Safety Razor Acquisition Thread.

[Cal]

What’s the actual question here?

He means "was it an auction?" or "was it a buy it now?" I believe.

 

[Gryffindor]

He means "was it an auction?" or "was it a buy it now?" I believe.

Oh, I know what they’re asking. I’m more curious why they’re asking. The answer is both Yes and No.

 

[Yodascaretaker]

What’s the actual question here

Oh, I was asking if it’s an auction that you found or if it was just a item up for sale. I’m just curious Cuz I have looked for one of those things on eBay for a long time and I’ve never felt even one for sale or under an auction.

 

[HDSledge]

I've tried playing with it a bit, but the ''fork'' like plate doesn't move at all and it's slightly shifted. I even noticed that when the seller showed me a couple of pictures and I even asked him if what I'm seeing is a misalignment or it just looks that way and he send a couple of pictures up close as a prove that everything is ok, but those pictures were taken on setting 1, which makes the misalignment barely noticeable. My take on this is that the seller it thinking that the Toggle was damaged by me or while it was transported or that this isn't his Toggle, implying that I own another D1 Toggle and he simply doesn't want to take resposibility and that shocked me even more than the issue itself.

Either way, I'm going to keep the Toggle and find a way to fix it, but for those who want to buy a Toggle, especially if you're paying for as much as they go or around that price, always ask for detailed pictures, especially on the head. Toggles are amongst the most fragile TTO razors made by Gillette along with the OC Aristocrats and unless you find one for around $100, I suggest you to look it very carefully, because you might have to spend some money for repairs.

I shaved with the razor a few hours ago and the shave was amazing. Kinda reminds me of my Fatboy, but a bit more efficient and overall better.

I'm curious about the defect. Could you post a video of it at setting 9? Or a few pics?

 

[Medivh]

I'm curious about the defect. Could you post a video of it at setting 9? Or a few pics?

I've managed to ''fix'' and align the blade try using a debit card and now is much better, but it's still not 100% perfect. I've talked to a couple of Toggle owners and they said that this is very common amongst the Toggles and very few can be found in a while that have zero alignment issues.

I was also contacted by the seller and we came to an agreement that this isn't his fault and it's not that big of a deal.

I've also contacted Chris from BRG and he said that he works on Toggles only if the client agrees that he cannot take responsibility if something happens while he works on the razor. Some time ago while he was working on a client's Toggle, he broke the spring (not sure which one) and he had to buy it from the client to make up for his mistake.

My initial reaction was quite dramatic to say the least, because as most people are well aware, Toggles aren't cheap and I tend to freak out sometimes when I pay good money for something that isn't how it's supposed to be.

I don't think that affects the shave at all, since the blade gap and exposure is the same and only the blade try looks slightly tilted. I'm also surprised how good of a shaver is, considering the fact that I've used it on a weeks worth of growth with a fresh Nacet on setting 9 and the razor took it like it was nothing. It feels a bit more heavy compared to my other Gillette adjustable razors and a bit more efficient as well. Probably on the level of the Super Adjustable.

 

[HDSledge]

I've talked to a couple of Toggle owners and they said that this is very common amongst the Toggles and very few can be found in a while that have zero alignment issues.

Glad you got it tweaked to your satisfaction. I've not personally had any alignment issues. Not sure exactly what can shift or go out of alignment from normal use.

 

[Medivh]

Glad you got it tweaked to your satisfaction. I've not personally had any alignment issues. Not sure exactly what can shift or go out of alignment from normal use.

My guess is that the misalignments come from dropping the razor and/or adjusting its settings while the silo doors were open. I doubt that NOS or mint condition Toggles have any issues at all and maybe someone who has or had one can chime more about this.

 

[mgweatherly]

The postman delivered my 1956 British Aristocrat DeLuxe this afternoon. I'm super excited to add it to my Aristocrat stable, and I will shave with it tomorrow morning. I'm expecting that it will shave like my Rocket HD, but with more style .

The blade dispenser has six original English Blue Blades. I checked the topmost blade, which reads B4. I used a magnifying glass to count the blades in the dispenser. The other 4 appear to have been used and put into the compartment on the back of the dispenser.

