Mine also has the "PATENT PENDING" notice on the inside surface of the blade tray. But both sets from mr-razor have that notice. The mr-razor images imply that the patent number started appearing on razors in 1955 even though it issued on July 15, 1953.
Safety Razor Acquisition Thread.
- Thread starter BigFoot
- Start date
I got the vintage bug and picked up this red tip on eBay that looks to be in good shape. I am kicking myself for not keeping my dads old razors as I know he had some of these but who knew when you are only 2 or 3 years old. I am excited to get it.
I am impressed with how thick the stamped metal of the butterfly mechanism is on these oldies. I know nothing about vintage razors but at $35 it is not a big risk. I plan to immediately ship it off to get tuned up and restored, but will not replate it as I believe the factory finishes are always best regardless of quality, for originality and nostalgic considerations. Any suggestions on where to go for a nice tune up?
I am impressed with how thick the stamped metal of the butterfly mechanism is on these oldies. I know nothing about vintage razors but at $35 it is not a big risk. I plan to immediately ship it off to get tuned up and restored, but will not replate it as I believe the factory finishes are always best regardless of quality, for originality and nostalgic considerations. Any suggestions on where to go for a nice tune up?
Back Roads Gold. Tune-up, clean, and polish $30 HERE.
lasta
Blade Biter
What's broken?
I'd use it as is. If you want a nice clean/brightening, Bar Keeper's Friend is safe on nickel.
If that’s the seller I think it is he may have done what he can to clean it up without a lot of effort. He seems to sell razors which seem to have the doors pretty well polished and has a good seller rating. Not bad for a someone new, in time you’ll start to see through the dirty razors people avoid and find some good ones worth the risk.
Was on eBay, saw this and that it had the instructions. Photos were lackluster and the razor was a little grungy. Saw the seller might have room to wiggle on price and the potential diamond in the rough. Did the eBay back and forth and got a deal. Instructions are great, razor qualifies as mint after only an ultrasonic cleaning. Only things that detract are the non matching blades and the piece over the hinge that breaks off like fat boy cases. Didn’t even Polish the case plastic.
I think this is flair tip #8 or 9. I need to get rid of some.
OK, I'm gonna put on my asbestos skivvies for this post...
How does everyone here "prep" a new-to-them razor after acquiring it? I know full-well that my proc will be radically different from other peoples', and let me be 100% clear that I am not recommending my proc to anyone else. This is just what's worked for me. I am sharing my procedure because I hope to learn from yours.
1) Give the razor a nice bath in warm water + dish soap. No big whoop.
2) Here's the controversial part. Based on advice from my wife, who's a trained biologist w/5+ years of lab experience, I boil all new razors for 10 minutes. This will kill any bacteria on the razor, short of those that live on deep water thermal vents (which you wion't find at surface level). After the 10 minute boil, I carefully remove the boiling-hot razor and put it on a paper towel to dry.
If the new razor has plastic or wooden parts, boiling it is the worst idea possible. Plus, some people fear that boiling might damage their razor. If you fall into either of these camps, a bath in a rubbing alcohol is good, and Barbicide- what you've seen on dozens of barbers' counters - is perfect. The key takeaway is this: disinfection, no matter the method, is 100% necessary.*
3) Scrub #1. I use my electric toothbrush w/an old head, but any old toothbrush will do. First, I give it a good scrubbing using toothpaste. Yes, toothpaste. It's a very mild abrasive, and does a great job removing the grunge that builds up over time on a razor or any product that comes in contact with human hands. After this scrub, rinse the razor in cool water. Yes, perhaps this method may be too harsh for certain wooden or plastic parts. In that case, give it another bath with warm water and dish soap.
4) Scrub #2: I repeat the above, this time using dish soap on the head of the toothbrush. Wash w/warm water + put it on a towel to dry.
By the time I'm done Scrub #2, the razor is as clean as it's likely to be short of a major treatment by someone like Chris @ Back Roads Gold. Speaking of Chris, though, he does a positively brilliant job restoring really grungy old razors to better-than-new condition. Can't recommend him highly enough.
