Thread: Gillette DE

Hello gentleman


Been a little while since I posted so I thought I'd share some pics of my "new" DE Gillette razor and see if any of you can give me a little history on the piece.


I was visiting my girlfriends family this last week and her mom gave me her fathers old DE razor! I was very honored as she knows I like the old fashioned shaving things and said it had just been sitting in a drawer for the last 15 years so I should take it and clean it up and use it. It came in a cool silver box lined with purple felt and with some old rusty blades and the razor itself. I cleaned it up with a polishing cloth and it all looks really good now. I'm gonna order some blades and give it a whirl to compliment my two straights as well. It looks like just your basic older Gillette DE razor but the box is really neat so that's gotta mean something right? Thanks in advance for any history you guys can give me on this!

Sam

Wow, what a gift!

Oh wow! The box is in great shape too. It should shave real nice for you. Very nice!

Nice razor!

Check this post out, it should tell a bit on the history of that model:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...tml#post441701

What you have there is a really pristine example of one of the more sought after Gillette models. That is one to use on a Sunday, rinse and wipe dry after use, and to hand down to the grandkids. TBH if it was mine I would just put it up and admire it.

Also, from the looks of the comb portion, it seems to be from the 30's. When I get home I'll look it up and give you an accurate description unless someone here beats me to it.

That's a Gillette NEW you have there and in great shape. The gold plating wears off easily so be gentle with it. That's a great gift.

The box you have is actually from a different razor. The Bostonian was a New Improved razor and despite what you may guess from the name, the New improved is actually older than the NEW. Here's a pic of what a Bostonian looks like.

Originally Posted by feeltheburn

The Bostonian was a New Improved razor and despite what you may guess from the name, the New improved is actually older than the NEW.

I always get confused with that 'new' versus 'new improved' ........ which came first. I've got the Krumholz book but was too lazy to dig it out. I know some guys think those were the best DEs Gillete ever made. Notice the thickness of the teeth on the comb. Guys would drop the older razors and the older thinner teeth would get bent on the corners. Try to straighten them and many times they would break.

Like feeltheburn said, the gold plating is delicate. Windex is the best thing to clean it with IME. Metal polish, like flitz, maas and so on, will take it off in a heartbeat.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I always get confused with that 'new' versus 'new improved' ........ which came first.

Pretty easy to remember if you think of it this way... The original Gillette blades had 3 holes and fit the Old Type and New Improved. Those two models have the pegs in the heads to hold the blade through the holes.


When the patent on those blades ran out, Gillette put a slot down the middle of the blade and made the New razor (which doesn't have the pegs, it has a slot instead). They patented a new blade that fit both types of razors and that's the DE blade configuration you see most of the time today.

Thanks so much for all the replies! It is awesome to hear the history of razors and the like I knew you guys would have some great info for me. Now I guess i have to learn how to use it properly ha.