[infotech58]

Ah! Very nice thread.

After using a Gilette Mach 3 (and various variants of it) I finally switched, about an year ago, to good old safety razor shaving. I first stopped using the shaving foam and started to use shaving soap with a good quality brush and immediately noticed improved results. Soon after, I took the plunge and ordered Edwin Jagger DE89 with a sampler blade pack and my reaction after the first shave with safety razor + blade (Derby Extra) combo was Why the hell I did not try this before. I am never moving back to disposable razors. After running through half of the sampler blade pack, I ordered 100 blade packs of Feather (considered to be the sharpest blades in production) and Derby Extra. Additionally, I also got a pre-shave oil from Truefitt and Hills and it is an awesome product.

Following is in my arsenal:














P.S. Images taken from Google.

[im_srini]

Originally Posted by infotech58

After using a Gilette Mach 3 ( and various variants of it ) I finally switched, about an year ago, to good old safety razor shaving.
Soon after, I took the plunge and ordered Edwin Jagger DE89 with a sampler blade pack and my reaction after the first shave with safety razor + blade (Derby Extra) combo was
Why the hell I did not try this before ?

The Edwin-Jagger razor is a great piece of kit, have been using it for the past couple of years.
The best part about it is its weight, its great to hold & confidence inspiring, considering one is taking a razor to the throat.
However, the blade loading mechanism is fiddly since the "head" has to come apart completely for loading blades & cleaning.
Twice, when in a hurry, I've cut myself - once, quite badly while trying to unscrew the head !
I think razors with the so called "butterfly" mechanism are much safer.
Which is why I currently use a Parker & it has not drawn blood - yet.
These days, the Edwin-Jagger gets trotted out only on Monday mornings - for the weekend stubble.

[Guderian]

Well, well, well...!
Never imagined such amount of interest in an antiquated shaving method and a vintage piece of equipment.

- I did some research and found that the Gillette Adjustable Razor that I have is one that was manufactured in the 3rd quarter of 1976. There is a date code (W 3) - which is visible in one of the snaps. So that makes the piece nearly 38 years old. A real piece of history eh ? The type was called - Gillette Super Adjustable Razor.

- The first of the safety razors was patented in 1880 and was a single edge (blade appearing only on one side of the razor - as compared to the later double edge razors.) razor. And later emerged what we see around today the double edged three piece safety razor and much later the butterfly razor of the Gillette adjustable type.

- I have a three piece razor lying in one of my old trunks. This was used in the glory days before the Gillette Adjustable was gifted. Now shall start desperately searching for it.

And after using the Gillette Adjustable (after so many years - almost over 2 decades and practically having lost all the skills of using it) - I quite looked something like this:

Originally Posted by latentpotential

Plus, check the value of your razor. Some of the older ones command up to 4digits on ebay.com depending on rarity.

You bet ! Off and on over the years I've been keeping an eye on the rising value !
And the quality and therefore the life of blades has surely slipped over the years I must say.

Originally Posted by Samurai

OMG, this is the exact razor I inherited from my dad in the mid 80s when I first shaved. That was a neat piece of equipment.

Great to hear that Samurai. Perhaps time to bring it out and start reusing it !

Originally Posted by saket77

Very candid and nice write up. I was consistently smiling reading the entire post of yours!

Thank you saket77 for the kind words.
Oh yeah - the slap of aftershave and a moisturiser massage is a must for me as well.

Originally Posted by Thumping Soul

I was grinning all the while reading your post.
Now this is my task for the weekend, hunt out the old razor set & put it to use.

Glad you liked it.
About time - they are all collector's items now and the shave a connoisseur's experience.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

@Guderian: Kindling those old memories, aren't we? But how can you forget the venerable old warrior - the Godrej round shaving soap?

Hi Anoop, Long time !
Anyway - yeah those shaving rounds or pucks - was used by my Dad for quite some time till he reluctantly switched over to the tubed shaving cream. As a kid tried the round with a brush many times and shaved (?) with an empty razor and kept wondering what was the big deal.

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Good one HG!

Thank you VK. Long time !
And yes I do sometimes use the oil on the cheek trick - but don't really favour it thanks to the slimy feel (!) - though oil of a different type.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

In the pursuit of a more pleasurable shave, do check out the Tweezerman Badger Hair Brush.

