Reconnecting with Mr. Gillette

[The Norseman]

Double Edge & Straight

Best, closest, cheapest shaves. The Real Deal, Real
Metal, not an over priced scam like the cartridge
scrape shavers.

Part of my small 9 piece collection.

Right Top, A 1931 Gillette “Good Will” double edge
safety razor not complete. Tavel kit Head.

Left Top, 1941 Gillette “Super Speed” TTO
(Turn to Open) double edge safety razor.
Maybe a referred to as ‘48-‘50 dated model?

My favorite Blades too. One Blade could shave
for maybe 2 weeks but I change out sooner.

And two regular Blue Collar Straight Blade
Razors.

 

[mrchick]

I’ve been a straight razor and safety razor collector for almost 10 years. I literally have a few hundred of them. You can’t beat a nice straight razor shave.[emoji1]

 

[Golddollar]

A few years ago I had a custom gun belt and holsters set made. The end of the belt that went through the belt was rather long and could be stashed behind the rest of the gun belt. The maker told me that the end of the belt that went past the belt buckle was used by cowboys as a razor strop.

 

[30-30remchester]

To impress my young city raised grandsons, I shaved in my garage with a double bit ax. It pulled more hair that it cut but I did it once.

 

[chief38]

Other than for about 9 months in college, I have used double edge razors since I started shaving. Along with the 10 of them I own and use (mostly from the 1920's, 30's 40's and 50's), I also have three badger brushes and a few soap mugs.

Feather blades are sharpened to a much more acute angle and are literally deadly sharp! I bought a pack about 20 years ago to see what all the hoopla was about and my face looked like it was attacked my a Samurai warrior. I have tried to shave with one again now and then, but after a bunch of attempts I have used them in my work shop.

My all time favorite blades are the Persona Blue Box (marked for medical usage). To me they are the perfect blades, but I also use the Persona in the red packages, the Gillette 7 o'Clock in the yellow boxes. There are a plethora of different brands and blades but to me the Blue Persona are the best of the best. Sharp, last a long time, no drag but yet won't cut you up like a fish!

As far as mug soaps go, these are my daily shaving soaps.: Momma Bears aged spice, Tobac, Van Der Hagen and while Arko is excellent I won't be buying it anymore because of where it is made and who they are supporting politically. Momma Bears makes EXCELLENT soaps and they come in a enormous variety. I used to use Col. Conk's Bay Rum soap however they recently cheaped out and changed the formula. It no longer contains Glycerine and is just not the same.

BTW I recently found a package of original King Gillette Blued blades from the 1920's that were still sealed. I figured it would be interesting to shave with one so I opened the package and gave it a whirl. After two shaves I took the blade out and tossed it! The shave was not close at all even after multiple passes, it pulled terribly and was a very uncomfortable shave. Now I know why back in the day (100 years ago) men always had 5 o'clock shadows - LOL!! See pictures below:

It's amazing just how far razor blade technology has come! Today's double edge blades give a very comfortable, close shave and last a long time and I do have a fairly heavy beard.

 

[oldbrownhat]

,,,Feather blades are sharpened to a much more acute angle and are literally deadly sharp! I bought a pack about 20 years ago to see what all the hoopla was about and my face looked like it was attacked my a Samurai warrior...

They were recommended when I went back to a safety razor. They know about "sharp", as they also make scalpels and other surgical products! Website here. I've rarely nicked myself. Maybe I'm just lucky.

 

[chief38]

They were recommended when I went back to a safety razor. They know about "sharp", as they also make scalpels and other surgical products! Website here. I've rarely nicked myself. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Yes, I'd say you are lucky! They are the sharpest blades I know of and have ever tried.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

US Army Basic Training 1968, required items for your locker display and subject to inspection regularly, included safety razor, shaving brush, mug. Most of us had zero experience with a mug and brush, wouldn't know what to do with them. But required and had to be kept in perfect condition for every inspection.

Fast forward to about 1980, I found that old mug and brush stored away, put them to use. Now in 2024 I'm still using them.

