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

[ChriWilson]

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.

Slim is most probably where I would start if I had interest in vintage hardware. I learned to shave using plastic disposables and then onto cartridge kits so I do not personally have a nostalgic tie.

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).

I have similar reservations. If I were to move into a vintage razor it would have to be NOS or completely refurbished. One would have to consider the immediate devaluation of course when using NOS.

 

[StewB]

I have only shaved with a couple of vintage razors. My opinion is that they work quite well but are not as efficient as my top moderns.

I just used a Fatboy for the first time today, set on #9. Very good shave, but not as efficient as my top moderns (Winning, Lupo 72, and Dart).

 

[thombrogan]

It’ll all be vintage before we know it, but some of the newer stuff works gooder for my smoov brain and numb mitts.

 

[saj]

Do whatever you prefer
I personally like both vintage and modern, I just see it as best of both worlds

 

[Guido75]

I like the artisan modern razors like Fatip and Razorine. At present I only have modern gear and soaps. I do have two Techs on watch, and that is purely because my curiosity won me over. Other than that I think I will stick with modern. I like to be the first time user. Just my opinion. But as Thom said, before you know it what we use now is tomorrow’s vintage.

Guido

 

[NorthernSoul]

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).

If you go out to eat at a fancy restaurant, you don't get brand new silverware and dishes. Somehow, people deal with that.

 

[Barbarian80]

If you go out to eat at a fancy restaurant, you don't get brand new silverware and dishes. Somehow, people deal with that.

Agree, but there's also a very high probability they're not sticking the fork in their scrotum while they eat.

 

[Attog]

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.

Yep. Like Truefitt & Hill.

 

[DEgeezer]

Agree, but there's also a very high probability they're not sticking the fork in their scrotum while they eat.

Good point. I think I'll refuse any future surgical operations. The instruments may have previously been used by a Proctologist!

 

[Attog]

Agree, but there's also a very high probability they're not sticking the fork in their scrotum while they eat.

It depends…

 

[LRod]

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).

That was a huge hygienic issue for me!
So my first vintage purchase was NOS. But then discovered that if I wanted other models, NOS would be almost impossible to locate.
So I do this:
I put them in my ultrasonic cleaning machine and no issues after that. They come out clean as new!
I also gave myself a reminder that everytime I go to a restaurant, someone else had already put my fork in their mouth, Lol!
And restaurants don't ultrasonically clean the silverware!
Another good option as well (I will be doing this to some vintage razors I acquire) is to get it replated. Like that it's really back to new & unused condition!

 

[LRod]

I have only shaved with a couple of vintage razors. My opinion is that they work quite well but are not as efficient as my top moderns.

I just used a Fatboy for the first time today, set on #9. Very good shave, but not as efficient as my top moderns (Winning, Lupo 72, and Dart).

My 63' Super speed smokes the Winning & Lupo 72's in efficiency (I've owned both).
And neither came even close!
The only thing that can compete from my moderns is my ATT SS Windsor 0.80
Shows once again how subjective all of this is!

 

[Medivh]

Just like with pretty much anything shaving related - use whatever you like and works best for you. I enjoy using both and my preference to which is better is constantly shifting depending on the latest razor I get. Usually, I prefer modern a bit more, but I've noticed that lots of modern razor makers are focusing way too much sometimes on the designs and the shaving is somewhat disappointing.

For instance, I really don't understand why some brands have 3 or more types of finishes on their razors (yes, I know some people are into that kind things, but still), having 3 or more plates with just a slightly difference in terms of performance, making oddly shaped handles (like Sterling stainless steel razors), having crude base plate patterns or spiky combs/teeth (Lupo stainless razors comes to mind on both of these), bulky/heavy/big razor heads, which are pain in the neck to shave under the nose with, having a decent amount of blade chatter (something that I find unacceptable for any razor), blade misalignments (also, unacceptable) and I'm probably missing a few others as well, but you get the idea.

It really depends on how the person is shaving too. For instance, lots of folks find the Old Type razors to be great and even claim that Gillette himself hit the nail with the first try, but I find the Old Type (the late model with the thick plate and cap) to be the only Gillette razor that I really dislike and I have no idea what others like about those razors.

On other hand, lots of people dislike the New Improved, which was the second model after the Old Type, but I find it to be probably the best Gillette razor in my collection in terms of shaving performance and I've used at least one version of pretty much every model from the Old Type to the 109 Super Adjustable and the late British aluminium handle Tech.

I also love collecting vintage razors, even if some models are not necessarily my favorite, but if a modern razor isn't able to tick at least the ''very good'' mark on my scale for razor enjoyment in terms of overall performance, than this razor is finding a new home without a shadow of a doubt. Unless of course it's one of those so called ''uNObTAiniUm'' razors, which are no longer in production and folks go crazy about (I don't own such razors yet).

 

[Ron R]

I always enjoyed history when in school learning and so it was naturally easy for me to buy some great razors from the past that are just as good as some modern razors with some clean up and sterilized before first use. Some of my best shaves are from vintage and some modern razors also. It is amazing how well made and the accuracy of vintage razors where made but of course there was some junk also manufactured when safety razors where first introduced in the late 1800's.
One thing that I will mention I like are modern shaving brushes, modern razor blades and modern aftershaves and soaps but razors that is different story for my self interests & have no intention selling my vintage razors at the moment because I enjoy them still.