The plating on the razor and the sheath for the blade dispenser looks beautiful. No instructions, but hey, all the most important stuff is there. The pigskin leather on the case is virtually flawless and still feels quite supple. Even the plating on the rim of the case looks great. The lining looks new.

I bought this on the 'Bay for a very reasonable price (I thought) from a seller who lives only 40 miles from me. I almost never see British Gillettes offered on eBay USA. I wish I knew the story about how this beauty made it over here to the States. Sometimes, my compulsion pays off .

 

[CCS]

I remain amazed almost daily at the prizes you guys seem to find! As I'm not a collector, I satisfy myself drooling on my keyboard...

 

[TheBurgh]

Courtesy of BackRoadsGold, Gold & Nickel 1967 Slim.

 

[Hair Scraper]

Got these three today and, boy were they gummed up! I just started to clean them.

 

[OB1]

On a whim (ahem, RAD acting up), I just ordered a Yaqi .70DC head (and some more brushes, of course) to help tide me over until RR releases their so-far-rumored Lupo .72OC. I was thinking of getting the Lupo DC while I waited, but in the end I decided I didn't want a .72OC/.95SB blade gap head (whereas the SB/OC sides of the Yaqi DC seems to both be .70 gap). I'm looking forward to comparing the Yaqi .70DC to my GC .68OC, GC .84P, SLOC, and RR Old Type whenever it arrives...

 

[Rayotech]

Just in the last three days.

Gem 1912
Star DE
Two Gem Featherweights
Gillette Super Speed

 

[mgweatherly]

This one was neglected in all my excitement about the British Aristocrat. It's a GEM Flying Wing Micromatic with the Guiding Eye, which I believe was sold only in 1947. I've got three others, but they're all gold plated. This one is nickel plated and pretty doggoned minty if I may say. It came with both blade banks and ten double edge Micromatic blades in a bakelite case. I love the way these shave. All the SE goodness but tamed just enough to be civilized. It was $16 and came with a grungy fat handled GEM Jr. as a bonus.

 

[ajkel64]

Mail call. Bought this Gillette Junior Aristocrat off eBay. Didn’t pay a huge amount for it as there is no case and it needs a good clean. I shouldn’t be looking for razors as I have far too many now.

 

[CCS]

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Mail call. Bought this Gillette Junior Aristocrat off eBay. Didn’t pay a huge amount for it as there is no case and it needs a good clean. I shouldn’t be looking for razors as I have far too many now.

Boy, do I understand that last sentence!

 

[80blades]

OK I didn't think I'd be back here so soon, but I guess if you're here, you likely understand... I ended up finding another birthday razor that I couldn't resist! This one is a New LC (ball end handle), in an original-looking case, with a blade tin, freshly replated in gold... Hey, I know it's nothing super rare or special, but I'm quite smitten!

It's got a glued handle, as the tube has some hairline cracks in the usual places - small enough that I basically can't see them without my glasses on, though that doesn't say a lot these days. But the repair work seems excellent, as does the plating, and I'm happy to have something a little special to add a touch of class to my otherwise fairly pedestrian collection.

(Don't get me wrong, I quite like all the razors in my modest little fleet and they give me wonderful shaves, but they are mostly nothing to get terribly excited about...)

One thing that surprised me was just how small this thing is! The box is tiny as well - it's all very petite! I don't know why I was expecting it to feel bigger... but it's obviously made of strong stuff, and I'm probably not the first to wonder what one of these oldtimers has been through in its 90 years (or nearly so in any case) on the planet!

I'll be reporting on the shaves in my 'Around The World In 80 Blades' journal as usual!

 

[zed117]

Received one of the mintiest NEW SC in Nickle I have ever seen. Some very light plate loss in a few spots (and tons of micro scratches) but after a careful polish I am impressed.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Received one of the mintiest NEW SC in Nickle I have ever seen. Some very light plate loss in a few spots (and tons of micro scratches) but after a careful polish I am impressed. View attachment 1542141View attachment 1542143View attachment 1542144

Nice find.... congrats.

 

[Rayotech]

Have always liked the bakelite handled war year tech's.

Got this one in yesterday. Gold plated no date code early tech. If I remember correctly these were run the first year of war production but the gold was scuttled soon after for the war effort started.

Still a nice looking tech!