Thread: Thoughts on vintage vs. new...

Got in my new Dovo Bismarck from SRD today and just HAD to try it out....I kinda figured that it would come today so fought the temptation to shave last night so I would give it a good go. The Dovo flew right through those hairs like a lightsaber. One thing caught my attention though...

Vintage v. New

I've noticed in comparing my new razor to my vintage models that the newer ones seem to have a thicker spine, fatter overall width between spines and a general overall 'larger' feel to it that my vintage models....which begs the question of why?

The only thing that comes to mind is the whole notion of 'bigger is better' or of higher quality. In the case of the razors, this isn't the case per se. My comparison is in the world of fountain pens. In the heyday of quality fountain pens, most pens were smaller and of high quality. Today's fountain pens are exhorbitantly expensive but some with lots of bells and whistles...notably, thicker bodies and larger nibs than the vintage models...sadly, most new $300 fountain pens don't hold a candle to a vintage Parker 51 which could be had for about half the price in today's money.

By the same token, in today's money, most of my vintage razors should cost only about $30...not $130. Granted, like fountain pens, Dovo has lots of bells and whistles that the vintage models just don't have...gold, decoration, fancier scales, etc...but certainly not a better razor than a 90 year old restoration. Ironically, when I gently wiped off the oil on the Dovo, a 1/8 bit of the VERY thin gold wash came off in the washcloth.

Now, don't take this as a hack on Dovo or TI, these are just some of my observations. I'm really digging the Dovo and wouldn't trade it for anything...well...almost.

A side light. My father gave me his fountain pens. I graduated from college in 1976, helped all four years by the same Parker 51 fountain pen! Bully!!

As for straight razor prices, too bad we users are competing with collectors. I go into a junk store, find a razor, and they want $50 for it!

If you're familiar with the grind of the blades and the jigging of the bone scales on Case knives from the 1920s up into the late 1950s you can plainly see the same differences. The old stuff had nuances that just showed what I would call an artistic flair to the work.

The new knives may be as good or better in terms of the quality of the steel but they are a pale imitation in visual appeal. To my eye anyhow. I would say the same for handguns made by Smith & Wesson or Colt.

The polishing, fit and finish of the older wheel guns was flawless and there was the same fore mentioned artistic nuance to the guns as to the pocket knives. Back in those days the wages were low enough to allow for more time spent on a piece and I think there was more quality control.

Originally Posted by LarryAndro

As for straight razor prices, too bad we users are competing with collectors. I go into a junk store, find a razor, and they want $50 for it!

Not only that, Larry, but try to go up against other bidders for Keen Kutter, Winchester or a few other makers like that. There are people who items that are branded with those names first and care about what the item actually is second.

If you go to a Keen Kutter collector's website, you'll see they collect everything from hammers, wrenches, apple peelers, pans, kitchen cutlery, the list goes on and on and on. They also of course collect............Keen Kutter brand razors. Other than rounding out their collection then, they really could almost care less that they're buying a straight razor and such a razor purchased by such a collector will never be used for its intended purpose. Unfortunately for us, there seem to be many Keen Kutter merchandise collectors and they seem to have money to spend.

More than once I've been in an antique store where the dealer points to a completely rusted and badly chipped full hollow Keen Kutter razor with broken scales (useless and worthless razors) and says "Look, it's a Keen Kutter! I think to myself "Ah, THAT'S why you justify the $45 pricetag for something that is literally worthless."

Chris L

Not to mention the historical nuances of vintage works. If my razors could talk, it would be a pleasant evening or three listening to all the stories. I really wish my legacy razor could tell me stories of my great-grandfather who I never knew (but my grandma swears he was a carbon copy of my grandfather).

Likewise, if my fountain pens could talk. Ironically, I DID find an old letter written by my grandfather to my great-grandma in 1946 that he wrote with a Parker Vacumatic I have in the collection. It was an invitation to move from Oklahoma to California...said he included a train ticket for her to come out. Awesome stuff.

Its no different than with everything else. I collect pocketwatches and the older watches had quality far beyond todays however newer watch are more accurate because they use computers in the movement design and the machines making the parts resulting in closer tolerances. However in 100 years those same pocketwatches will still be running while the modern ones will have long been trashed.

As far as razors go there was actually more handiwork in the older ones. More engraving on the blades and plenty of gold wash. Back in the day quality and handwork meant something. Now its just get it out the door and sell it.

I am the very first proud owner of a brand new Filarmonica Sello Oro 13 that I recently brought back to life after 20 years in its box. Needless to say that I love it and that it is in mint condition. I feel like getting another razor. My question is, Are NOS vintage razors better than good new ones? Is it only a nostalgia, collection eagerness and desire question? Should I get another Filarmonica or a new Dovo, Thiers-Issard or similar.
Hands on your hearts, please.

I prefer old razors because for the same quality an old razor will be a lot cheaper. Then there is also the nostelga wondering who else could have used this razor.

IME variety is nice and some of the new razors are first rate. I especially like TI razors but the Fillys are quite special. Finding one NOS or in near mint condition at a reasonable price I would probably opt for the vintage but a new TI or Dove is a fine razor as well.

Thanks for your concerns. Part of them come from your hearts but, what about regarding the technical matter? Were they better than they are? Is a A class today's razor as good as A class from a few decades ago?