Wee bit disappointed with my new "old" Red Tip

[raisindot]

Just got a beautiful '56 Red Tip from a fellow B&B members.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the razor itself. Cosmetically and functionally, it's fine.

I guess I must have had very high expectations. It had been reviewed as an "aggressive razor," but I found, with my trusty Bluebird blade, that there wasn't a significant difference in closeness or sharpness between it and my Slim and Fatboy with a 4 or 5 setting.

It shaved well, but it wasn't "revelatory," as was when I switched from my original Parker to my vintage adjustables. Perhaps the expectation was greater than the reality. In the end, it's just someone's old razor after all.

I don't think I'll get rid of it, because it's definitely a collectible, but I think for daily use I'm going to go back to Fatboy / Slim.

Jeff in Boston

 

[valmara1971]

Have a look at the Wiki brother and compare the red tip and your fat boy's settings. I think off the top of my head the fat boy can cut more aggressively that the red tip?

 

[Wil Dorenbos]

Sorry to hear you are disappointed.

 

[mr-razor]

Just got a beautiful '52 Red Tip from a fellow B&B members.

Jeff in Boston

The Red Tip comes from 1955-1959

 

[valmara1971]

Just checked the wiki and the red tip comes below a fat boy set at 4 so no wonder you find it tame by comparrison.

 

[Spivey]

The "aggressiveness" of the Red Tip is really overstated. It was meant to be aggresive for a Super Speed and that largely because of it's heavier handle (when compared to the aluminum Blue Tip and the thinner handled Flare Tip).

Try a Feather in there. I love it.

 

[michiganlover]

The "aggressiveness" of the Red Tip is really overstated. It was meant to be aggresive for a Super Speed and that largely because of it's heavier handle (when compared to the aluminum Blue Tip and the thinner handled Flare Tip).

Try a Feather in there. I love it.

The aggressiveness of a Red Tip is severely overstated.

The Red Tip was meant to be aggressive when compared against other Superspeeds. It is more aggressive than either a Blue Tip Superspeed, or the regular flair tip Superspeed.

Since most people's frame of reference is a Merkur HD, they will find the Red Tip to be not very aggressive at all, as in my opinion, it is less aggressive than the Merkur HD.

 

[raisindot]

The Red Tip comes from 1955-1959

You are absolutely right. My typo. '56 Red Tip, since corrected.

Jeff

 

[raisindot]

Well, I'm glad I didn't go for a "regular" Super Speed since that would have been too "gentle" for me.

I'm probably maligning this wayyyyy too much. It's a perfectly fine razor. If I didn't have the Slim and Fatboy, I would have thought it was the best thing since baked bread.

In any case, it's very cool to look at, so I'm keeping it anyway for the collectible aspect. But I think its purchase ends my RAD phase for good.

Jeff in Boston

 

[valmara1971]

Yep and getting my RT put an end to mine. Oh except for the slim. Oh and the fat boy.

 

[jgjoneslaw]

I agree with the michigan's sentiment. I, like many, started with the HD and it's a great razor but I was getting one or two nicks every other shave or so with it. So I was terrified of my red tip but decided to give it a try. I find my red tip about as aggressive as the HD but smoother. So I really for the life of me don't understand why the HD is the go to beginner's razor while the red tip is called "aggressive." I've never tried a blue tip or regular superspeed so those must really be tame.

 

[michiganlover]

So I really for the life of me don't understand why the HD is the go to beginner's razor while the red tip is called "aggressive." I've never tried a blue tip or regular superspeed so those must really be tame.

I too am a bit mystified, as to why the defacto recommendation for newbies is the Merkur HD, which being fairly aggressive it would seem the likelihood if it biting would be higher.

I had a Merkur 38C for a while (the HD with a longer handle) and was not overly impressed with it. I much prefer my vintage Gillette razors.

I honestly think a newbie is better off with a Superspeed, or a Tech, as they are fairly mild.

 

[Tha Baron]

The only Gillettes I find that have enough 'aggressiveness' is a slim or fatboy set at a 7+...

 

[Blondie]

I find with my Red Tip the best shave I get are with a Feather blade. These two coupled together make for a great shave. I would agree however, that if you have used more aggressive razors prior to using the Red Tip, you will be "underwhelmed" with the aggressiveness. I think the people that say it is "very" aggressive are used to milder superspeeds, which are IMHO, too tame for me. I tend to lean toward the older open combed gillettes, or adjustable set high. Or older injectors.

 

[Sarfa]

Just checked the wiki and the red tip comes below a fat boy set at 4 so no wonder you find it tame by comparrison.

Can you post a link to this Wiki page? I want to check it out! Thanks!

-Sarfa

 

[mblakele]

Can you post a link to this Wiki page?

here it is.

 

[Northern Bob]

]I have only been DE shaving for just over 1 year, so I am no expert. But,I have found that aggressiveness in a razors is way overated. When I first started I bought every razor I could and tried them all. I found out that whether it was an old Gillette Ball End Tech or a Merkur Slant Sledgehammer I needed at least 2 passes to get a DFS. I think I was looking for that magic razor that would give me a BBS in only 1 pass. I know now that will never happen. Still hasn't stopped me from buying more razors.

 

[Sarfa]

here it is.

I notice that the 60's flare tip super speeds aren't in the table. Anyone have any idea where they fall? Same as 40's SS?

-Sarfa

 

[theinternot]

Hey Jeff,

Sorry to hear it's not giving you much love.

I was reading all the previous comments about vintage gillettes vs. the HD. It's amazing how much YMMV this whole thing is.

Like a poster said previously that they bought a ton of vintage razors looking for the magic one. I found that I was doing the same thing. I would read all the posts about a Slim or a Fatboy, a Tech or an SS... I had high expectations of all these razors, but none of them worked for me. They all had varying degrees of aggressiveness, but none really provided a smooth, irritation free shave.

The HD on the other .... pure magic. BBS & no irritation every time.

The Slant performing equally as well.

3 pass shaves with a water pass touch up... oh yeah, and the one thing I couldn't do with a single Gillette... ATG under the lip... no problem with the Merkurs.

YMMV, indeed.