Thread: Cleaned 'em up, trying to guess...

Well, I took the good advice that is offered on this forum and cleaned the razors with Scrubbing Bubbles and a toothbrush.

It got 99% of the green gunk off of the 3 piece one, and the TTO looks like NEW! Although I did miss a few spots on the TTO, that's not going to take too much to clean up.

The 3 Piece looks a little duller, probably due to the patina being taken off, but it looks a lot better with the stuff being taken out of the knurling. I have a scuba diving buddy that teaches watchmaking in the jewelry department at the local Jr. College, and I might take it to him and see what he can do with the finish.

I'm still trying to guess the era of manufacture on the 3 piece; from what little I could find out I'm thinking it was made in about the 1920s maybe?

I used the 3 piece this morning...I have been using a cartridge razor for so long that I had forgotten how good a shave you could get with a regular DE. There is NOT a choice on DE blades in this town; just the generic no-name on the dispenser and the store name on the package. Need to find some blades...guess I'll have to go to a bigger town to shop.

Oh, and I have one of my str8s off to Lynn to be honed cuz it was pulling a bit...should get it back next week.

Guess I'll have to suffer with the full hollow ground one I also have that goes "ding" sometimes.

That one shaves GREAT!!!

Originally Posted by simon1

I'm still trying to guess the era of manufacture on the 3 piece; from what little I could find out I'm thinking it was made in about the 1920s maybe?

I used the 3 piece this morning...I have been using a cartridge razor for so long that I had forgotten how good a shave you could get with a regular DE. There is NOT a choice on DE blades in this town; just the generic no-name on the dispenser and the store name on the package. Need to find some blades...guess I'll have to go to a bigger town to shop.

Any pictures of the 3 piece razor, I am sure someone here could help identify it.

Also and easy way to find a blade you like is to pick up a sample pack from one of the many on-line sellers.

West Coast Shaving
Bullgoose shaving

Just to mention a few.

does the 3piece have date codes? pics will help if its from the 20's its probably either an old or new type... yeah descriptive :P old razors sometimes had serial numbers which can be dated, if they dont have date codes (which if its a '20's it wont have date codes but probably a serial number).

Thanks for the replies guys...Ooopps...I forgot to link to my original post; pics. of them before I cleaned them up are here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...ought-des.html

The 3-piece had no finish on the head when I bought it but it cleaned up to look a little better. The super speed looks great.

No date codes or any numbers on either of them, but from what I've found out the 3-piece old style ball end was probably made between 1905 and the 1920s, and the Super Speed maybe between 1948 and 1950.

Here's some pics. after they were cleaned up. The 3-piece is a little more aggressive shaver than the Super Speed it seems, but I learned to shave on a Super Speed. Even though I learned on a SS, I shaved with my McPherson Bros. str8 yesterday and my stubble is not as heavy this morning as it is with the SS.

I ordered the standard sampler pack of blades from West Coast Shaving. I hadn't looked for DE blades in years and was kinda surprised that there was no selection now (well, not that surprised). The Wally World here didn't have ANY DE blades.

yeah the tto is 48-50, no date code + notched bar, also notched/lined blade tray. To me the 3 piece looks like an old type too.

I dont think you'll be able to narrow either down to an exact year.

Your SS should be a great shaver, I've never used an old type, iirc they require blade shims to new the new/current DE blades, blades back then were thicker..

Originally Posted by MadAussie

I've never used an old type, iirc they require blade shims to new the new/current DE blades, blades back then were thicker..

I've shaved with old types many times with modern blades, no shim, and got stellar results. I cannot remember the exact difference but I measured an old type blade along with a modern blade and the difference was negligible.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I've shaved with old types many times with modern blades, no shim, and got stellar results. I cannot remember the exact difference but I measured an old type blade along with a modern blade and the difference was negligible.

Yeah, I used the old type first; it has a small crack in the handle that I hear is common with them (you can see it in the bottom photo, just below the screw head and into the knurling a bit), but it holds the blade good and tight...on this one at least. I think I read somewhere that you could put a paper clip or something on top of the new style blades to take up the slack, but this one shaved just fine without it. At least according to what little I know about them.

I've only seen pictures of the old type, rounded end blades. Maybe the shim would make it a little less aggressive?

From what little I've read, the open comb ones are a bit more aggressive anyway than the newer safety bar ones.

I believe the 3-piece old type is a 1920s Gillette Debutante. I just pick up one looks identical to this one.

FS: Gillette Debutante - Badger & Blade

Mine has the same crack on the handle.

hopper