Rather luxurious - yes ! Expensive too. INR 2.5 K for the premium one is quite a brush off for me I guess.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Well, I moved from Mach3/4/5/10 to the Single blades/DE razor kit just mid of last year and now I shave every morning! What a great shave! Lovely ritual of mindfulness after a hot shower with music in the background. Totally enjoy the time.

Hi V, Agree.
Though the music bit is taken care of by my own bathroom singing much to the annoyance of all and sundry.

Originally Posted by one-77

Thank you, Guderian, for this nice thread.

Thank you.
I'd love to lay my hands on one of those cut throat razors and the leather razor strops !

Originally Posted by deepakr82

Nice thread!

Thank you. Glad you liked it.
I for one never liked the metal - bakelite combo razors when they came out and stuck to the all metal one - just for the feel of some thing heavy in the hand.

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

Hi Guderian, this Gilette Adjustable is the exact razor my dad still uses almost every other day!

Keep it safe ! And also the other delectable items you have written about. They are all gems.

Originally Posted by motorpsycho

Believe it or not I look forward to my daily shave everyday!

Great !
Fabulous list of equipments you have now and also the list of desired items which are to die for - especially the straight or CT Razor.

Originally Posted by honeybee

Topaz.

They said it cut more of your skin than hair.

My brother cut his fingers the first time he tried to shave. How? Well, it was the way he held the razor by the blade and not the handle.

Once in college I tried to trim my moustache, only to find a considerable amount had been nicked. So I trimmed it from the other side and wore a Charlie Chaplin look for a month.

And the round cases of my father's shaving cream were a treasured item which we used to keep our wet sponges in, when we used slates in school. I still remember those red cases with white lids.

Fond memories eh ? Raised quite a chuckle in me.
Some of the experiences described above - one has gone through too. Especially the periodic trimming of one's hairy appendage. Little here, little there almost inevitably leads to a Chaplinesque or Hitleresque results. But these days I have what could be termed a slightly more accident proof appendage which is termed by American Mustache Institute as an ACWMMC -American Civil War Modified Mutton Chops.
Topaz from the House of Malhotras (they keep in their house ?!!) - Believe it or not i have heard some guys say that it is better than Gillette. Not sure whether those chaps worked in the house.

Originally Posted by infotech58

Ah! Very nice thread.

Thank you.
That's quite a bit of hardware - enough to start the WW - III of shaving, round these parts. Careful in case someone notices it and forces you on to the negotiating table for SSALT - Strategic Shaving Arms Limitation Talks !

Originally Posted by im_srini

The Edwin-Jagger razor is a great piece of kit, have been using it for the past couple of years.

Again - another invitee for the SSALT !

[Jeroen]

Very nice write up, thanks!

I have experimented a bit with various shaving methods, The old fashioned wet way and the electrical way. But essentially I have been using foam (gel these days) a brush and a razor just about all my life. Again, I have tried many different razors, but I always get back to very simple throw away one with just dual blade.

I find all these new multi blade razors, with swiveling heads rubbish. Rubbish in the sense that I don't believe they do a better job then the simple ones and they get dull quickly.

So, I still buy the simplest Gillette throw away razor I can get my hands on.

These days in Europe and also the USA there are very specialized shaving shops where you can buy anything for the distinguished shaver. You will be able to get a brush that will cost more the most capable newest electrical shaver. Shaving cream that cost more then your wife's most expensive perfume. I do enjoy looking around. I must admit I do like wet shaving in the morning. Bit of ritual. Just don't want to spend that sort of money of it.

Jeroen

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

1.Very nice write up, thanks!

2...but I always get back to very simple throw away one with just dual blade.

3.These days in Europe and also the USA there are very specialized shaving shops...

1. Thank you Jeroen.

2. You are absolutely right. The article I had read too mentioned that the skin is much better off with a single good quality blade than multiple set of blades due to the reason of multiple trauma for the skin during a single scrape. So lesser the blades the better I guess.

3. Yes, I remember the one in Sunnyvale, CA. I went into it and the prices sort of zonked me - but what I found most knee slapping funny was that the floor manager had a bushy beard.