Full disclosure: this is not what I'd suggest for anyone to do- it's my procedure, and it has served me well. As I said, I share my proc in hope that other people will share theirs, and that we can learn from each other.
YMMVW,
-Z
* To mods: did I put enough caveats in this post? No, seriously.
How does everyone here "prep" a new-to-them razor after acquiring it? I know full-well that my proc will be radically different from other peoples', and let me be 100% clear that I am not recommending my proc to anyone else. This is just what's worked for me. I am sharing my procedure because I hope to learn from yours.
1) Give the razor a nice bath in warm water + dish soap. No big whoop.
2) Here's the controversial part. Based on advice from my wife, who's a trained biologist w/5+ years of lab experience, I boil all new razors for 10 minutes. This will kill any bacteria on the razor, short of those that live on deep water thermal vents (which you wion't find at surface level). After the 10 minute boil, I carefully remove the boiling-hot razor and put it on a paper towel to dry.
If the new razor has plastic or wooden parts, boiling it is the worst idea possible. Plus, some people fear that boiling might damage their razor. If you fall into either of these camps, a bath in a rubbing alcohol is good, and Barbicide- what you've seen on dozens of barbers' counters - is perfect. The key takeaway is this: disinfection, no matter the method, is 100% necessary.*
3) Scrub #1. I use my electric toothbrush w/an old head, but any old toothbrush will do. First, I give it a good scrubbing using toothpaste. Yes, toothpaste. It's a very mild abrasive, and does a great job removing the grunge that builds up over time on a razor or any product that comes in contact with human hands. After this scrub, rinse the razor in cool water. Yes, perhaps this method may be too harsh for certain wooden or plastic parts. In that case, give it another bath with warm water and dish soap.
4) Scrub #2: I repeat the above, this time using dish soap on the head of the toothbrush. Wash w/warm water + put it on a towel to dry.
By the time I'm done Scrub #2, the razor is as clean as it's likely to be short of a major treatment by someone like Chris @ Back Roads Gold. Speaking of Chris, though, he does a positively brilliant job restoring really grungy old razors to better-than-new condition. Can't recommend him highly enough.
Full disclosure: this is not what I'd suggest for anyone to do- it's my procedure, and it has served me well. As I said, I share my proc in hope that other people will share theirs, and that we can learn from each other.
YMMVW,
-Z
* To mods: did I put enough caveats in this post? No, seriously.
I suppose you could invest in an autoclave. Warm, sudsy bath is good enough for me. Most razors have been out of use for so long it would be hard to find anything active on it.
Heh... given my wife's lab experience, we often joke about acquiring a home autoclave.
Each to their own, but I'd never do w/o a good disinfection. Even if a razor- or pot, or anything else- has sat unused for decades, unless it was sitting in a 100% germ-free environment, it's almost certain to have some bacteria on it, and I'd rather just do my best to revert that as close to sterile as possible.
Like I said, each to their own. And, as I said above, please don't take anything I've said as being anything more than a description of what I've done, based on my own preferences. I look forward to reading how other people handle their new shaving kit.
-Z
Sneaky wife of mine got me a real nice Christmas present this year.
1938-45 Gillette Tech With it's original box.
The razor is in outstanding condition. Box is worn but heck really cool!
1938-45 Gillette Tech With it's original box.
The razor is in outstanding condition. Box is worn but heck really cool!
Just broke in a new one to my collection, a Titanium Blackbird OC. Bravo!
An English flat bottom Tech in nice condition.
This is my 40th Tech.
This is my 40th Tech.
Gillette New De Luxe - "The Cruiser"
- Pretty cool with the brush and rare blades
Gillette Standard Combination Set '00 A'
- Silver plated and for the French market
Gillette Aristocrat No #2 Traveller, silver De Luxe
- I just never get tired of that design
Gillette Combination Set No. '00 G'
- A very special "Single Ring" set
- One of the early models with a smooth handle and this specimen even has beutiful engraving
- I was told this could be from 1908-1909, but the blades could indicate even earlier?
- Anyone seen those before?
Gillette New Improved 'Big Fellow'
- I couldn't get myself to polish the great silver patina off. It's really uniform
Gillette 1941 US 'Aristocrat'
- These NOS specimens are just something else
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