Hello SD! New DE razor user here. Checking in after using electric razors for the better part of my life. I've been playing with the idea of DE shaving for a couple years now and now that BOTH my electric razors crapped out I decided to pull the trigger. I have been practicing the last week with a Gillette Knack razor a buddy of mine was nice enough to give me and I have been really enjoying it so far! I have steadily been improving my technique and every shave is less and less bloody. So much so that I've been researching other razors. I have a Muhle R89 on the way (with blade sampler) which I will start using once it arrives and will spend the bulk of my learning time with. It should arrive soon, super excited. I also had an impulse buy on eBay for a vintage Gillette Tech Ball End razor. I'm wondering if it may perhaps be a "frankenrazor"? It has triangle notches, no logo on the guard and no date code. It looks like the head actually belongs to a fatboy gillette tech and not a ball end? Like I said, I'm a week into this so I'm sure there are some experts here that would have a good and better idea than me on identifying the razor. I have uploaded the images. Anyone have any clue to what this Gillette is? Any info is much appreciated. Thanks SD! I hope to stick around here for a while. BTW, I also like cigars, scotch, guns and women. Hope that is enough info about me for now!
Hi! Welcome to the Den. Be sure to sign up for the January Newbie Give-Away! Looks like a Ball End Tech, as you said. As for the date, those who are much more knowledgeable than I will be along soon, I'm sure. As for the head coming from a fatboy, not a chance. The Fatboy is an adjustable TTO (Twist To Open); nothing comes apart on it.
This thread may be of use to you http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/gillette-tech-ball-end-question.22886/
to TSD dullrazor.... The tech shave heads can fit either handle(Ball End or Fat Handle). So it isn't neccesarily a "Frankenrazor". I have a shave head(triangle slots) like yours on my "fat handle tech" handle. As far as I know all the tech heads are mild shavers. My goto razor is either an EJ89 or Weber SS, with the EJ being comparable to your Muhle R89. Both razors(EJ/Weber) shave very well for me, so based on that I feel you'll enjoy your Muhle very much!! I hope you enjoy your stay here.....
Thanks for the welcome and responses guys! This razor looks like, from my google-fu, a really old Tech before they started putting date codes? The triangle holes and the unmarked guard is what's throwing me. Besides the military black techs, did they make any without the logo stamped on the guard?
Thanks for pointing that out. I was mistaken, I actually meant Fat Handle Tech, as shown here: http://www.mr-razor.com/ebay/1938-1966 Tech Evolution klein.jpg
The razor you are showing is a Tech Razor with a Ball End Handle made in the U.S. and it would most likely have been made around 1946 - 1949 (no date codes) since it does not bear the blackened finish of WWII contract Techs and the Fat Handle Tech was dominate before WWII. Acid etching logos on cap were not always standard for these techs. Here is the same razor in Gold Tone instead of Nickel. Since you are new to the Double Edge world, here is the advice I received when I started with a DE and so I freely give it to new users. The most important things in shaving are, your skin and technique. All other things fall in line behind those two things and to support them. Since the skin is a given fixed item, the next major item is technique. It is called THE 30 DAY RULE. THE 30 DAY RULE is as follows: Find a razor, then a blade that will not cause issues with your skin (that may take a few different blades in a sampler pack to find a suitable choice or it maybe the first out of the gate) and select a soap or cream that is easy to generate good lather. Once you find those, and it may take a couple of weeks to find this combination, order a quantity of that blade enough for 30 days, and then spend 30 days using nothing else until you build up your technique. (Note that only one brand blade is used for 30 days after each blade in the sampler pack is tested to make the decision on the blade brand to use for 30 days.) The 30 day clock starts when you have the right blade for you. After 30 days, change one and only one variable and work for another week then change another after another week. At that point you should be able to make better decisions because your technique is now in place. This will help you to avoid buying too much gear and stuff too soon without having the technique down to enjoy it all. This really does work. Oh and one more thing ... 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
Wow, thanks for the great info GDCarrington! And thanks to everyone for their welcomes. Awesome. I just received the R89 yesterday and will be using it this evening for first time. Looking forward to it. I have a blade sampler to go through, but I'm starting out with Derby blades. Did you prefer any particular blades with your R89?
I hope you enjoy traditional shaving as much as we do. It's something that takes a little bit of trial and error before you can reap the benefits. I hope you enjoy your journey as much as I'm enjoying mine. TSD will help guide you from start to finish. I have an old ball end tech. I like the mild shave as I have sensitive skin. But I've been sticking with my DE89 until I get a couple more months of shaves underneath my belt. As far as blades go, it is hard for people to recommend blades, as they perform differently for every person. This concept is referred to as "your mileage may vary" or YMMV, a term you will see is used a lot around here.
Just thought I'd give a quick update on this razor. After receiving the razor, inspecting it a little closer and doing some more research I have come to the conclusion that I indeed have the head off a fat handle tech and the handle of a ball end tech. The comb and guard match the comb and guard of the fat handle tech exactly as compared to all the pictures I've seen of both the ball end tech and fat handle tech. See here pics of the different gillette techs: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/130207-Evolution-of-the-Tech-razor Now I just need to find someone selling a ball end tech head and fat tech handle to match these up!
I have a Gold Plated Ball End Tech from the 1946-1950 undated years, the same as in the picture GDC attached a couple of posted up. In the link you gave, the head of the Gold Fat Handled Tech shown from that era matches the head of my Ball End exactly.
