New safety razor shaver here

Hello everyone!
I just started shaving with a de safety razor for the past few weeks and I gotta say I’m enjoying it very much! I still have my Harry’s cartridge razor for the times I need a quick shave but I prefer my safety razor. Now, here is what I’ve been using so far ( please be gentle). I’m using a Van Der Hagen butterfly head razor with the king Gillette blades, poraso shave soap (green puck) and a Omega boar brush. I even tried the Vietnam made blades from my local dollar store and believe it or not they aren’t too bad, but I don’t believe I will use them exclusively. I know I want to try different blades and other razors as well. I’m rather drawn to the vintage Gillette ones. Well, thanks for letting me ramble on and I’m looking forward to meeting you all!

Kevin

Welcome Kevin! Looks like your off to a good start. I have a small collection of vintage Gillettes most of which i found at flea markets and antique stores for a fair price, so if you enjoy that kind of hunting then that's where i'd start. They all shave(blades and razors) a little different so it doesn't hurt to try a few. Enjoy the adventure!

Thank you, I’ll definitely give the antique stores around here a look.

Welcome to the forum. The biggest things that contribute to getting excellent shaves are having good shaving and lathering techniques rather than a bunch of different gear. Once you have those down pat with what you already have then is the time to try different bits of gear. You are off to a good start as the Proraso Green is a good soap and the Omega boar brush is good too especially once broken in. They won't stand in the way of you get consistently good shaves. Which DE are you using?

Bob

Van Der Hagen butterfly head razor...

We all started somewhere. I don't know that razor but I'm betting its a very mild razor. Vintage Gillette blades? Are you talking about these...

Attachment 336248

I've always been afraid to try them being they are so old. Gillette has so many more blades now.

Welcome to SRP and with time maybe we can get ya shaving with a straight razor.

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Originally Posted by Gasman

Van Der Hagen butterfly head razor...

We all started somewhere. I don't know that razor but I'm betting its a very mild razor. Vintage Gillette blades? Are you talking about these...

Attachment 336248

I've always been afraid to try them being they are so old. Gillette has so many more blades now.

Welcome to SRP and with time maybe we can get ya shaving with a straight razor.

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The blades I’m using are new manufactured.

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Originally Posted by kwc271

The blades I’m using are new manufactured.

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Exactly which Gillette brand blades are you using? They make quite a few different versions mostly in Russia at St. Petersburg. I have found the Gillette Nacet and Silver Blue variety to be very good. I have also tried a few of the Gillette marked King C Gillette but too early to say if they are as good as the other two for me.

Bob

Nacet is my favorite

If you want the sharpest get either Feather or Kai. Yes they require some finesse to get a close and comfortable shave but if you want to get the max out of your razor then, that's the ticket.

You said... "I’m rather drawn to the vintage Gillette ones".

This is why I was asking. The ones I showed a pic of are the most Vintage Gillette Blades.
As Bob said, The Nacet and Silver/Blues are great. But they are new. Not vintage.
Gillette also has Yellow, Black, Gold, and Green. There might be others too but they are not vintage either.

With a mild razor, it's best to use a Keen/Sharp blade. This is a standard combo. And just the opposite with an aggressive razor. You use a Mild blade. These things you learn with time but getting this kind of info can help you to learn quicker. Stick around as we are happy to help you to learn as much as we can. :tu

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

If you want the sharpest get either Feather or Kai. Yes they require some finesse to get a close and comfortable shave but if you want to get the max out of your razor then, that's the ticket.

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Agreed. Feather is the only brand I use these days. I use them in shavettes, mostly. And to lame my bread loaves before they go in the oven. Bought 100 for around $20 a few years ago, still working with that batch. There is no sharper disposable blade but they do require a little extra care if you don't want to filet yourself.

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Originally Posted by Gasman

You said... "I’m rather drawn to the vintage Gillette ones".

This is why I was asking. The ones I showed a pic of are the most Vintage Gillette Blades.
As Bob said, The Nacet and Silver/Blues are great. But they are new. Not vintage.
Gillette also has Yellow, Black, Gold, and Green. There might be others too but they are not vintage either.




With a mild razor, it's best to use a Keen/Sharp blade. This is a standard combo. And just the opposite with an aggressive razor. You use a Mild blade. These things you learn with time but getting this kind of info can help you to learn quicker. Stick around as we are happy to help you to learn as much as we can. :tu

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My fault, I meant the vintage Gillette razors themselves, not just the blades

You can't go wrong with a Tech!

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Originally Posted by Gasman

You can't go wrong with a Tech!

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Well said Gasman. The Techs made in the 1940s were some of the best DE razors ever made. Relatively mild razors that really shine with modern blades like the Feathers.

I know some will jump all over me but from my own experience with vintage DEs, if you compare them to the best modern Stainless DEs they simply don't come close. Yes, they shave great and can be very comfortable and are well made but modern design and machining and low production simply make a better product.

The difference between a great shave and a superb shave means getting a result the equal of a straight with a DE with the right blade and some experience.

I'm not knocking vintage, I have a bunch myself and they are fun to use now and then.

I think thebigspendur is probably right, although modern razors with mazak heads like the Parker range (I have the Semi Slant) are very precisely made and give superb results. The older nickel plated pressed metal heads can suffer from having been dropped - the fat boy and Slim Adjustable are particularly vulnerable in this respect. I also notice Muhle have now made a stainless version of the R41.

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Originally Posted by Gasman

You can't go wrong with a Tech!

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I must be the only one the dislikes the Tech. As usual ymmv.

Bob

Napa , Bob you ain’t the only one

I agree that the way DE Razors are made now days makes them so much more accurate when it comes to making them. With the Tech being what it is, a vintage mild Medium razor, I find it can be a little out of specs and not be such a big deal. Unless its been bent badly. Being stamped you know they vary in spec. But its still a vintage razor and somewhat collectable.

Actually many if not most vintage Gillette's were constructed out of cast brass with either nickel or gold wash (even silver in the old days) plating. Bent safety bars are easily righted with a screwdriver. The Schick heads were stamped but have survived pretty well nevertheless.

I'm not purely troglodyte, I have had many modern wonders including 4 Wolfman products, but I think sometimes their adherents may be germaphobes who cant stand the thought of reusing a shaving instrument or the type who having overspent on something wants to proclaim it the ultimate in order to justify their overspending.

It’s nice to get a vintage DE….especially a birth year razor…if your old enough…lol. I have a very nice Gillette SS red tip with case 1956 .It gets dragged across my Hollywood face once in a while….but the Straights are where it’s it ! And Welcome

Maybe I can find a 71 dated one. ��

Plenty of you tube videos on how to date Gillette Razors…..and hit ebay for your search. Good Luck too !

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Originally Posted by kwc271

Maybe I can find a 71 dated one. ��

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You can find Gillette date code info here https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum...ng_Information

Bob