Vintage Gillette Razors - Beginners Questions

[Distorted Vision]

I love the idea of owning a vintage Gillette DE razor. In particular the Gillette Tech Ball end. I was just wondering why even the ones that are in excellent condition are so cheap. I've seen ones on eBay for only £25 which the seller claims that they have been unused and they certainly look that way. Were they produced in such large volumes that couldn't be collectors items?

What do I need to check for apart from the obvious cosmetic condition?

 

[lvanerstrom]

They are extremely common and not difficult to find in great shape.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[G.W.]

They were produced for a tremendously long time. They were produced in multiple countries. They were extremely inexpensive, if not free.
They are a dime a dozen, even in decent condition.

Good razors. Everybody should have at least one. Or at least try one.

 

[robertj298]

For the $ they are the best razor you can buy.

 

[imatabor]

Millions were made so they are widely available.

 

[ironfisted]

As everyone else mentioned, they were very commonplace and very cheap. There's not much to verify when buying one, as three piece razors don't usually have problems with alignment or blade gap. Simplicity is a good thing. As you venture through the vintage DE's, do keep in mind that the Ball End Tech is a very light razor compared to some of the TTO offerings, particularly the adjustables. Your blade/razor combo may not translate from one to the other. The Ball End Tech and my Bakelite Red Cross from National Safety Razor Co. are the only face shavers that I use with a Feather blade. All of my TTO's get an Astra. I couldn't figure out why I was never happy with my Tech shave until someone here suggested that I try a Feather. The Feathers being unforgivingly sharp, and me being heavy handed normally does not make for a good combination, but in the lighter Techs, it makes for BBS shaves every time. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Good luck!

 

[G-Dogg]

All of the above. You only need to start thinking big bucks if you want a Fatboy or a Toggle.

 

[Laird]

I think a ball-end Tech is a great choice. I have several Techs and I always sought out the "Fat Handle" variety as most Tech owners seemed to prefer and recommend those. And in particular, the Pre-War type with triangular shaped slots in the base plate as they're considered slightly more aggressive/effective. However, a few months ago I acquired my first ball end Post-war Tech. Personally, I think the solid brass ball-end handle balances far better in the hand. The Fat handles always seem too light and the razor feels "head heavy". And at least one of our members here has suggested that the Post-War Tech holds the blade more rigidly as the base plate is curved to match the radius of the top cap and fully supports the blade closer to the cutting edge. I've also been able to achieve absolutely perfect BBS results with that Tech. The Fat Handle is a nice design and can be weighted (I've done it to one of mine with tungsten putty) but to me the solid ball-end handle is prettier and more classy in it's simplicity.

 

[cyberdog]

The Ball-End has a heavier, albeit thinner handle. I have large hands, and still have no trouble holding and shaving with mine. On occasion I'll screw on the icon handle I kept from my 102 head that I sold. (I really like that handle). The threads are standard, so nearly any handle can fit, but the original ball-end works just fine.

Surprisingly, even at their low costs, most are in exemplary condition, making them a great bang for the buck. They also shave really well, and it's fairly easy to find the sweet spot angle wise.

 

[BigJ]

They were produced for a tremendously long time. They were produced in multiple countries. They were extremely inexpensive, if not free.
They are a dime a dozen, even in decent condition.

Good razors. Everybody should have at least one. Or at least try one.

+2! Supply and demand.