One of the very first books I was given as a child was Up Front; the collection of Bill Mauldin's Willie & Joe WWII cartoons. I learned to color using those black and white pictures and over the decades have worn out at least three copies. It's a book I still pull out regularly to learn just a little more. Last week I was rummaging and came across some WWII Gillette Camouflage blades from the 4th quarter 1944 and so decided I'd give one a try. I pull out a 1930s Gillette NEW LC as an appropriate period correct razor and loaded one of the blades and gave it a try this morning. Willie, Joe, I understand. That blade sucked. It pulled and tugged and tore and teased each and every hair. If the folk back home had been forced to use those blades the war would have ended years sooner.
Did you hone or strop the blade first? After sitting that long, the surface oxidation would do a number on the edge, even with no visible corrosion.
Nope but it actually replaced an even older Gillette blade that did fine. Maybe I might give another one a try one day.
They looked like that 'cause they weren't in 3rd Army(Patton's boys). Those guys had to shave and wear ties.
Pulled it out of the used blade bottle and still in original wrapper. Denim stropped the blade and tried it in three razors, the 1930 NEW, an Edwin Jagger DE89LBL and a long handle Super Adjustable set at "1". Drew blood, something I have avoided for decades. Blade sucketh.
Might have been better if you had one of the DE blade hones like I do - a Norton, no less. Denim might straighten the edge, but wouldn't remove any oxidation layer. (well, not with what you could do with your pants)
