Cooper MonoBilt DE Safety Razor with Curved Head

I was roaming Granddad's Antiques in Burlington, North Carolina today for shaving related stuff and mainly straight razors. I didn't find any straights I couldn't live without. I did find some vintage blades: Gillette Blues in their original cardboard and plastic and some Super Stainless Steel Personna Injector blades and a Cooper MonoBilt single piece DE razor.

This razor was made in Brooklyn, New York around 1932 and is the fliptop model. It is open comb and cast metal (from what I've read).

I've read other posts in other forums and do not see the exact model I have. The knurling at the bottom TTO is different in mine and the main thing is the head pieces come together in slight downward curve.

Even though the Cooper had a proprietary blade, the modern DE blades fit. You have to place the blade over the two nibs on the base plate and push down the fliptop top head piece and turn the TTO the other direction. The blade follows the curve, but I see a scarey looking ripple on one end...like a seagull's wing's spread almost flat.

Does anyone else know about the curved head model?

 

What a cool razor. Would the curved head make it perform more like a slant? Just spit balling. Would love to hear anymore info you get on this razor.

 

I'm wondering too, if it acts like a slant or a straight razor with a smile. I will shave with it in the morning and let you know the outcome.

 

Can't wait to hear back, hope it turns out well Keep a styptic pencil close by just in case. How does a straight razor with a smile act? I am not knowledgeable on straights though I have heard of the term smile and frown, the latter typically being a negative trait due to it's negative affects on honing.

Edit: Just read your post in Ryan's thread, I no know that a smiling edge on a straight has the same effect as a slant head does to a DE blade. Thanks!

 

Yes, frown bad, smile good. You can't shave with a frown edge. Impossible to get even bevel from one end to the next. You have to have enough metal to remove and straighten the edge.

A smile was built into a lot of old straights, especially the old Sheffield, England razors. I think it gives you the scything effect, so you cutting at a moving slant around the whiskers...or that's what I think happens. It's like getting at the hairs with WTG, XTG at the same time.

I'll have my alum block, bay rum, black pepper and liquid bandage handy.

 

I'm beginning to believe my razor head is bent. The curved head razors were for women to shave their underarms.

The curve is not as uniform as I first thought either and the head tilts a little to one side. I don't know how the damage was done, but it is bent.

So I woke up this morning thinking how dumb to think I could shave my face with a curve blade exposure and that just the middle part of the blade would make contact. Also, even if I had a straightened head, it is hard to get a snug fit of the blade, so that it's not skewed one way or another. As it was, there was more blade exposure on one side that the other, but the exposure was uniform for each side.

But did disaster happen this morning. No, it did not. That warped razor gave me the most efficient easy first pass I've ever gotten with a DE razor. I got a few weepers on the chin, so I think that's an area that is difficult for the curved head. I was using a Feather blade, by the way.

You have to be careful flipping the top open to remove the blade, as it catches on top inside edges and you could easily cut yourself. I'm thinking the Cooper blades would have made a snugger fit and would be a hair shorter.

Now I want a Cooper that isn't bent, because this one gives such a great shave. You can get a DFS in one pass and BBS if you add touchups.

 

Hi, just read your post, I just picked up a Cooper monobilt in Granite Falls NC at the first the week. It really does give a great shave. Yours is definitely bent. I found that if you trim the blade off a mm on both ends and round to avoid catching the closing catch from the top piece the standard blades work great with no warp. It does help to pinch the frame and top on closing ends while twisting the TTO knob. I will agree this razor gives one on the best first pass shaves I have ever gotten, even using a Dorco blade in it.

 

R.D. is correct. I have one as well and going through Wait compendium, there was not another entry for the "Swingtop."

Here is my Cooper "Swingtop" razor. I have used standard DE blades in this with no problems. Gives a great shave and they are one of the razors that seems to be hard to get.

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R.D. you got a great deal on yours because those who know about razors realize these fetch a high dollar if in they are in pristine shape and even less than pristine ones still can be expensive.

Robert, sorry about you coming up with a bent razor, especially a Cooper MonoBilt Swingtop.

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Yep, it's just been sitting a drawer since I first started this thread. I couldn't find a way to fix it.

 

It would be terrible to mess the razor up further put have you considered trying to straighten it. I think if you found a plate of steel the thickness of the two pegs that hold the blades that is perfectly flat you maybe able to clamp and straighten the razor. Not sure if you would be willing to try striaghning it or not

 

I tried but not with a clamp or steel plate and felt like I was about to break it. I shave with straights and this was just an interesting DE I picked up.

 

I have shaved with a Cooper Monobilt a few time and the razor has a good feel in the hand. The razor is on the aggressive side. Well built.

 

That's a nice looking razor. I've never seen one of those before.

 

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread, but just got mine. Great shave, moderately aggressive. No need for the "proprietary" blades, just hook a regular de blade under the catch atop the baseplate, and close the flip-top. Good, solid-feeling razor.