Vintage Gillette DE Razors

Hello, fellow wet shavers. Being a newbie to the wet shave scene and also having sensitive skin, I'm looking for mild DE razor. As I've been reading various threads here at TSD, there seems to be an overwhelming consensus that vintage Gillette SS, Ball End Tech, and Fat Handle Tech safety razors are all pretty mild and beginner-friendly razors. I would appreciate your opinions on which of these three models is the most mild and/or beginner-friendly razors.

Also, although I don't think it would make a difference in terms of their mildness or aggressiveness, I would also like your input as to whether a three-piece or a one-piece TTO is better in terms of its construction, maintenance, and durability. I would assume the three-piece would be easier to maintain—because you can take it apart and thoroughly dry all the parts—but maybe I'm wrong about that. At first, I was thinking of investing in one of the SS models, but now I'm thinking one of the ball end or fat handle DE razors might be the better way to go. What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance for your input here.

 

I love vintage Gillette razors.

If it's a very mild shave you're looking for, then I would recommend a Tech. Ball handle may be more mild than the Heavy, I'm not sure, but I know it's the most mild Gillette I have.

I would make another recommendation, look at an adjustable. You can buy a Slim Adjustable right now for very reasonable and it can be dialed back to the most mild mannered razor you'll ever use.

As far as advantages of 3 pc vs TTO, 3 pc is simpler and will in theory last longer as long as the threads don't become damaged, and also a common problem with the 3 pc Gillette is the handle cracking, it drives me nuts. TTO if well cared for will last for a very very long time. After all it's just threads inside a handle. Keep it clean of gunk and oil every so often and its good.

Hope I helped some

 

Hi, youngunn. Thanks for your reply.

I'm definitely looking for a mild shave. I'm a complete newbie to safety razors, and I have sensitive skin. So I think for now, a mild shave is what's best for me until I get my technique down. If I understand you correctly, the Ball Handle Tech is the most mild of the vintage Gillettes? (It seems to have rave reviews here at TSD.)

I'm a little confused about how the adjustables work. What exactly is it about the razor that's adjustable? Is it the tightness of the razor (tight in terms of how tight it holds the DE blade)? Or is it the angle of the head (with respect to the handle) that's adjustable?

I feel confident I can take care of the razor well enough to make it last for many years. But I've seen pics of cracked handles, so that does concern me. Is the cracking due to people twisting the head on too tight that makes it crack, or does the handle just become brittle over time and therefore, more susceptible to cracking as it ages?

Your reply has helped a lot. Thanks again for taking time to read my post and replying to me.

 

Yeah in my opinion the Ball End Tech would be a good one for you.

An adjustable increases or decreases the amount of blade gap, if you were to look at it while clicking through the adjustments you would see the height of the head moving up away from the guard. More gap means more aggressive.

As to why handles crack, I think they just get old. They are hollow and actually the handles are made from multiple pieces that will come apart if you try hard enough, but you shouldn't. There's a top piece that actually threads onto the razor head, and the tube slips onto that and then a bottom piece slips into the tube. So in theory over tightening it shouldn't matter since the tube isn't part of the threads.

But anyways. I prefer TTO razors, but still like the older 3 pc type too.

 

Also another really mild Gillette is the black tip super speed, but I still think the tech is the most mild.

 

With a Tech or Super Speed (or any other Gillette that hasn't been produced before approx. 1940) you don't have to worry about cracked handles. It's a common problem with Old Types, New Improved and The New.
The reason for that has been described here

The Gillette Tech is a VERY mild razor, probably the mildest one I own (though my Phoenix DOC and the Merkur 15c are on a similar level). So definitely a recommendation. I don't have a Super Speed, but my Rocket and the Aristocrat Jr. are just a little more aggressive, still pretty mild shavers. I guess you could compare those to the Mühle R89 and the Edwin Jagger razors.

 

Thanks again for some very thorough and informative replies here, yougunn. This is extremely helpful to a newbie like me who's trying to navigate his way through unfamiliar waters. Your help is much appreciated!

 

Thank you for your reply and the link to the thread discussing the cracking issue, Marverel. I never would have found that thread without the link you posted. Thanks for taking time to help me like this. I'm very grateful for the help here.

 

I've been using a Slim adjustable set on "3" for years now, and find it shaves similar to my Milord (basically a Super Speed with a shiny gold coat)...relatively mild, as long as I use a good blade (like Gillette Silver Blues). Stay away from no-name blades sold in your local grocery store. They'll cut you up, and no cheaper ( more expensive, actually) than what you can get online. Can't vouch for the Tech...yet...but I should be getting my ball-end by the end of the week.

 

I started my vintage foray with a 54 Super Speed. Then several weeks after that I added a 55 Red Tip, a 64 Slim and a 54 Tech. The motto of this story is just buy them all at once now. That way you won't have to put up with RAD's nagging.

 

Oh, if only I could buy them all now, lol. For now, I cam only buy one at a time, and I've just purchased a 1959 Gillette Ball End Tech razor. I'll post pics of it once it arrives.

PS – I'm still trying to learn the lingo used in the wet shave community. What does RAD stand for? Also, what does YMMV stand for? I've seen both of these abbreviations, but I have no idea what they mean.

 

RAD is razor acquisition disorder. There is an acquisition disorder for everything from razors to soaps to after shaves to brushes etc.

YMMV means your mileage may vary. Basically a way of saying what works for me may not work for you.

HERE is a helpful link for abbreviations and acronyms.

I think the ball end tech will be a good starting point for you. Get yourself some blades from somewhere like tryablade.com so you can sample a few like the astra sp or the Gillette silver blue or voskhod. Then after you found a blade that you can live with for a while spend good quality time with one razor, one blade, one soap, and one brush and get your technique down. Join us over on the 30 Day Thread HERE to see what I'm talking about. We love talking technique and there is a great group of guys ready to help newbies!!

 

Thanks for your reply, wmbjr. Your explanation of the abbreviations and acronyms as well as the links you provided are really helpful. I'll definitely check out the discussions you provided links to.

 

I know. Some many razors so little dough. Basically your doomed when you catch the fever. Good shavin.

 

Pick up a $20 Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed and really stick with that razor for 30 days, after 30 days that FT will shave as good or better as an razor made. Smooth and worry free. The workhorse of days gone by.

 

Oh, I've been there so many times before. And now it looks like I'll have yet another addiction to feed, lol.

 

Matching G3 Fatboy and Slim

 

The Adjustable Slim seems a good choice. This one is a K2, 2ndquarter of 1965.

 

I keep reading good things about the Adjustable Slim razor. This is yet another razor I'll have to add to my collection. Thanks for your post, RyX.

 

Give this thread written here by @MTgrayling a read regarding Gillette rocket and Super Speeds.. Excellent pictures and information that should help in vintage rocket and SS i.d.ing and shave descriptions per model.
Many variations in Tech's. Canadian triangular base plate pre-war being my favourite.
Very low blade chatter perfect level of aggression without being harsh. Fat lighter, thin solid heavier or 4 piece handle are all good. Not a fan of any ball end handle due to stem cracking.

@AsylumGuido also offers some good Gillette Super Speed learning here.