Who else loves wet shaving, but doesn't like vintage products?

[Roedeer]

I'm mostly chasing the best functionality, and I get that with inexpensive modern CNC razors. The GC.84P Game Changer is so far the best all-rounder.

My inherited old type Gillette was bad (randomly cut me), but it was also misaligned. The much less beaten-up one that I got online was pleasant, but nothing special.

If I thought that there was vintage kit that would give me a better shave, would I use it? Of course, but I have no incentive to try it. Diminishing returns.

 

[gpjoe]

I guess I'll respond in the context of "vintage" being defined as hardware that hasn't been produced since the mid-20th century, or older:

I prefer vintage by a slight margin. I have a few modern razors I like and use, but not many will entice me to put down my old Gillettes for long. When I do go modern, I gravitate towards mild shavers, like the Feather ASD2, which mimics the Gillette Tech in design and performance.

The only other "modern" razors I use regularly, though not as often, are several Razorock razors.

 

[macintoshBR]

I used to think like this. Now I rarely use anything else than my Super Speeds, Tech and New.

Modern razors, steep angle, 100g razors, 90+ mm handles, blade feel? Meh 🫤 I pass

Vintage soaps or brushes? Nope, I only buy these new, but of course only from European makers in the business for at least 50 years. No “artisans” for me

 

[JaggardJ]

Favourite DE: 2020s Dscosmetic, other favourite DE: 1930s flat bottom tech.
Favourite SR: 1890s ish CW.DAHLGREN.
All favourites due to shave quality, rather than age.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I dig vintage, especially straight razors. Older fixer uppers have proven to be more budget friendly for me and can turn out to be exceptional razors with quality steel. Nothing against the modern stuff though, just don’t own any…yet.

 

[Captain O]

My taste runs to both the vintage and modern I routinely shave with the GBS (Weishi) and my 1964 Gillette Slim Adjustable (Thank you, Phil). I truly enjoy the old/new King Camp Gillette razor. (You can't beat the 1903 design and modern CNC manufacturing for a truly great shave)!

 

[LRod]

When I got into wet shaving, I felt the same. I've actually never liked anything vintage. So I bought modern razors
(low, mid & high tier)!
Tried a bunch and still have a few.
My refusal was my lack of ever buying anything used and believing that the new stuff is best.
I also read here on B&B of people putting down the vintage stuff i.e., "The blade clamping is inferior, the materials aren't as good etc.."
And then they would prop up the new stuff as "modernized evolution".
Unfortunately, this had some influence in my thought process as it relates to vintage:
Till a couple weeks ago!
For some reason I started looking at them and researching them (out of curiosity). I figured that I could buy one that was in "like new condition" to give vintage razors a try. I landed on my like new Gillette 63' Flair tip and had it delivered a few days ago. Gave it an ultrasonic bath and popped in a blade. I was blown away!
It shaves as good or better than my favorite modern DE's and built (to last, it's 59 years old, LOL!!).
It's made me question my whole "I just want the latest and greatest" school of thought".
Fast forward a week and I already have another 2 vintage razors (one is still enroute).
So yes, I was reluctant but here I am loving them, ready to sell some other modern ones and ready to collect more vintage ones!
I totally refused to buy vintage. But for whomever is on the fence, my recommendation is to at least try one at some point and you might be as surprised as I was.
LRod

 

[Curly Straight]

I love the art of wet shaving and respect the age of this art/hobby/necessity/obsession. But I really have zero desire to try or own anything vintage. I love new, modern equipment, whether that is hardware or software for that matter.

I really love new soaps, modern brushes, and current stylings of modern DE razors. Does anyone else feel similarly? I have owned a few Gillette Black Beauties over the years but I think modern razors are better shavers, and I think modern, artisan soapmakers are making fantastic products that edge out anything from the "good ol days". I am so curious if I am the only one that feels this way.

Inverted,

I boarded this B&B train with a bunch of inherited vintage Gillettes from my father. And I’ve gotten fantastic shaves from Gillettes older than me, and older than my father. And I’ve gotten some poor shaves from vintage Gillettes also. I’m still of a mind which believes American manufacturing from an earlier time surpasses anything made today in China, or most anywhere else for that matter.

But in fairness to recent acquisitions of “modern” razors, it’s difficult for me to defend Vintage vs. Modern when I compare my shaves using a Timeless, Rocnel, Rex, or Blackbird to my favorite vintage Toggles, Aristocrats, Fat Boys, Slims, and Super Speeds. The fact is: I get great shaves from both some vintage and some modern DE razors, and I get crappy shaves from both vintage and modern razors (though my personal favorite today is the SS Blackbird).

Yet surprisingly, one of my least expensive razors, an $8 USD 1954 Super Speed shaves my face as closely and efficiently as any of my other razors, regardless of year of manufacture or country of manufacture.

I think the reason we are all here is to get great shaves. Since our faces are all different, it should surprise no one here that different razors/blades/techniques are required to get those results. The great thing about this forum is being able to “mine” the information second-hand before applying our hard-earned funds to test a vintage or modern razor first-hand. Thus I would politely suggest: “discounting vintage razors merely removes potentially perfect tools from the toolbox”. And unless you try all the tools available, you can’t possibly know which tool works best for you personally. I learned the hard way that price of the razor or age of the technology doesn’t equal exceptional results. It truly is a YMMV experience. But ain’t it fun to experiment?

Curly

 

[Officers Match]

I'm mostly chasing the best functionality, and I get that with inexpensive modern CNC razors. The GC.84P Game Changer is so far the best all-rounder.

My inherited old type Gillette was bad (randomly cut me), but it was also misaligned. The much less beaten-up one that I got online was pleasant, but nothing special.

