dozens of safety razors over the years that taught me patience, muscle memory to make the slightest of adjustments in technique and understanding my hair growth with my skin tolerance to give me precise and relatable real-time data. That’s my explanation and the only one that seems relatively logical to me. I’ve also gotten excellent results with a KAI blade as it has a slightly wider footprint over all other blades and could potentially give one the extra oomph that one seeks in a milder razor.

I can’t tell you much on why a Gillette Adjustable is giving you fits but, the same principal and exercise can be used in attempting to achieve your desired result(s). For me the Gillette Adjustable works very well as a daily shaver with more than enough range to satisfy most shavers quite easily.

Sometimes we just might need a break from something just to reset and take our minds off of something that just isn’t working to our expectations. And other times one might just have to admit that there are certain things that just can’t work regardless of the effort. You have to understand and accept that that outcome is perfectly fine. Not everything made will work universally well for all. Back to basics and see how it goes. If all else fails, remember that you are already giving yourself fantastic and I believe enjoyable shaves with the modern razors that you already own. That’s a victory in its own right. Shaving with a Vintage Gillette is a nice thing but, it’s not a requirement in owning one to achieve shave nirvana or as close as one can possibly get.

I don’t know if this will help in your pursuit of Vintage Razor dominance but, patience and start from square one. It just might help you in unlocking or finding the missing link.

Good luck amigo….

 

[Umma2gumma]

I know how frustrating this can be. I too, went through a bout with Vintage Gillette Tech’s some time ago early in my shave journey that simply just befuddled me to no end. Tried everything from different blades, soaps, angle of cutting including modifying shave technique to a certain extent. Nothing I did seemed to work at least comfortably and to my expectations of a good shave. I chase the baby nearly 99.9% of the time. So, I’m somewhat of an anomaly as I constantly seek the perfect shave at every given moment of my shave exercise. I know, many consider this to be a worthless endeavor as presentability, close enough & comfortable are paramount for most all shavers. Unfortunately, I can’t help myself. Sometimes I’ll even concede to ultimate ease and comfort while most times I say to meself “Damn DFS or CCS! I’ll take my chances on potential weepers and irritation to smack the baby’s bottom on my mug. Full Speed Ahead.” Trust me, I DO NOT recommend this approach. Fortunately, I have a higher tolerance for some discomfort in the trade-off for the “perfect shave.”

Back to your question and it’s as simple as back to the basics amigo. I stopped using my lone Tech years ago and actually pif’ed it to a fellow shaver. This past year, I bought 4 Vintage Gillette Tech’s (Post-War, Pre-War, Milord & a 60’s Tech) as I was determined to beat the Tech dominance it had over me. I settled on the sharpest steel known to wet shave kind this side of a perfectly honed G. Wostenholm & Sons 8/8‘s Wedge. The venerable and to some feared, the Feather Hi-Stainless. I hunkered down and settled in for some fierce but, determined action against my nemesis in wet shave land. Suddenly and almost as if pure providence had intervened, an epiphany of sorts occurred. The Tech & Feather pairing worked flawlessly and delivered certified perfection from the first re-encounter with my Techs. Technique, muscle memory and patience through my shave journey allowed me a better understanding of what I had to do to achieve success in my shave regime with the Tech. Techs are known for their mild feel that translates to uber comfortable shaves at the expense of denying oneself a very close shave and efficient shave. My hair growth, though not super thick or heavy is wirey thin yet rough and erratic all over my skin with swirling patterns in my neck and throat area. No easy task for a mild mannered razor. The cutting window on a Tech varies from model to model but, generally, that window is quite small and one has to be in tuned in finding it and keeping it there. Once you do however, the light bulb turns on and the rest is history. For me at least that’s what occurred. Skin stretching also helped in achieving every last bit of performance from my Tech’s in giving me a BBS finish that lasted easily through an 8 hour work day with some shaves spectacularly lasting up to 12 hours in duration mostly from my Pre-War Tech. Did I crack a code? We’re the shave god’s smiling upon me and showed me mercy? Or was it some other anomaly that lurks in the realms of the unexplainable? No. What I believe happened was that I took a break from the Techs and gradually improved my skill & technique with a far ranging journey into dozens of safety razors over the years that taught me patience, muscle memory to make the slightest of adjustments in technique and understanding my hair growth with my skin tolerance to give me precise and relatable real-time data. That’s my explanation and the only one that seems relatively logical to me. I’ve also gotten excellent results with a KAI blade as it has a slightly wider footprint over all other blades and could potentially give one the extra oomph that one seeks in a milder razor.

I can’t tell you much on why a Gillette Adjustable is giving you fits but, the same principal and exercise can be used in attempting to achieve your desired result(s). For me the Gillette Adjustable works very well as a daily shaver with more than enough range to satisfy most shavers quite easily.

Sometimes we just might need a break from something just to reset and take our minds off of something that just isn’t working to our expectations. And other times one might just have to admit that there are certain things that just can’t work regardless of the effort. You have to understand and accept that that outcome is perfectly fine. Not everything made will work universally well for all. Back to basics and see how it goes. If all else fails, remember that you are already giving yourself fantastic and I believe enjoyable shaves with the modern razors that you already own. That’s a victory in its own right. Shaving with a Vintage Gillette is a nice thing but, it’s not a requirement in owning one to achieve shave nirvana or as close as one can possibly get.

I don’t know if this will help in your pursuit of Vintage Razor dominance but, patience and start from square one. It just might help you in unlocking or finding the missing link.

Good luck amigo….

I have no major issues with Pre-War tech (it does tend to get a ltitle scratchy If I don't watch the angle). My rant was mainly about post-war Tech and Super adjustable.

I did start with Feathers. Also used Perma-Sharp, Astra SP and Bic. I think I can safely rule out the blade being the culprit.

My position on BBS is, if I can get it with any of my 8 modern razors, without irritation, then there's no reason not to be expecting it from any other razor that I intend to use.

 

[jesseix]

I have no major issues with Pre-War tech (it does tend to get a ltitle scratchy If I don't watch the angle). My rant was mainly about post-war Tech and Super adjustable.

I did start with Feathers. Also used Perma-Sharp, Astra SP and Bic. I think I can safely rule out the blade being the culprit.

My position on BBS is, if I can get it with any of my 8 modern razors, without irritation, then there's no reason not to be expecting it from any other razor that I intend to use.

It sounds like not getting the shave result you’re looking for from the vintages is causing you a lot of frustration. If that’s the case, maybe just stick with the 8 that are working for you and focus on the enjoyment from those!

 

[WThomas0814]

It took a while to find the right angle, but, the two vintages I use (1951 Super Speed and 1948-1949 Aristocrat) shave every bit as well as any of my modern razors. Just a little experimentation and patience is more than worth the experience of shaving with a 70-75 year old razor.

Is there any chance your razor needs a tune-up? If the blade isn’t bending the way it should or isn’t clamped as tightly as it should be, you may lose performance.

 

[nemo]

Is there any chance your razor needs a tune-up? If the blade isn’t bending the way it should or isn’t clamped as tightly as it should be, you may lose performance.

It took 17 replies before someone stated this common problem. Good goin' Gramps!

 

[Rob72]

PostWar Techs, I am not a fan, for the same reasons as you, the Super Adjustable is ok, but I get better (BBS with less buffing) from many other options, so...I no longer own Post-War Techs or the SA. You can up their respective games with Kai & Feather blades, but there are multiple other vintage options in addition to the modern crop, e.g., Myatt Minor, Funken, pre-War Gillettes, etc..