 

[sarimento1]

totally enjoy Both my vintage as well as modern 'artisinal' razors!
would never consider limiting one vs other!

 

[StewB]

My 63' Super speed smokes the Winning & Lupo 72's in efficiency (I've owned both).
And neither came even close!
The only thing that can compete from my moderns is my ATT SS Windsor 0.80
Shows once again how subjective all of this is!

Interesting. Both the Winning and Lupo 72 are much more efficient for me.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I think the best modern razors are superior to the best vintage razors. They are better made and they shave closer and more smoothly. But I accept there is room for debate at this point in time.

I think the more important point is that we are starting to see modern razors improving. In the last couple of years there have been some notable new razors that have stretched the inverse linear relationship between efficiency and smoothness further than before. For example, I would argue there is no vintage razor comparable to the Karve Overlander or the 2020+ Rocnel Sailor.

We should remember that modern CNC razor production is only about ten years old, and the manufacturers are small, independent enterprises with few resources, because the market for safety razors is small. We are still only at the beginning of modern razor development, and most of what we have seen so far are largely just variations on old razor designs, made with finer tolerances. Yet what they are making already exceeds what was possible in the past even with the industrial might of a company like Gillette. Progress has been relatively slow but there is still progress. I think it will eventually become obvious that vintage razors are obsolete except to nostalgiacs and collectors.

 

[RayClem]

Good point. I think I'll refuse any future surgical operations. The instruments may have previously been used by a Proctologist!

At one time surgical instruments were sterilized in an autoclave. I suspect many dentists still do that. In a surgical suite, however, nearly everything is disposable. It will come sealed as a kit and it will be discarded after the surgery, even if it was not needed.

 

[Time Bandit]

I'm very much a live and let live kind of person. I have my opinion and repect that others feel or think differently. It's totally cool too me.

With that said, I absolutely love vintage razors. I have a pretty serious case of R.A.D. right now and have a pretty solid collection of razors in general. Without a doubt this includes modern razors.

I love modern razors as well. My only real grip is that they're Sooo expensive. I'm surprised no one has mentioned this thus far. I mean maybe I just have good taste but the modern razors I'm interested in are like minimum $200s and up to the $700s, or more!

Computer aided design tools and advanced machining techniques are fantastic. So is titanium. Which seems to be the current benchmark to enter the "cool guys" club. But I can't help but feel taxed up the wazoo for them. Rocnel, Blackland, Wolfman, Timeless, Charcoal Goods, Rex, Blutt, Karve etc... All guilty.

Someday I'll own some of these but for me razors are less appealing to me as status tools as they are facial hair cutting tools. So in that vein, all I really care about is how the razor contributes to how I feel while using it. And how well I enjoy the end product, a smooth, clean face, of course.

I'm a man that loves variety. It's always been a part of who I am. I really need to have choices as that's where the fun is. In my opinion. I rarely use the same razor for consecutive shaves. I also don't buy any razor just for show. I use them all.

I happen to have a very curious personality as well. Therefore I feel compelled to learn from my own experience. I do love reading about other people opinions and gathering what I call "research" or "recon" data. But at the end of the day. I have to find out for myself. If I'm genuinely interested in something, there's no amount of other people's opinions that will steer me away. I believe in life we only grow From experience. I like growing.

So, long story short is that vintage razors rocks because they're tools that have stood the test of time. They have a history that will continue long after each one of us. And to me there's just something special about them coming to us from our fathers and their fathers before them.

Modern razors rocks because they're just freakin rad! Pun intended. They look awesome, have more exact tolerances and are just beautiful extensions of man's advancements in design and engineering. In time they themselves will be storied with their own history and that is something I feel good about being a part of.

Who here doesn't love the idea of passing on their razors to their sons or grandsons? I mean what does it matter of you're handing down vintage versions or what we now call "modern" ones? It's the concept that you're handing down a tool that not only served a meaningful purpose for you but that it also meant something to you that you can now (try) to bestow upon some unexperienced, unknowing young person.

To each their own. I'll still continue to collect more vintage and modern razors. I'll still continue to enjoy them all. No matter how one compares to another. In my eyes, if I add it to my collection it's beautiful in its own right.

If you're not into vintage razors that's fine by me. That's just one less person I have to compete with at the auction block.

Rock on gents and enjoy your shaves.

 

[couch_potato]

Guess that universal "no discussion over people preferences" comes to point however - any vintage razor was "brand-new" back in time, probably hated by old-time straight razor shavers as well. What is now vintage for you, for your grandad was something like "Fatboy Fusion with 6 different settings".
Still, I prefer the novelty feel over browsing the antique shops or digging out any leftover mint preserved DE razor that still works. It's nice if you can inherit some from your elders, that's super cool, but if you're buying - then go and buy yourself a new experience. Technology has advanced that much that tolerances, materials or surface finish have beaten any tooling available back in the 50s or 60s, just MHO. You can always buy a new razor based on vintage design (like Gillette Tech replicas, Gillette Old Type, Fatip, Razorock...)