Hey guys, I've been lurking around the forums for a few weeks now and have decided to try out wetshaving. Due to sensitive skin and previous shave issues, I've decided to start out with a Gillette Tech and Derby Blades (that is correct for sensitive skin, yes?) My question is, where would be the best place online to get the Tech? For quality, price, etc? Thanks all!
Welcome to the show.. Good choice on the Tech. I get a lot of razors offa tha Ebay.. not all like that route though.. check the BST classifieds here to see of anything is up for sale. That is usually the best place as members take care to keep things honest.
Welcome, and you may also want to say hello in the Newbies thread.:signs046 Ordering a Tech on eBay is a pretty good way to go, just remember not to get caught up in bidding wars. They are plentiful, and if you miss out on one, there will be another along in a minute. Haven't really priced them recently, but unless it's a pristine one in a case, they should be pretty inexpensive. Or as wchnu said, check the classifieds here. You can even put up an add in the Wanted section (WTB for want-to-buy) and see if someone has one they want to sell. Rather than suggest a particular blade, the usual advice is to try a sampler of different kinds. Lots of people do like Derbies, but try some others just for comparison.
Ok, so Ebay is the way to go. How do I recognize a razor in good condition? What kind of things are red flags? I'm so sorry if this is very newbish, I've never bought vintage stuff like this before Also, I thought I read where the Derby blades were very mild, so that is why I was gonna go with those. Is there anywhere to buy like a "mild sample pack?" Thanks again for the replies!
I see the other gents have given some good advice already so I'll just add... Welcome to The Shave Den! A great community of guys and gals that enjoy wet shaving, I hope you enjoy your stay! While its not required, how about you hop over to the Newbies Section and give yourself a proper introduction thread, I'm sure you'll receive many warm welcomes from the friendly folks of this community.
New wetshaver. Lurked here for the past couple weeks and decided to join the forum. Learned some good stuff from members of forums like this one and of course mantic59 : ) Just wanted to say hello.
Besides ebay and the selling sections of the forums, you might try Country Joe's site. I haven't purchased from him, but he seems to have nice selections passing through.
Well, it's a way to go. As others have been mentioning, don't overlook the classifieds, and I'd forgotten about Country Joe's Collectibles. Then there are flea markets, antique malls, and such where you can actually see what you're getting. With a Tech, it's usually pretty simple. Make sure all three pieces are there, top plate, bottom plate, and handle. If the head looks symmetrical, then probably nothing is bent. Plating loss won't affect the shave, but it should affect the price. With a TTO razor like a Super Speed, it might be a bit more complicated. Maybe someone else wants to weigh in. Again, look for things actually bent or out of alignment, doors not closing properly, etc. This might be the kind of thing where you're better off buying from the classifieds. Or pay a bit more and get a modern Merkur or Edwin Jagger. Maybe someone else wants to weigh in on this too, but you can always build your own sampler by buying individual five or ten packs of different blades.
I recently bought an Ever Ready 1912 from Country Joes, and it was a fine buy. By the time I compared Ebay with S&H, and considered store reputation and the time it takes to play auction games, CJ's was a good source for me. I'd buy from them again.
Welcome to the den. There is tons of valuable information here. i have learned so much in just a couple days.
Techs A good Gillette Tech should run around 6-12 USD on ebay. Just make sure that you can see a variety of angles to see if there are major issues. Review the feedback as well. Now there are also several good tech clones from a variety of good vendors. I bought one from NTGuys recently for around 8 USD. The one thing about the new units is you don't have to clean (sterilize) them. Good fortune on your search.
