The Frankenrazor Thread - with Pictures

[Barbarian]

Been seeing a lot of Frankenrazor talk lately and thought it was time they got their own thread. So, what I would like to see here are pics of your favorite Frankenrazor, it's name, and a story if you have one.

Here's mine, henceforth to be known as "Valette:"

I picked this up at a local Antique Mall for $6 this past weekend. It is an Old Type head with a Gillette/Valet Autostrop Handle. Basically, some previous owner must have had a broken Old type handle so he took the top piece and jammed a matching autostrop handle in to it. You can see the score marks from a pair of pliers if you look closely.

This thing has really nice heft and seems to make a fine razor once all is said and done.

 

[sol92258]

The Techarodon Techarias

(ball end Tech handle with open comb Gillette head...not sure what exactly)

 

[r0ckrat]

The Techarodon Techarias

(ball end Tech handle with open comb Gillette head...not sure what exactly)

Looks like an old type model 102. Has the thin guard plate, rather than the thicker plate of the 102a. Just a guess, tho.

 

[michiganlover]

The Techarodon Techarias

(ball end Tech handle with open comb Gillette head...not sure what exactly)

This combo is actually quite common, as the original handles for the Gillette Old, and New had a design flaw that caused the handle to crack over time.

Techs were plentiful, and low cost, so a user who wanted to continue using their Old, or New head simple bought a Tech for the handle, and went off on their merry way.

 

[sandmountainslim]

Here is my Frankenrazor.
Not much of a story except I bought it here on B&B and it is the BEST shaving razor I have ever encountered

Gillette Old Type head mounted on a mystery handle which is octagonal with little sideways "hearts" on it.
If anyone has a clue what this handle came off of let me know.

 

[BBrad]

This combo is actually quite common, as the original handles for the Gillette Old, and New had a design flaw that caused the handle to crack over time.

Techs were plentiful, and low cost, so a user who wanted to continue using their Old, or New head simple bought a Tech for the handle, and went off on their merry way.

I just received a lot of razors that I won on "the bay" . . . was giving a Gold Tech (Ball Handle) the scrubbing bubble treatment when I came to and realized that it had an OLD TYPE handle, complete with cracked barrel . . . just the opposite of what we usually see . . .

I will try this combination to see how the OT handle affects the classically smooth Tech shave!!

 

[bigfoot83]

No special name to this one. I found it at an antiques mall for $5. It's a Barbasol head on a Durham Duplex handle and is a closer shaver than my Feather portable!

Dave

 

[Telecaster52]

Old type head (temporarily) on feather portable handle, until i get around to turning one. The completely split ball end handle (presumably original) is underneath. Not bad for my first antique mall find IMO...

 

[bob.e]

Here's My Frankenrazor or as I call it my tri-color Gillette bought it because it looked cool

 

[sandmountainslim]

How long before a new subculture arises in this hobby similar to the Rat Rod scene in custom cars?

How long before a group rebels against mint condition razors and beautiful custom handles and a Rat Blade Revolution occurs??

It is bound to happen sooner or later as it does in every hobby.
I can foresee the day where people shove an Old Type or NEW head on mismatched handles on purpose and even sand spots of finish off and touch up the handles with primer or flat black paint

Of course the more dangerous the better! So there will be shavers sticking thick paperclips under their blades and washers made outta bored out Indian Head Pennies. Probably be even a number of razors using non-razor components like the handle off of a spatula or other such inventions.

Wp

 

[Barbarian]

Nice to see this resurrected. Didn't get much action originally.

Come to think of it, I haven't shaved with my frankenrazor yet. Hrm, maybe tomorrow.

 

[Abyssos]

This is my frankenrazor (thanks to nemo for the NEW head)

 

[VR6ofpain]

No special name to this one. I found it at an antiques mall for $5. It's a Barbasol head on a Durham Duplex handle and is a closer shaver than my Feather portable!

Dave

That is a beaut!

 

[craig87c]

So what kind of razors can be combined to make a Frankenrazor? I have a New coming in from eBay, but still want a Tech. This has made me very curious!

 

[amishmotorboat]

MiLuby.

Got what was supposed to be a self-lubricating razor (just traps water by capillary action in the cap, and releases it when pressed to the face). It had no bottom plate, but fits perfectly in a new. The handle it came with was a hollow thing with no weight. I chose the milady handle. It's two-tone matches the mismatched head pieces.

 

[MedicBill]

MiLuby.

Got what was supposed to be a self-lubricating razor (just traps water by capillary action in the cap, and releases it when pressed to the face). It had no bottom plate, but fits perfectly in a new. The handle it came with was a hollow thing with no weight. I chose the milady handle. It's two-tone matches the mismatched head pieces.

That looks really great! What's the shave like?

 

[amishmotorboat]

That looks really great! What's the shave like?

Quite good. You see, when I say it fits perfectly, I mean it fits perfectly for me. Those little tabs that fit into the slot are a bit longer on this razor than on a new, so the result is that it doesn't seat completely. This causes the blade to be bent less (which I like), and also causes a larger blade gap (which I also like). The 'self lubricating' part of it seems to work, I guess. It does leave your face wetter where you've been than a reg head. I don't much care for the short handle. I'm not sure why I didn't just take a silver ball end old type handle and put a gold ball end on it. I have enough of those cracked handles lying around with loose parts. Should be easy to epoxy one together.

 

[Pumpkin]

Would swapping the handles of my British Tech (Aluminium handle) and 102A Old Type (Ball end handle) qualify either as a "Frankenrazor"?

If they do qualify I'll post pics

I found the Old Type a (wee) bit harsh and the British Tech a bit light (now I've tried a Super Speed). However, with the handles swapped I seem to have ended up with TWO great razors!

On a side-note...the Old Type head now seems to grip the blade a bit more closely than before.

 

[nemo]

Canadian ball end handle, modern Merkur head

Fat tech handle with NEW head

(~1960 Pelikan 400NN)

 

[cvixx]

Have an interesting one (if the pictures upload properly). Has an aluminum handle with gold rings, and the top two parts of a Tech. However, the head is nickel plated on the top but gold on the bottom. Came as part of a razor lot from the Bay.