Old-Type is difficult to shave with but the best post-shave BBS experience.

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Tim Spencer, Jun 25, 2017.

  1. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    With the olds, since the curvature is even across the entire cap and base, a shim would simply tend to increase the blade gap, but not change the curvature at all. If you just _barely_ trimmed off the edge of the shim blade, you would be increasing the rigidity of the blade overall, and give some extra support to the edge. Taking it to .008" from .004", bypassing the original .006".
     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2017
  2. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    Don't trash it! If it's the one I've seen online, the handle looks like it'd be fun to play with.
     
  3. Rosengaard

    Rosengaard Well-Known Member

    Interesting thread... I'm partial to 3-piece and 2-piece razors these days, so i'm learning from you guys.
    Has anyone got any idea why Gillette switched from old type to new type anyway? It seems the new types would be easier to produce, could that be the reason?
    Anyway, I always thought the old types look more elegant, because of the curves of both the top and bottom plate.
     
  4. MaineYooper

    MaineYooper Well-Known Member

    Without years of experience shaving traditionally, I have only my experience with the Old Type to go by. And the Old didn't come into my possession until early March of this year. I have tried up to two shims above the blade (next to the cap). My face seemed to like the latter set up, but I only have a handful of shaves to go by. My goal with shimming above was to make the thickness similar to the old blades. @Bookworm mentioned early in the thread regarding Kai blades, and I will try that soon. The advice I read before the first shave was to "ride the cap" and I quickly found that this razor likes to nip the inattentive, and sometimes take a bite! Shaves have been close, but my face always feels irritated for 30-60 minutes post shave. For that reason, I have not done more than 2 or 3 days in a row with the Old. What I really enjoy is that feeling of using an instrument made around 100 years ago, and thinking about all that has happened since then! It's probably these musings that lead to nicks!!
     
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  5. Puma

    Puma Well-Known Member

    It had to do with blades and money. The patents on the old style blades were expired or about to expire, so other companies were going to start making them at lower prices cutting into Gillette's sales. So they created, and patented, the new style. Marketing was then geared towards selling the new razors since they required the use of the new blades. One could use the new blades in his old style open comb, but the old style blades were not compatible with the new type OC.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2017
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  6. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    Putting the shim over the blade will not change anything really. The edge of the blade will be exactly the same as if it had no shim.
     
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  7. Puma

    Puma Well-Known Member

    :signs011:
     
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  8. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    It could be even worse. That would push the edge away from the cap, so you'd get chatter going both up AND down. There'd no longer be a chunk of metal stabilizing one side.

    Ever put a baseball card in a bicycle spoke? :)
     
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  9. McHale

    McHale Well-Known Member

    Well, that's disappointing. I like the IDEA of using the Old Type more than actually USING the Old Type. I've used it several times and end up feeling like a filleted fish afterwards. Looks like I can stop picking up old types. I can get equally close shaves with a lot less effort or irritation from so many other razors. I simply don't understand the love for these things.
     
  10. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    Rarity value for some, the fact that they were the de-facto 'Safety Razor' for many years, and so forth.

    There's absolutely no reason you have to try to love them, or even collect them for visual pleasure. I get good shaves out of them, but I can't tell you how. They ARE very... reactive, and that's probably the thinner blades I'm using. If you have one, maybe try the Kai blade? Otherwise, there are lots of folks who would probably love to relieve you of your "old" ones.
     
  11. Puma

    Puma Well-Known Member

    A lot of guys who like the old hardware look down on modern razors, but I feel that there is a place for both. As we always say it is your shave and everyone's mug is different (EMID). I have an old, two news, and a Goodwill and I don't love shaving with any of them. For my beard and skin the best I can say is they work. Still, it is cool to shave with something that is from a completely different time, so their value for me is as showpieces and collectibles, even if they aren't worth any money, but I won't be trading or selling my ATT or Timeless any time soon.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2017
    Bookworm likes this.
  12. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    +1
    I may prefer my Gillette TTO's to the others I've picked up, but there's nothing wrong with the newer ones out there. I'd be willing to try one of the high end ones, but I can't justify dropping the dosh when the old ones works so well for me. ('middle aged'? )
     
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  13. Puma

    Puma Well-Known Member

    You? Me? Your TTO? :signs002::happy102:
     
  14. Puma

    Puma Well-Known Member

    The cost is a valid reason for not buying. The first razor I bought that I would call expensive was the ATT, but I got it used. It cost me about $120 after I sold the stand that the original owner sold it with. It was about six months old and the original owner had a large rotation so it really hadn't been used much. Like new condition was not an overstatement. The Timeless was a sudden splurge fueled in part by rum, and I'm not talking about bay rum. I got that one directly from Timeless and ordered the handle and head, with my preferred gap, that resulted in the lowest price. It was still $175. Call me crazy if you want, but I have no regrets.
     
  15. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    If the OLD is an 'old' razor, then the ones I use are simply middle-aged. the oldest is my Sheraton, but most of my shaving is done with TTO's from the late 40's through the 80's.

    [QUOTE="Puma, post: 1276204, member: 19127"Call me crazy if you want, but I have no regrets.[/QUOTE]

    Okay, you're crazy. As long as you have no regrets, or egrets, and can afford it, what does it matter? :)
     
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  16. Puma

    Puma Well-Known Member

    Okay, you're crazy. As long as you have no regrets, or egrets, and can afford it, what does it matter? :)[/QUOTE]
    No Regerts :rofl:
    no regerts.jpg
     
  17. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    I really hope that's not your arm. That's even better than passing out and ending up with MOW on your upper arm.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2017
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  18. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    Once you get a solid technique there is not that much difference in a OLD shave and any other. Pay attention to angle and pressure and they fire off an awesome shave. No matter what blade you use. (Assuming sharp blade and none damaged raxor) Very much like using a OC micro matic. It's all about the technique.
     
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  19. Puma

    Puma Well-Known Member

    It is not. Surprisingly, since I am a middle aged biker (see what I did there), I don't have any ink.
     
  20. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    Man, that must make it hard to sign checks.

    *ducks*

    I was reading up about one percenters and the various bike clubs not that long ago, and I don't recall any of the articles mentioning that anyone was required to have tats to be a member. I guess there must be some :)
     

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