If I thought that there was vintage kit that would give me a better shave, would I use it? Of course, but I have no incentive to try it. Diminishing returns.

Have you tried a stainless Lupo? My DC and .95OC have re-homed some fairly higher end razors, ie Blackbirds (OC & SB) and Timeless .95OC.

 

[JCarr]

I'm not sure what a vintage soap would be. But...if it's Tabac, Arko or Mitchell's Wool Fat...I'm all for vintage. My hardware, however, is all modern. Most of my software is modern, but I do have several of those "tried and true" products that...well...they just work really well.

 

[luvmysuper]

I think good and bad quality equipment and supplies were produced over time.
There are great modern and vintage razors and soaps and there are crap modern and vintage razors and soaps.
Due to the sheer number of razors and soaps being churned out on a massive scale, I'd venture to say that there is a larger number of crap products available today than there were 50 or 60 years ago.
A company producing razors 50 years ago was theoretically in it for the long haul and to build a brand.
There are literally hundreds of makers today who are interested in pulling in a quick buck off of a cheap knock-off, and who will move on as soon as the general public gets wise to them.
I think that limiting yourself to a specific era or time frame only because it is "vintage" or "modern" is doing yourself a disservice.

 

[Roedeer]

Have you tried a stainless Lupo?

Not yet, but I'm tempted. The cut-away corners look like a good feature.

 

[Possum092]

Vintage stuff is great for decorating a barber shop or museum. I am not a nostalgic shaving guy, so I have zero interest in collecting or using old kit. Great thing about this hobby is it offers many things to many different shavers with plenty of rabbit holes. Happy shaves all.

 

[Virtus3]

I can appreciate vintage razors but don't have any personal desire to buy or use them (yet at least). I have zero interest in vintage blades, brushes, or soaps unless you're talking about a "classic" still being manufactured today like someone mentioned MWF.

 

[musicman1951]

Many years ago I paid $35 to a B&B member for a fine looking Gillette Slim. It's a great razor at that price and shaves well, I would never sell it.

Having said that, I probably use it an average of once or twice a year. The Wolfman is my daily driver. So I definitely prefer the modern razor, but I see no dichotomy in using the Wolfman and appreciating the Slim in my den. And for the budget minded, I would be amazed to find a $35 modern razor that was the equal of that Slim.

 

[RayClem]

I grew up in the muscle car era and love the appearance of a nicely restored muscle car. However, I would much prefer to drive a car with power steering, power brakes, air bags, direct fuel injection, and all the sensors, cameras, controls and infotainment systems on a modern vehicle. The same thing applies to shaving. While I appreciate some of the vintage stuff, I prefer shaving with modern hardware.

The biggest difference is with shave soaps. Traditional soaps were usually very simple soap formulations. They were adequate for many shavers, but are not as well crafted as most of the modern artisan soaps. There are some soaps with traditional names now made with a new formulations designed to reduce production cost that might make affect performance.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I grew up in the muscle car era and love the appearance of a nicely restored muscle car. However, I would much prefer to drive a car with power steering, power brakes, air bags, direct fuel injection, and all the sensors, cameras, controls and infotainment systems on a modern vehicle. The same thing applies to shaving. While I appreciate some of the vintage stuff, I prefer shaving with modern hardware.

The biggest difference is with shave soaps. Traditional soaps were usually very simple soap formulations. They were adequate for many shavers, but are not as well crafted as most of the modern artisan soaps. There are some soaps with traditional names now made with a new formulations designed to reduce production cost that might make affect performance.

My Dad worked for Dodge during the muscle car years. He covered the state of Montana for the factory as a the territory service manager. I learned how to drive in Dodge Chargers with the 426 Hemi engine... and Monacos with the 440 4 barrel carb. He got a new car every 3 weeks on average. They would sell them as demonstrators... 1500 miles or so on the odometer.

 

[Barbarian80]

I don't mind vintage steel because it's honed anyway, but there is no way i am buying a vintage DE/SE razor unless it was NOS. Shaving is very personal and i avoid buying things that were used on someone else's face (or who knows where).

 

[Inverted]

I grew up in the muscle car era and love the appearance of a nicely restored muscle car. However, I would much prefer to drive a car with power steering, power brakes, air bags, direct fuel injection, and all the sensors, cameras, controls and infotainment systems on a modern vehicle. The same thing applies to shaving. While I appreciate some of the vintage stuff, I prefer shaving with modern hardware.

The biggest difference is with shave soaps. Traditional soaps were usually very simple soap formulations. They were adequate for many shavers, but are not as well crafted as most of the modern artisan soaps. There are some soaps with traditional names now made with a new formulations designed to reduce production cost that might make affect performance.

I very much agree with this.

I would say the best vintage items would be razors. I have used vintage blades and have had terrible results. Soaps, forget about it. I am not touching vintage soaps or shave sticks with how fantastic and modernized the current crop of artisan soaps is.

Now, that being said, clearly, there are items that have been made for decades. MDC has been making soap for 40 years, so are they vintage? I would say yes but they are still making it and still very relevant, so I would also call them modern.

My Rockwell T2 is clearly a modernly made tribute to old butterfly adjustable razors so while it may look vintage, it is a modern razor.

It isn't simply not liking vintage looks or styles, and it isn't merely not liking something just because it's old. For me, I just like the way things are made now in the world of wet shaving. I absolutely respect the legendary soapmakers we have in this industry and I own MDC, but I will say I cringe when I see people use some weird commercialized soap that is NOS from the 60s or 70s lol.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Some of my favorite razors are vintage pieces, such as a Gillette New Short Comb replated in nickel, and a Canadian prewar Tech in excellent condition. That's because they perform well and I enjoy using them, not just because they're vintage.

I have some new razors, too, but have you ever noticed that many modern designs are actually based on vintage designs?