Why do people on this forum buy vintage DE razors? I understand the nostalgia value, but even after "cleaning" them in Barbicide or whatever, I would be afraid of infection if I cut myself using them. Also, aren't the modern brands not built with better materials now than the ones from yesteryear? I have seen the vintage for sale locally and on ebay, and have had no desire to pick one up, because I have no idea who the heck used in previously and for what! Curious as to what is the attraction on buying vintage that you will be using on your face!?
Very few of the modern brands are made of the same quality of materials as the vintage Gillettes. In fact, some would tell you that modern razors, in general, are mass produced of inferior materials with less quality control. As for becoming infected from cutting yourself, I would expect post cutting care would have more to do with that than anything that might survive on a 50+ year old razor. We use soap. Soap has proven to be the most effective disinfectant of all. I can simply tell you that I have experienced better shaves with vintage razors, for the most part, over modern razors. The only exception is with the Weber, a modern stainless steel razor. I consider it to be on par with the quality of vintage Gillettes.
In terms of cleanliness, I'd put the sterility (or at least the pathogenic inertness) of an uncleaned 70 year old Gillette up against an uncleaned, right-out-of-the-box Chinese slave labor-made razor any day of the year. Not that I'd ever use either without cleaning first.
Vintage DE razors have a broad appeal for several reasons: • Cost: often they are quite affordable • The Appeal of Antiquity: Using a razor your dad or grandpa may have used is quite an attraction. • They last! The material used (often brass and nickel) have survived many decades and properly cared for, will last another 50 + years. The jury is out on the lifespan of some modern razors • Excellence in design: Time-tested to show how good designs are timeless. A 1920s OC will be just as functional and efficient today as it was nearly 100 years ago. ..and I'm not even going to get started on the appeal and quality of vintage straight razors… Welcome to TSD!
I know someone who owns an Old Type that Charles Manson used to shave his armpits or something like that.
Amen. I've never dunked my vintage razors in Barbicide, chlorine bleach, alcohol, or anything else to disinfect them. Hot tap water, plenty of Arko shave soap, and a vigorous scrub with a brush does just fine. However, if you own Charles Manson's Schick Krona and you feel it's warranted, then dip, dunk, or immerse it in whatever you like ) Welcome to The Shave Den Lionel!!
Good questions and thought processes, however Barbicide and Marvicide, along with Steam and Boiling water, are still the most effective ways to eliminate germs from barber and beauty equipment and is a standard in professional shops worldwide. You will receive hundreds of thousands more germs from a door knob in a public venue than you will ever get from a properly cleaned razor old or new. As to manufacturing, just because something is modern and has an ISO standard marking does not make it greater quality than items produced many years ago. Newer does not equal better, nor does older equal better. Better equals better regardless of the time period of manufacturing. I had the pleasure many years ago of attending a seminar taught by W. Edwards Deming on quality and statistical measurements for manufacturing. Deming explained the differences between quality and measurement standards, to an ISO committee member from the U.K. (who felt that his qualifications far exceeded anyone's qualifications on the planet on any subject). The ISO committee member thought that quality is measurable concept based on rigid technical standards and measurements. Deming (an authority who massively dwarfed the ISO committee member qualifications since he was one of the inventors of modern manufacturing measurements) stated that quality is only achieved when the user is satisfied that the product meets his or her expectations. Quality is defined in the mind of the user not defined by measurements, calibrations, cost or price. Eventually the ISO committee member began to realize the clear differences between the concepts of measurements and tolerances versus the concept of quality. The ISO committee member rescinded his argument points because he clearly lost in a public forum due to being incorrect. The seminar continued without another attempt from the ISO committee member to bring up another subject for the remaining four days of the five day seminar. So if you want to discuss modern versus vintage go right ahead. You will be left at the bus depot wondering why all the vintage razors are in such demand and missing out on some wonderful equipment. BTW: Welcome to the Den. We know you'll fit right in. So grab yourself a comfy chair, and give our threads a spin! Burma Shave
It would be difficult to put it any better. So...ditto. I will add however, that I very much enjoy taking a neglected, older than me, piece of American manufacturing genius, cleaning it up, and putting it back to work. Additionally, in my opinion, a typical drug store Gillette Tech, which probably went for 49 cents when I was born, still out performs most "modern" double edge safety razors sold today. Welcome to the Den. You'll come around...
If worse came to worse, you could always get the vintage razor plated. Im sure the chemicals to remove the previous plating are enough to kill anything. A fresh coat of Nickel pretty much makes it new. I've never much worried about it, but every razor gets cleaned before first use.
Actually products from 50 years ago were made of way way way better materials. The blade is the only thing cutting the hair. So no risk of infection exists. Plus vintage razors are just way cooler. They tell a story. They have stood the test of time and still keep going.