Shaving with a Marlin Blade

[r0ckrat]

So, this morning I tried out a Marlin Blade, and was very pleasantly surprised. I got BBS in 3 passes with just a little touch up, W,X,ATG. The shave was easy, comfortable, and no irritation. I didn't do any extra prep, just my normal hot shower with a Body Shop Tea Tree Oil face wash, and 30 seconds with a hot washcloth before lathering up the shaving cream.

I used the '27 Bostonian, as last night my poll hadn't changed before I went to bed, and the Bostonian was the only one with a comment regarding a choice.

This afternoon I did a little research and was able to determine that these blades were produced prior to 1945, and probably were from pre-WWII stock based on the packaging. Made from carbon-steel rather than any sort of stainless, I dried and hand stropped the blade after the shave. It will be interesting to see how long the edge lasts, as so far this is one of the nicer blades I've tried. (I have yet to try a Feather, or any of the other Japanese edges.) Which is unfortunate, as while I have over 100 of these blades, they are selling for over $2 a blade elsewhere on the net...

I'm going to have to see if my library system(s) have a copy of "Marlin Firearms: A History of the Guns and the Company That Made Them" By William S. Brophy. A small snippet (from Google Book Search) attached.

 

[firefly]

Its really funny you posted this, I was just about to do a search on Marlin blades, one of the razors I bought she included a box (with only 4 blades in it) of Marlin Blades, dark blue (box is in bad shape).

Edit:

Added Pics...my first contribution!

 

[r0ckrat]

Its really funny you posted this, I was just about to do a search on Marlin blades, one of the razors I bought she included a box (with only 4 blades in it) of Marlin Blades, dark blue (box is in bad shape).

On Google Books you can read the bit they have about the shaving stuff on pages 86-89...

 

[r0ckrat]

Day 2 with the Marlin as good as Day 1. Clean, close, comfortable shave. I used The Body Shop Macca Root shave cream today, and had a hint of razor burn, but was being much more aggressive with the razor today. no weepers, no nicks, no cuts, not pulling or tugging.

Amazing for a razor that was manufactured 82 years ago, and a blade made over 65 years ago.

 

[Deltaboy]

Cool I knew Marlin made fine guns but never did know they made Razors.

 

[r0ckrat]

To be clear, they never made razors, only razor blades. They actually sold quite a few to the military during WW2.

 

[Doc Bugg]

Marlin got into the blade business in about 1933 or 34. It was originally a private business of the owner of Marlin Firearms (Frank Kenna) started with his own $$ and not that of the Marlin F/A Co. Later he sold the rights to the blade biz to his gun co and then he got paid a commission on the number of blades sold. Nice deal...

The main factory that made them was actually in NJ. They used other blade mfg co's around the country as did the other blade retailers.
BlueStrike was one of the first of the companys to make them for Marlin. The Blue box w/ double edge blades is pre 1945 or so. Red box same era for single edge blades. Dark blue is the earliest, a little lighter blue later in the period.

After the war in the later 40's everything was packaged in red boxes IIRC. w/ white & blue panels but I might be wrong on the colors.
Marlin sold blades, both single & double edge, right up till 1968. They also sold shaving accessorys through that time that were purchased from vendors and packaged with their name on it. They had a large gov't contract during WW2 for shaving blades for the GI's.

 

[Doc Bugg]

Marlin razor blades:

http://www.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=10579131