Safety Razor Acquisition Thread.

[mgweatherly]

So-o-o-o-o-o, technically I did not receive the DE razor shown in the photo below today. Rather, I got something very special, a wonderful Richwood case with instructions and a blade bank.

The case came with a NEW LC that is in pretty good shape (not shown because it's bathing right now and...modesty). The case is nearly perfect with a tight-fitting, spring-loaded clasp. The inner wooden pieces are loose because the original glue has dried out, but they are all there. I bought the kit at an estate sale about 75 miles from my home for $40 (what?!). The huge bonus included with the already great find was the instruction booklet and pamphlet explaining all the improvements made on the NEW Improved type over the OLD type. The NEW Improved type shown in the photo was one of two that I have in my collection that was in need of a case. (First world) Problem solved! When I have some free time, I'll probably scan and post images of the instruction booklet and the NEW Improved pamphlet.

I've got more fun stuff coming from this same era ...

 

[Tillerman]

I was just gifted this razor. I know the handle is not original. Is this razor plated or brass. I was going to put it in a vibratory polisher if it is brass.

 

[BradWorld]

I was just gifted this razor. I know the handle is not original. Is this razor plated or brass. I was going to put it in a vibratory polisher if it is brass.

Usually plated brass. Looks like there is still finish on that one. That handle looks like it could be a Star handle. But I am not completely up on my Star razor identifications any more.

 

[Tillerman]

Thanks

 

[Whammami]

Oh dude I know, the bottom dial is even more rare than a non toggle red dot. I was just pointing out that while you put out quite a large sum of money, there are still some absurdly expensive razors out there that trump a “modest” $1k one in spades.

I also needed a reason to post that ludicrous anomaly.

Anyway, you did get a very cool/rare piece of history that will undoubtedly retain its value. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t wanted one for some time. I just won’t go over about half of what you spent, so it probably won’t ever happen.

Unless I get lucky like that dude I spoke to on Reddit who picked one off an antique store shelf for $20, and didn’t even know what he had at the time…

You won't go over half, means you're willing to shell more than a 1000$ on a razor. Now, about that retained sanity of yours...I have my doubts.

 

[CCS]

I just got a tortoise handle R41 earlier today from muhleshaving.com with a coupon. Some may know most of my razors are what would be considered mild to med-mild. Doing a touch of clean-up that I'd missed earlier today with a rushed shave to get out the door, I don't get aggressive with this razor and I put in a Feather and only rubbed a little water and Proraso whit pre-shave on my jawline to see if it was going to be deadly. Meh, it shaves great. It gets the full run tomorrow afternoon. I'll try to take a photo even though it looks exactly like all the other tortoise handled R41s.

 

[LRod]

I just got a tortoise handle R41 earlier today from muhleshaving.com with a coupon. Some may know most of my razors are what would be considered mild to med-mild. Doing a touch of clean-up that I'd missed earlier today with a rushed shave to get out the door, I don't get aggressive with this razor and I put in a Feather and only rubbed a little water and Proraso whit pre-shave on my jawline to see if it was going to be deadly. Meh, it shaves great. It gets the full run tomorrow afternoon. I'll try to take a photo even though it looks exactly like all the other tortoise handled R41s.

You'll like the R95 as well then. I shaved with my R96 yesterday for the first time and it wasn't aggressive at all.
I would put it in the mild/medium category. The blade gap is pretty large but it has very little blade exposure so you don't feel it much as you shave. But in the end, you'll get a close shave!
For me it's not my preferred type since I like blade feel and some aggressiveness.
I read some people saying it was aggressive but I didn't feel that at all. I also read it was heavy and it's
not! Maybe the Birch Bark one is but not mine. One definite is that it's got meticulous craftmanship!
I think you'll like it!

 

[CCS]

You'll like the R95 as well then. I shaved with my R96 yesterday for the first time and it wasn't aggressive at all.
I would put it in the mild/medium category. The blade gap is pretty large but it has very little blade exposure so you don't feel it much as you shave. But in the end, you'll get a close shave!
For me it's not my preferred type since I like blade feel and some aggressiveness.
I read some people saying it was aggressive but I didn't feel that at all. I also read it was heavy and it's
not! Maybe the Birch Bark one is but not mine. One definite is that it's got meticulous craftmanship!
I think you'll like it!

I shaved with the R95 yesterday and posted a report. Bottom line? Love it. The Gillette Heritage I received seems to have the R89 head which is pretty much just like the EJ DE89 heads. Saul Goodman; they all work for me.

 

[LRod]

I shaved with the R95 yesterday and posted a report. Bottom line? Love it. The Gillette Heritage I received seems to have the R89 head which is pretty much just like the EJ DE89 heads. Saul Goodman; they all work for me.

Cool! Guess I missed your report.
Glad it worked for you.
So tell me, The R95 or the Tatara? Which have you liked more so far?

 

[CCS]

Cool! Guess I missed your report.
Glad it worked for you.
So tell me, The R95 or the Tatara? Which have you liked more so far?