Along the way I've gone through multiple razors, usually because blades became unavailable as new product lines replaced the older stuff. Single blade, twin blade, 5 blade, as soon as you get used to a new razor it becomes obsolete. Tried a couple of electrics over the years, never cared for the results. I still have my Gillette double-edge safety razor from Army Basic Training, blades are still plentiful and inexpensive.

I quit shaving every day after retirement, now get around to it once or twice per week. Maybe 4 blades over the course of a year.

ETA: Ran out of shaving soap couple years ago and found that none of the local stores carry it anymore. Had to go on-line and order, so I bought a carton of 6 cakes that should carry me to the finish line.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Yes, I'd say you are lucky! They are the sharpest blades I know of and have ever tried.

Ex cathedra: An official statement made by the Pope on matters of faith.

Ex sanguina: An official statement made by someone who has just cut himself shaving.

@LoboGunLeather: re obsolete stuff. I had to try several stores before I was able to find a styptic pencil. (For those rare times I have nicked myself.)

 

[TJm15.38]

Thanks for your post. It made me realize that I have a Gillette Adjustable Razor that was given to me by a relative at Christmas back in the 60's as my first razor. I think I was only 15 and not even shaving until a few years later. I've kept it all these years and decided to pull it out, clean it up and see if I could date it. After some old toothbrush work with some Dawn detergent, I was finally able to see the date code on this gold-plated relic. Looks like "L 1" would put around 1966. I want to get a nice case for it and pass it to my Son-In-Law. I don't think my daughers would appreciate it, but he will treasure it.

 

[prairieviper]

Although I no longer use it, I still have the old Schick Krona that I first started shaving with. Nowadays it's a Merkur 38C razor, Astra razor blades, Van Der Hagen or Col Conk shave soap, shaving mug and Parker badger hair shaving brush. Oh, and a splash of Old Spice or bay rum to finish.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Thanks for your post. It made me realize that I have a Gillette Adjustable Razor that was given to me by a relative at Christmas back in the 60's as my first razor...I was finally able to see the date code on this gold-plated relic. Looks like "L 1" would put around 1966. I want to get a nice case for it and pass it to my Son-In-Law. I don't think my daughers would appreciate it, but he will treasure it.

Yup. That's exactly the same as mine, but made 3 years later

 

[Old 44 Guy]

A few years back I started using Harrys. At first they were not too good but improved later on. I used a Remington electric for several years before when I worked but since I retired just use a blade about twice a week.

 

[SMSgt]

Nothing like a splash of bay rum to finish off a good shave. It sure brings back the memories of the old barber shops.

 

[boykinlp]

WAIT……you mean you can shave with LESS than 5 blades?
Larry

 

[oldbrownhat]

WAIT……you mean you can shave with LESS than 5 blades?
Larry

Shocking, isn't it? Whod'a thunk the various Marketing Departments would LIE to us? I guess Abe Lincoln was right when he said, "Don't believe everything you read on the internet."

 

[Retired W4]

I use a Braun once a week as radiation destroyed a goodly percentage of my facial follicles.

PS: I ran into a lot of folks wearing these in my road years.

Yea, but they were not using them to shave.

Chemo drugs have given me a break from shaving. I don't recommend it as an alternative.

 

[mauser9]

Don't know how good electric shavers are today. Never had one that gave a really decent close shave. For me been using the Gillette Fusion 5 blade job for years. Cartridges ain't cheap but what a smooth close shave.

 

[stuartg74]

Still useing DE razors since 1958, started with my dads Gillette Super Speed started collecting after I retired in 2010.

Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk

 

[Onomea]

Yes, I'd say you are lucky! They are the sharpest blades I know of and have ever tried.

I see Feather is a Japanese company. The Japanese know sharp, whether for razors, kitchen knives, scissors, hair clippers, you name it. I've been disappointed in general in what typically passes for sharp in the US.

I think some people have tougher skin than others, and that can account for different shaving experiences with the same equipment, too.

We should start a thread on electric razors. Have not used one for a very long time, but they sure are convenient.