Vintage Gillette vs. Current Muhle R89/EJ89

[dzg5]

Even though I enjoy using my Bic Sensitive disposables, I have been tempted to look at DE razors.

Perusing the archives there is much love for the vintage Gillettes - Slim Adjustable, Black Beauty and the Fat Boy.

I looked at the prices they are fetching on the big auction site and they're not going cheap .... in fact even the tarnished ones with heavy use are basically selling for what it would cost to buy a new "entry level' DE razor e.g. Muhle R89 (supposedly a mild shaver).

So is this love for the vintage Gilettes justified?
Is a Slim Adjustable or a Black Beauty that much superior to a Muhle R89 or an EJ 89??

Sometimes I suspect that nostalgia is at affecting pricing ... unless the gurus on here can tell me different.

Thanks Gentlemen.

 

[TML4EVR]

Personally I have 7 vintage Gillette razors, my favourite is my 1925 New Improved. It feels special to use something that old in my daily routine. However, my overall favourite is my 2012 EJ DE86. It just seems to be the easiest to find the right angle and is heavy enough to give me a BBS shave with no pressure. As with all things shaving: YMMV.

My suggestion would be to start with a simple user grade razor, maybe a SS and invest some time cleaning it up yourself. They are always available on the B/S/T for a reasonable price. I grabbed mine from eBay for $10. if you find you enjoy DE shaving look at investing more then.

 

[pdmcadams]

dzg5 --

I think the short answer is YMMV -- Your Mileage May Vary...

A longer answer is that to a certain extent, today's Muhle R89 will eventually become tomorrow's vintage Muhle R89. There will be limited numbers available, in varying states of vintageness, and the price will reflect all of that plus whatever nostalgia there is for the era...

The vintage Gillettes are great shavers. Some will work better for you, some not as well, but a lot of the fun of wet shaving for me has been trying out different razors, soaps, blades, brushes, etc. and seeing what works for me. No question that some of the more popular ones -- Fat Boys for example -- have been increasing in price. If you keep your eye on the B/S/T, though, you'll generally find them for less than the "big auction site" and you'll often get some freebie blades or soap samples as well as the camaraderie that is available in abundance here. If it doesn't work well for you, post it back on the B/S/T and try something else.

So, to me, the love for vintage Gillettes is justified... That being said, although the Fat Boy is my all-time favorite Gillette -- looks, weight, etc -- I actually get my best DE shaves from a Muhle closed comb R89...

Probably didn't help you at all with this!

PDM

 

[Mick]

DE89 and R89 are pretty nice shaving razors.

Comparing razors is pretty hard as everyone I have touched has worked excellently for me

If you are looking for something reasonably priced and a mild razor look for the Schick Krona. They are fantastic but a hidden jewel. You can find them from $10 up as they are not "popular" for some reason.

 

[Wingnut]

Hi dzg5, welcome to B&B! Good advice above--it's really your call. Certainly vintage Gillettes are build like tanks compared to most modern razors. If price is paramount, Mick's suggestion of a Schick Krona is a great one--it's a fantastic first razor, and without that Gillette logo it's still flying under most people's radar.

When you get a chance, please head over to our Hall of Fame and tell us all a bit more about yourself. There are links in my signature to areas of B&B of special interest to beginning shavers--perhaps you might like to have a look at them. If you ever have questions or run into problems, don't hesitate to post them up. We're a welcoming and friendly group here, and there's always someone around to offer advice or lend a hand.

Enjoy your time here, happy shaving, and once again, WELCOME!!

 

[david1201]

The DE89s are hard to beat - I started DE shaving with mine and still use it often. Can easily provide a BBS.

Since I added a shim to mine I've fallen back in love with it, wondering why I spent all this money on high-end razors....

 

[Sir Lurkalot]

I recently had the chance to borrow an R41 from a member on the site. After receiving and opening the package, I was very impressed by the finish of the razor. The shave was too aggressive for me however. Still a nice looking razor. Problem with the new razors are, many are made from a zinc alloy unlike the Gillettes of old. This "pot" metal as it is called is cheaper to produce and easy to work with but I highly doubt the modern razors made with it are going to last over a lifetime like a vintage Gillette. There are many threads on this forum illustrating various types of failures associated with modern razors and many of those can be attributed to the cheaper metal used in the manufacturing process.

Vintage Gilletes have lasted decades and a well cared for or replated one will last many more decades because they are built like tanks as mentioned above. They are worth every penny spent to aquire one. Even one that is heavily tarnished. It will clean up well and still shave you like the day it rolled out of the factory.

 

[david1201]

I agree with the whole quality of vintage versus new (plated) razors, but it fascinates me that in this day and age of so many new, great razors, and internet shopping that anyone is really going to use one
razor regularly for more than a year or two, let alone 20 or more years!