Ick! I've seen lots of the ebay pics with blades in em, most of them rusty old ones. I guess it's not easy to see the bits of hair in the listing. I guess some leather gloves may not be a bad idea for removing that old blade before a thorough soaking. Anyone know if this is any good? I haven't seen this before.
I picked a 59' fatboy in a vintage lot along with a 50's tech and cool vintage brush for less than $40. The fatboy wasnt listed as one, so scouring listings can pay off.
Thank you to everyone who responded to my post. They were all very thoughtful and helpful. I definitely will consider the option of purchasing and using a vintage razor, should the opportunity present itself. Happy New Year everyone! Lionel
The good news is that we are not only about vintage razors, or only about the newest fanciest, bestest razor, DE, SE, SR. We are about wet shaving, and supporting people who want to learn how to do this. Whatever razor you choose, there is a wealth of knowledge, freely given, to help you have the best shave experience you could possibly have! ( whew, getting off that soap box, now)
I won an auction for this good looking slim adjustable, but I might have overpaid ($40). Maybe it will show up today.
I am glad that this thread helped you in your decision. Your question sparked a lot of great and interesting responses. Happy New Year to you as well.
Excellent thread and responses everybody! I used to like the vintage stuff but prefer the newer DE razors to them now. It is certainly a preference thing. I find the quality of a zamack plated Muhle to be as good as the older Gillettes and for me they give a better shave which is why I prefer them. To me, I don't care of the base material as long as the plating is done well, and Muhle answers that question for me. So Lionel, it doesn't have to be vintage, it can be new, but you owe it to yourself to try the DE as opposed to the modern plastic/disposable the cartridge razors. They provide an entirely different feel and for many of us, far superior results. Not to mention all of the periphery that generally comes along with them: brushes, soaps, creams, blade options etc. And a big thing for me is I feel a bit classier using a substantive piece of shave gear. The modern cartridge razors don't feel of substance to me. However you shave, enjoy what you do Sir! Welcome to The Den!
If it's in good condition, that's a good price for an outstanding razor. I hadn't used mine for a while as I'd a few others to get out of my system first, but my shave yesterday only reinforced that the Slim is my favourite DE razor. Best of luck in your new path.
59' Fatboy picked up in a vintage shaving lot. It's not mint but it's in really nice shape. The best part was it wasn't identified as a Fatboy in the listing and I got a bargain.
The razor was delivered today, and is as represented in the photos that the ebay seller posted. The numeric adjustments worked fine, and the heft and balance were impressive. I just had to try it out, so after a brief dowsing in Scrubbing Bubbles, I treated myself to my first ever shave with a Slim Adjustable. The experience was quite different from my Super Speed, having set the adjustment to #3. I thought that starting at #1 would yield no difference when compared to the SS. I inserted one of my mystery blades in the plain white wrappers since that is what is currently in my other Gillette. I found that with this particular blade and at the #3 setting, the razor was aggressive enough to cause a good bit of razor burn—and ample burn to draw blood under the chin. The shave was very close, and perhaps as comfortable as the Merkur Progress, but I dialed it back to #1 for the second pass. There was enough stubble remaining in the troublesome neck area to require a third pass at #1, and the results were quite satisfactory. I believe that a better blade may eliminate the razor burn, but, for now, I would have to say that I am on my way to being a vintage shave convert. While it's true that the Progress provides a closer shave than the Super Speed, my guess is that the Slim Adjustable will beat it.
Great and enjoyable thread!! It's important to remember that viruses can't live very long outside the human body, so we're definitely in more danger from a poorly washed fork at a restaurant than a yucky looking old razor that we clean up from an eBay buy. Personally, I'm not thrilled about paying a ton of money for a "modern" DE razor when I can get a terrific shave from a GEM Micromatic or an old Gillette for a couple of bucks at an antique store Happy shaving.
I personally have been shaving with Gillette razors since i was a boy shaver. Is it nostalgia or just the love of the quality that these old razors, Not only Gillette but Gem and Pal to name a few. I have found and shave with many of the oldies, a cleaning with tooth paste and an old brush, a dip in alcohol and your good to go with a Brand New Blade. so if you pass one in a store for maybe $12 , give it a clean and a try, it may surprise you. Denis
Quality, craftsmanship, collectability, useable pieces of history that last and of course learning to shave and master tools your ancestors used are part of the attraction of vintage razors. Some modern razors are quality made and others are not. Before you purchase a modern razor ask the manufacturer or vender what materials were used. This will help you determine whether it will stand the test of time or will be a disposable item. After the cleaning process is complete, I am not afraid to use them and do.
Has anyone actually done price comparison for vintage razors at current prices versus their original purchase price? I don't recall the exact figures, but I did some informal comparisons and it started to indicate a few things about the common Gillette models. From a value/quality/price standpoint, the vintage Tech models can't be rivaled, and I generally compare them with the $20-40 modern razors. Same with Super Speed variants. I think a $40 Slim is essentially the same price as 50-53 years ago, and the Fat Boys are a bit more than their original price based on a $65-75 price point, which I attribute to their name recognition. Of course, value and quality have subjective aspects, but still, compare a relatively expensive Fat Boy or Aristocrat with other top of the line modern razors and they are suddenly relatively cheap, or even a more direct comparison between the Fat Boy and a Merkur Progress or Futur and I think that the price and value of the vintage razor are superior (ie. lower and better, respectively) to most of the modern razors. This is not a negative commentary on the modern types, just trying to add perspective. It would be interesting to see someone take a look at this issue with more scientific rigor than I applied. But the value in vintage is clearly there in utilitarian terms, before you get into collectibility, cool factor, personal or sentimental values that add more to the price that someone might pay for. For comparison, check out the prices and values of a 1967 Corvette, or a 66 Mustang, or a 71 Challenger, or a mid 50s Airstream trailer. Certain of these models are off the charts, especially when mint or fully refurbished. Cheers!
