Weekend Finds

This past weekend was out picking up a cake the wife had ordered for my daughters bday and ran across an antique mall. Pop in and asked if they had any old razors.....here's what i left with

The Model C Valet Auto Strap Razor - patented April 9, 1912
razor blade is rusted pretty good but the rest of it cleaned up nicely. I am not sure what is in the right section of the case but was in there when I bought it. It looks to be a blade of some sort but I'm not sure.

Also came with some blades in the case: "Radium 14 96" x2 ; "Gillette 2058" x2 ; "Gillette 2245" x2 and one "Gillette 315" - slight rust marks on all of 'em.

The Gillette Khaki Set is in pretty bad condition. The handle has green in the rivets. Were these originally gold in color because it looks like it was but has since been worn off. I really like the blade case.

 

Blade Pics:

sorry for the poor quality of the pics only had the cell phone available.

 

haha...soon you'll learn to start bringing your camera with you! :happy102 :happy102

 

oops i now see the forum where i should have posted this...had not explored the site enough, sorry. I suppose a moderator will move it?

 

The Bunny wants a Khaki set. yessss he do.

 

Your Khaki set has a Durham Duplex handle.

 

I was going to ask that question I have a Durham on the way. Not like that handle. but I was checking out some of the threads and saw a picture that had that handle.. Thought it was the same... should be a ball end correct?

 

Should be, yes.
The DD handle is really nice, actually.
I have one paired with a spare NEW head that I keep meaning to try.

 

W&B made a DE. If I recall correctly, the handle looked like a Durham DuBarry.

 

+1 it might be a W&B DE.

 

.

 

Now here is my chance to learn something: those blades, they don't look like most double edge blades I come across. Were they made before the shape of the double edge blade was standardized? Do they fit double edge razors?

 

Those are what the OLD models originally used. The current thinner blades came later. As I recall the different cutouts were put in for the Barbasol razors. There were several post configurations. Do not take this as definite until a Gillette guy chimes in.

 

Will the newer models take these blades?

 

Well, if you look at those and then look inside the head of most of the Tech/NEW/and later models, they have a center bar, not the two pins.
Those old style blades are only set up for the pins.

 

Ah, I understand thanks for all your explinations tanx.

 

Barbasol is three post razor same as Gillettes... It's actually the Probak that initiated the distinctive shape of a modern de blade by switching up the shape of the securing mechanism.

As for those old three hole blades, they'd probably fit a Merkur Classic or similar modern razor, but since these are carbon blades and approaching 100 years old, I wouldn't think they'd be able to give a shave. There are some modern industrial blade manufacterers making these old style three hole blades for various industrial applications, but I also doubt that they can give a good shave.
Such as these

 

and that is why I said wait on the pro's.. I knew it was a certain razor but had the wrong name.. thanks for the info.

 

Here's a good history of the development of the DE blade on the GeoCities safety razor page.

 

Here's a snip from The Compendium. I did not know that W&B was bought out by Durham.