I noticed allot of people using vintage razors, what is the draw? Is it the nostalgia, quality or the fact that their American made? Just wondering.
+1 to all of the above. My 1948 SS shaves as good as anything else I've used and was made the year I was born.
+1 to all of the above. The only thing I would add is, "Get a hold of a Gem or Ever Ready Lather Catcher, shave with it (loaded with a new blade of course) and then you'll get it."
In the case of single edge or injector razors, it's vintage or nothing! The blades are still made, but the razors are not. With double edge razors, you can get some good modern brands. On the other hand, the best vintage razors rival them in quality of shave, and are frequently quite a bit less expensive. When I started buying old razors, the "American made" factor wasn't a big thing for me. Now that I look at my collection, and see the great razors that used to be made here, it does add a bit to my appreciation. Oh yes, I have two birth year razors also, 1957 Gillette Tech and Super Speed. One razor that's 100 years old this year, a 1910 Single Ring that's still good to shave with.
+1 on all that for me. I love my 1966 SS and I just got a 1970 SS black handle for my son from the bay for 12.00 shipped. I also am headed back to the antique shop in the morning to grab a Gem that they have for $3.00. I can't believe I left the house this morning without my wallet. Anyway - yes to all of what you said. :happy088
While nostalgia is a big factor, craftsmanship that stands the test of time is something I admire. I collect antique phones for similar reasons. I also believe everyone should own at least one thing that is older than they are and still works and looks almost as good as new. It's good for the soul.
For me, a big part of it was quality - I heard that the old-school Gillettes are high quality pieces that are great for new wet shavers (like me!). I have no basis for this other than research on places like here, Badger & Blade, etc. The fact that I now have a razor that's older than my father is pretty cool to me, too! Then there's what I call the glamor factor - I think about the old-school Hollywood guys like Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum, and the like, and these old American-made safety razors just strike a chord for me. Something along the lines of, "back when men were men, this is the kind of razor they used."
I don't use my vintage Gillette's much, however my vintage phase has passed onto Injectors! For me personally I enjoy them, for the history and character that vintage items offer. Thing is, if shaving was considered cool all the kids would be doing it :happy102
it's hard to find high quality modern razors on par with vintage Gillettes (or others) that have survived this long. Merkur and other modern makers occasionally have quality control issues. Most of the vintage Gillettes with such problems have been tossed in the trash. The ones for sale today (for the most part) are the good ones that still have years of shaving in them. So you can get a modern Merkur for $30 and possibly have quality issues, or you can get a vintage razor, often for less, that is a much better shaver. That's been my experience, anyway.
The biggest reason for me is just the price:quality ratio. I paid $5.00 for my Slim Adjustable, which is in beautiful shape and shaves wonderfully. It would probably be impossible to find a newly manufactured adjustable DE razor of that quality at that price. The historical, collectibles aspect of it is also a lot of fun, even if you don't intend to buy a bunch of vintage razors. You learn a lot by looking. Most of my other razors I have for sentimental reasons (they belonged to my grandfathers), but I still think vintage razors are worth pursuing for other reasons.
+1 My Slim and my Fatboy together cost me less than $30 - there's no way I'd get a single adjustable Merkur for that, and they're both beautiful razors. It's much the same with straights - I shudder to think what a razor like the Rodgers wedge I used this AM would cost new. goshawk
There is an undeniable 'cool' factor for me in using the vintage razor. Even though I have a modern Merkur HD, it is mostly not used, even though I get a great shave from it. There is just something about the vintage that I like. I think maybe they remind me of when I was a boy. I plan on getting a couple more modern razors, the latest iKon open comb, for one. I expect to enjoy it very much, but it won't replace any of my vintage razors.
All of the above. The old gillettes are like the cars of the 40's, 50's, and 60's. They had class and were built with a style that will never lose it's appeal. The new DE razors like the Merkur and especially the new adjustables just do not have the style and class of the vintage gillettes. IMHO Some Gillettes are still being used after almost a century and still perform as good as when they were produced. As a history buff I appreciate using a shaving instrument that is more than a half century or more old. It was a sad day when they discontinued these fine instruments. :mad:
As far as quality goes, the older razors are just an amazement to me, much like old cars, and architecture (buildings and bridges and Dams). Anything that was made half century to a century or more without the "modern technologies" that we tout today and chances are they will still outlast some of the modern day stuff. It boggles my mind that simple is better than our hurry up world in which we live today. Another way of looking at it is the Gillette razor, for one, that was made and used daily 50 or 60 years ago, can and is considered an heirloom and still has a better chance of longevity than the newer ones made yesterday. I wonder and hope that my Merkur Progress will be able to be passed down to my Grandson or daughters when I'm long gone AND still be able to work as finely as it does right now. As the saying goes, "Time will tell".
I agree that I don't have allot of faith in the longevity of the modern adjust ables,what could go wrong with an E. Jagger Or a Muhle? No moving parts. For me my favorite style of razor is a fixed or non adjustable style (Not sure of the proper term) even in the vintage models. Granted I'm a newbie, like on my first razor but I don't see anything wrong per-say with my Merkur 1904. Maybe I got a good one but it seems well made and durable. I'm not arguing just learning.:thanks
Nothing wrong with these at all, and it's encouraging that some companies continue to make DE razors. If the market were *only* vintage, then there would be more risk of this kind of shaving dying out. With SE and injector razors, it's lucky that shave quality blades for them continue to have other applications, so they remain available. Reading boards like this one, I have gathered that the Merkur heads are made out of a plated pot metal which will corrode more easily if the plating gets chipped. Don't know about EJ or Muhle. That doesn't mean that the razors won't last a long time with proper care. The old Gillettes are mostly plated brass, which does much better than pot metal when it loses its plating. The biggest advantage of buying new is that you have more buyer protection if you get a dud. Many vintage razors are sold as is, and if you didn't spot a problem, you may just be out of luck. That said, I've been lucky, and my favorite razors are used ones.