Apples and oranges, bud. Love them both. The only razor I've ever owned that I called a desert island razor is the AS-D2 but I've had it seven years. These are both very new to me. But I love all my razors else they wouldn't be my razors anymore! I posted about it in the Muhle Monday thread in the general forum and linked from the SOTD thread IIRC.

 

[Cal]

I'm not a collector.

But I just LOVE Flat Bottom Techs!

Herewith, today's new arrival:

Cellophane off the head, and two part handle still fixed together:

Razor assembled:

I had to remove the two blade pack's cellophane wrapper and open one... 1945:

And here's my 1945 No 26 Set cleaned up:

and ready to go:

I'll shave with it later today, but I'll change the original blade for a new one. I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[LRod]

I'm not a collector.

But I just LOVE Flat Bottom Techs!

Herewith, today's new arrival:
View attachment 1546322

View attachment 1546323

View attachment 1546324

Cellophane off the head, and two part handle still fixed together:
View attachment 1546325

Razor assembled:
View attachment 1546326

I had to remove the two blade pack's cellophane wrapper and open one... 1945:
View attachment 1546330

View attachment 1546332

And here's my 1945 No 26 Set cleaned up:
View attachment 1546336

and ready to go:
View attachment 1546338

I'll shave with it later today, but I'll change the original blade for a new one. I'm really looking forward to it.

What an amazing and beautiful set!
What an awesome feeling to open up something like that and use it. (Something only we shavers would understand)
Enjoy it!

 

[Jman1975]

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!

View attachment 1541947
View attachment 1541950

Beautiful set!

 

[Yodascaretaker]

You won't go over half, means you're willing to shell more than a 1000$ on a razor. Now, about that retained sanity of yours...I have my doubts.

No, more than half of $1k. $500 is like my absolute limit and it’d have to be something super worthwhile and that will retain its value (or even appreciate in value.)

There isn’t a single razor (straight or safety) that I’d spend $1k on. The ONLY way is if something were worth thousands and someone offered me it for a grand. If they were ok with me just buying it to resell and it was a SURE thing, I’d do that. I mean, free money ya know?

 

[fengcs]

leresche 77#

 

[CCS]

So many wonderful finds.

 

[mgweatherly]

Today, I had and overlapping set of three very cool arrivals for my collection. The first is technically just a case and its accoutrements, blade bank, blades, and instructions. But it is perhaps my most unusual case--a late 1920s Algonquin. I thought I had purchased a Bostonian case based on the photos in the listing, but I'm completely chuffed that an Algonquin arrived instead. I think it is stunning. To my surprise, the blade bank was filled with NINE blades (out of 10) that appear to be from 1928 (1 is marked 2446 and another is marked 2445 placing them as being made in the 46th and 45th weeks of 1928). I understand this set to have been made during 1926-29. I have every reason to believe that the blades are original with the set. I'm only slightly disappointed that the razor was not part of the set. The last photo shows my gold NEW Improved resting in the position of honor. I only have one of these gold NEW Improved razors and it can't sit in both my Richwood and Algonquin case, I guess I have to hunt for another .

 

[mgweatherly]

My second arrival in today's mail is this 1944/45 Regent Tech. As a lover of all things Aristocrat, I jumped at the chance to add this slightly odd and somewhat rare bird to my coop. I understand that it was made at the end of WWII and likely made from parts of the Aristocrat and the Ranger Tech. It has a handle just like my 1941 Aristocrat, but the baseplate of a 1941 Milord (without any text markings stamped into its inside surface). The center bar has no notches (like early Aristocrats and Milords), but the head does have endcaps. Matt Pisarcik does a great video about this one. I recently saw one sell on eBay in its leather-bound, wooden case for quite a dear sum even though the razor and case were both a little worse for the wear. This one attracted me because it's in pretty great condition with some relatively minor plate wear on the end caps and the smooth portions of the knurling.

 

[mgweatherly]

Last but not least, I received this pair of works of art machined by our own @Rosseforp. They are CNC machined from stainless steel and weigh in at 44 and 45 grams each. The one with the heavier knurling is exactly 3 inches long and the other is 2 15/16 inches long. The knurling on both is not only beautiful, but feels fantastic in the hand. My only trouble will be deciding which head to mate with them for my first use of each one. For illustration purposes, I pulled out a gold NEW type head and a nickel-plated, first-gen Tech head. I think the handles are a superb match for either one. I'm sure they will mate to any of my pocket edition OLD types or my pair of Goodwills too. Here they are:

 

[Babou]

I'm not a collector.

But I just LOVE Flat Bottom Techs!

Herewith, today's new arrival:
View attachment 1546322

View attachment 1546323

View attachment 1546324

Cellophane off the head, and two part handle still fixed together:
View attachment 1546325

Razor assembled:
View attachment 1546326

I had to remove the two blade pack's cellophane wrapper and open one... 1945:
View attachment 1546330

View attachment 1546332

And here's my 1945 No 26 Set cleaned up:
View attachment 1546336

and ready to go:
View attachment 1546338

I'll shave with it later today, but I'll change the original blade for a new one. I'm really looking forward to it.