Ive been shaving with a gold dollar 66 Ive honed myself to shave ready. Im thinking of buying a vintage straight from ebay and giving it a little TLC and then trying to shave with that. Is there anything I should know before doing this aside from the obvious dont shave with a rusty razor?(shave his belly with a rusty razor shave his....)
Things to know when starting with vintage straight razors?
- Thread starter MajorMinceMeat
- Start date
Straight blade with little or no spine wear. The edge on most if not all vintage razor should surpass that of most GD’s...
Take it easy when honing. You don't need to hit the hones so hard with a vintage razor in comparison with a GD.
There are not many surviving BAD vintage straights, so buy based on condition more than brand. A blade that you have never heard of in good shape is probably better than an expensive, beaten up, pedigree razor that is well known
Anything with Solingen stamped on it has served me well. Like previously said, look for something with little or no spine wear. Tarnish/rust is not a problem, depending on where it is. If its on the spine, pivot or body, not a problem in terms of functionality. If it's on the edge be careful. The edge is so thin it can be, for lack of a better description be honeycombed which means that it may be difficult to hone out. Chips on the blade is a no-go. Scales can be replaced without too much effort.
My advice is stick with tried and true brands....your Genco's, Robeson's, Clauss's, and Torrey's...all brands that are quite affordable and take a keen edge. If you have deeper pockets then go for your Solingen's and your Sheffield's. Everyone is right when they say you cant go wrong with a vintage blade and that its all about condition. But be wary on ebay...there are a few sellers that we recommend and there are some postings here about it so do your search and look for them first to see what they have available. I have been buying all of my blades through ebay and had had good luck...just be sure to look at posts with the clearest and best pictures as possible, make sure your not getting a blade that's frowned or smiled too much and if you have a few minutes to spare post the pictures here before you buy to be sure your getting your moneys worth. We are all here to help each other out.
Larry
Larry
My best advice is .... when dought just ask....one of use will set you straight if its not worth buying.
I have bought one or two razors on eBay that turned out not to be very good one way or another. However, the vast majority have been great. One or two disappointing ones from Sheffield but all from Solingen have been fine I only have three French razors and no complaints there. I can stand the occasional duff razor as I pay so little for them and have found some really terrific razors for very little money.
You'll likely encounter scale materials that are uncommon in modern razors. Plastics that can be similar in appearance but with different properties like bakelite, a formaldehyde based plastic. I have several of these.
Natural materials that are still in use but less common than perhaps in old razors you'll likely come across like bone or horn, and some others that are highly restricted. Many plastic scales were used to mimic ivory or shell back then.
I prefer buying unrestored razors or those with little work done to them like light cleaning is fine. I'll avoid razors with pitting anywhere since it degrade the edge and can scratch a strop if on on the spine. That's my preference others may have their own.
Natural materials that are still in use but less common than perhaps in old razors you'll likely come across like bone or horn, and some others that are highly restricted. Many plastic scales were used to mimic ivory or shell back then.
I prefer buying unrestored razors or those with little work done to them like light cleaning is fine. I'll avoid razors with pitting anywhere since it degrade the edge and can scratch a strop if on on the spine. That's my preference others may have their own.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Not a lot to add, get one that’s in good shape with little wear, and go very light on the hones if it‘s a hollow grind. You might consider taping the spine until you get a feel for how the bevel is progressing when you hone it.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Watch out for cracks, chips or dings to the edge, or rust or pitting at or near the edge. Anything that has been honed into a travesty of a razor. Anything that is honed to half its former width. Wedge razors. Avoid all those, especially as a beginner looking for something to hone.
A vintage razor that has not been honed to death will have close to an ideal bevel angle. A GD66 has a more obtuse bevel angle. Ergo, when properly honed, a good vintage will shave slightly better than a GD66.
Oh, BTW do not post links to live auctions. By all means, post links to dead auctions, or BIN offers, but active auctions should not be posted on open forum.
Since you are not looking for a shave ready razor, it should be pretty easy to find something suitable.
A vintage razor that has not been honed to death will have close to an ideal bevel angle. A GD66 has a more obtuse bevel angle. Ergo, when properly honed, a good vintage will shave slightly better than a GD66.
Oh, BTW do not post links to live auctions. By all means, post links to dead auctions, or BIN offers, but active auctions should not be posted on open forum.
Since you are not looking for a shave ready razor, it should be pretty easy to find something suitable.
Don't get caught up on brand or size. Look for one that doesn't look worn, heavily buffed/polished, or with active rust or obvious deep pitting near the bevel/edge.
I've had pretty good luck on vintage buys online. Always ask any question that comes to mind imo. I have a beautiful razor I got a great deal somehow that was advertised as NOS, the only problem was it turned out it needs repinned. The hinge pin is slightly bent so it's tight upon close and loose towards full open. On other has a micro chip, and I mean micro, on the edge. As soon as I home it, that will be gone. As others said look at the condition first, then maybe brand. Sometimes it's worth the gamble, plus alot of good razors can be had for 20 to 40 bucks, and remember to enjoy the hunt.
EclipseRedRing
I smell like a Christmas pudding
I don't think you can go far wrong with vintage Japanese razors, the quality of the steel is superb; my Derby Aiku holds its edge very well and was not expensive.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
The pin is not bent. The resistance changes because the scales, which are bowed apart by the wedge, are flexed back toward each other at the pivot and when the razor is closed, they sort of grip the tang of the razor. This is actually the mark of a well designed and executed razor, and a maker who pays attention to details.
I agree I also didn't State everything , it doesn't center and appears someone's tried to tighten up and down by tapping on one side of the pins
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Oh no, somebody "fixed" it! I hate that.
Here it is, so it's worth looking for vintage just pay attention. This was $45 buck a year or so ago plus I think 5 bucks for shipping.
