Vintage blade collectors club

[Tanuki]

If anyone has any info on the dating of those Old Hickory blades please let me know. I’ve seen them listed as 1950’s and 1930’s. I’m more inclined to think the 1930’s because of the carbon steel and the shape of the center cutout. I think the cutouts were pretty much standardized by the 50’s.

My razor blade reference (Krumholz) had no dating information. I'm guessing late 30s, based on the revival of Old Hickory upon the prompt post-Prohibition founding of Continental Distilling Corporation in 1933. Also there is the possible Segal compatibility of the blades. Maybe post-war for a few years, when steel was available.

There seem to have been several varieties of Old Hickory blades. But by the 50s the economy was brisk and shaving was headed away from single-wrapped advertising blades.

Reading up on Continental Distilling Corporation and its parent, Publicker, was pretty fascinating from a Superfund/industrial hazmat negligence standpoint.

 

[ouchyfoot]

My razor blade reference (Krumholz) had no dating information. I'm guessing late 30s, based on the revival of Old Hickory upon the prompt post-Prohibition founding of Continental Distilling Corporation in 1933. Also there is the possible Segal compatibility of the blades. Maybe post-war for a few years, when steel was available.

There seem to have been several varieties of Old Hickory blades. But by the 50s the economy was brisk and shaving was headed away from single-wrapped advertising blades.

Reading up on Continental Distilling Corporation and its parent, Publicker, was pretty fascinating from a Superfund/industrial hazmat negligence standpoint.

Just as I though.

 

[BradWorld]

Just got 250 vintage London Bridge Wilkinson Swords made in England. These are not to be confused with the P&G London Bridge blades. I have been imformed by several reliable sources that these are the same exact blade as the unobtanium Light Brigade blades that have been rebranded. Never used a light Brigade because I don’t want to spend $5 a blade to try one. But so far these are pretty awesome.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

Just got 250 vintage London Bridge Wilkinson Swords made in England. These are not to be confused with the P&G London Bridge blades. I have been imformed by several reliable sources that these are the same exact blade as the unobtanium Light Brigade blades that have been rebranded. Never used a light Brigade because I don’t want to spend $5 a blade to try one. But so far these are pretty awesome.

View attachment 1371013

Very cool, Brad!!

 

[Dalejr]

Just got 250 vintage London Bridge Wilkinson Swords made in England. These are not to be confused with the P&G London Bridge blades. I have been imformed by several reliable sources that these are the same exact blade as the unobtanium Light Brigade blades that have been rebranded. Never used a light Brigade because I don’t want to spend $5 a blade to try one. But so far these are pretty awesome.

View attachment 1371013

To me they were no where close. The first time I attributed to it being 1 loose blade in a lot that could have had poor storage conditions over the years but my second trial was with a completely pristine sealed pack and had the same result. Glad they work for you though & you are right about the Light Brigades. They are amazing but not worth $5 a blade.

 

[BradWorld]

To me they were no where close. The first time I attributed to it being 1 loose blade in a lot that could have had poor storage conditions over the years but my second trial was with a completely pristine sealed pack and had the same result. Glad they work for you though & you are right about the Light Brigades. They are amazing but not worth $5 a blade.

As I mentioned I have no grounds for comparison. Some day I will find a pack of real ones at a decent price and pick them up.

 

[Dalejr]

As I mentioned I have no grounds for comparison. Some day I will find a pack of real ones at a decent price and pick them up.

Yup as long as you keep an eye out eventually you will score some. I paid $2 a blade for my very small stash 8 or so years back and even then felt it was pricy.

 

[ouchyfoot]

Out of the prohibition era and into the carbon age
Old Hickory, second shave different razor and lather.
This blade may be over 80 years old but it is just as good, or better, than any modern stainless blade. I didn’t even bother with stropping or anything. This blade is just as smooth as the day it was made, and no, I didn’t have to imbibe in any 6 year old fortification beforehand.
Its funny when you steel yourself for any possibility and are amazed when you arrive at a sepremely comfortable BBS. I guess those olden days people knew a thing or two about making razor blades.

 

[ouchyfoot]

Im finding these vintage carbon blades like the three piece Gillette Tech razors…Star DE as well.

 

[malocchio]

An excellent Blade collection site : RAZOR BLADE WRAPPERS КОЛЛЕКЦИЯ ЛЕЗВИЙ ДЛЯ БРИТЬЯ - http://www.kolblade.narod.ru/index_english.html

 

[ouchyfoot]

Had a good shave with a Mystery Edge today. Looking at the blade itself leads me to think it was manufactured by the same company as the “Old Hickory” blade I previously used.

 

[ouchyfoot]

The second shave without the open comb razor was much nicer.

 

[brucered]

Found these in a box. They were from a PIF, back when I first joined.

Thought I'd share. Sorry, it's not one wrapper per post. If there is any interest in specific blade pics, let me know.

 

[Babou]

The old packaging is more beautiful, I do not like the new packaging of the blades.

 

[lasta]

Hey guys,

This lot is on its way to me. Former barbershop display pieces.

The Gillettes are pretty straight forward, but anyone familiar with drugstore rebrands? I'm guessing the Eckerd's and Kare are Personnas? What about the Schick?

 

[Dalejr]

Hey guys,

This lot is on its way to me. Former barbershop display pieces.

The Gillettes are pretty straight forward, but anyone familiar with drugstore rebrands? I'm guessing the Eckerd's and Kare are Personnas? What about the Schick?

Yes the Kare are older better Personnas likely 80's. Schick's are early 90-00's generic unlabeled claiming a triple coating.

 

[Maxime D.]

Here's a cool little thing that I thought was worth showing here. It's a card that was inside a blister pack that I bought years ago, I'm guessing it dates from around the 1980 or 1984 Olympics. When I bought it, I thought I was purchasing a dispenser with an Olympic logo on it and I absolutely wanted it. What a bummer when I found out that it was a card and there was no logo on the actual dispenser *facepalm .

 

[Freshwood]

I got ten of these along with a Gillette Slim in a second-hand shop in Kent last weekend. I've come across Pal hollow ground blades before, but never seen Majors.

 

[ouchyfoot]

These arrived today.

 

[Maxime D.]

Here's a selection of blades from my stash.

- Perma-Sharp Made in Great Britain (Terrible shavers but I love the wrapper)
- Gillette Blade 3 holes (Code 2180) from 1925-1929? Rust free.
- NEW Gillette Blade (B-1) from 1931
- Gillette Blue Blade (K-3) from 1940

ps: The blade box dates from around 1914 to 1916.