[Servegaar]

My first shave was with the straight razor, it was a major disaster face looked like an old cycle tube with puncture tape all over. Gave it up after a second try. Been using the Mach3 since then. This thread reignited my interest in this forgotten art. Time to hunt for a razor.

[amit_arya]

I am feeling so old and out of the technology.

I have a very thick beard, i shave alternate days however thanks to the thick beard the hair get blocked between the blades of multiple blade systems.

I started shaving around 1997-1999 Era was was quick to move from disposable to sensor excel to mach 3 but all the hair stucking made me move back to single blade systems.

Though i was continuing with cream and brush brushed till early 2010 but moved to foam ever since.

I have no choice but to stay with single blade systems. I prefer wilkinson sword over 7 o clock or topaz (bought those blades once and threw them before completion of the first shave.

There are single blade disposables too, BIC sensitive is one of them and one of my favorites.

for cream i love barbasol over Gillette. I know all these brands have lost there sheen as compared to jazzy Gillette (or bought by Gillette) however i simple love them for their ease of use, solving the purpose and VFM

[Servegaar]

My first shave was with a straight razor. It was a major disaster. Face resembled an old cycle tube with puncture tape all over. Been using the Mach3 since then. Read this thread and went hunting for a razor. What a shave it has been. Reminds me, that shaving is really an art!

[Guderian]

And to add to the merriment and retro feel to a retro shave is yet another piece of item from the days gone by.
A shaving mirror !




Got this from a grooming shop in the UK years ago.

All steel and after all these years not a spot of rust. Though I have rarely used it. But it has been lying around open (must now pack it and keep it back - given it's value as a collectible !).




Two mirrors. One side has the standard image.


And flip it around and it is the magnified view of the face. Every strand and follicle of hair is visible. Damn ! So are the wrinkles.


Showing a comparision with a fountain pen from the same distance.
Standard:

Magnified:


Ahhh...life's simple pleasures. A retro shave with clear visibility.

Originally Posted by Servegaar

My first shave was with the straight razor, it was a major disaster face looked like an old cycle tube with puncture tape all over. Gave it up after a second try. Been using the Mach3 since...

You mean you used a cut throat razor ? Or was it a standard safety razor ? If it was a cut throat razor that was incredibly brave of you !

Originally Posted by amit_arya

I have no choice but to stay with single blade systems. I prefer wilkinson sword over 7 o clock or topaz (bought those blades once and threw them before completion of the first shave.

There are single blade disposables too, BIC sensitive is one of them and one of my favorites.

Nice ! Which safety razor do you use ?

[sudev]

There are three elements here that thread starter is reminiscing about
Razor
Brush
Soap

And combination there of that gives a good clean shave.

If you use cream and brush instead of soap with a new blade you will get the same clean finish. Cake instead of cream gives even better feel.

Foam and such only are for quick shaves and not for feel good shaves.

If going back in time is the issue then why not "cut throat" razors with sanding leather to sharpen them every time before use?

[amit_arya]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Nice ! Which safety razor do you use ?

I just checked, there is no brand mark on the razor. The same was given to me by my dad way back in 1997-1999 era. Attached is the pic of retro stuff that I have. As mentioned earlier i do not use the cream or brush now a days, however I have not option but i use the razor and blades (apart from BIC single blades separate pic attached). No Issues with the supply of blades in Delhi. If I am not wrong the hair dressers use a blade system that require such blades and there should not be much issues in finding the blades till the time one can lay his hand over a good quality razor.

Not to mention the retro razor gives quite a close shave as compared to BIC, sensor excel or Mach 3 which can be seen from shade of cheeks / Chin (clear vs slight grey as it roots of stubble are not cut)

[archat68]

Originally Posted by amit_arya

I just checked, there is no brand mark on the razor. The same was given to me by my dad way back in 1997-1999 era.

That seems to be a Gillette plastic handle (Sterling??) razor. This is still available in India for about 100 Rs. This is a clone of famous Gillette Tech razors (only this has a lighter head and plastic handle). It is a very nice shaver for starters coupled with Gillette 7 O'çlock Platinum blades (blacK). I still use this razor regularly in rotation with my vintage Gillette open comb razors (which are older than me !!).
https://www.medplusbeauty.com/beauty...sterling-razor

Most Indian shaving creams are pretty decent (Godrej, Park Avenue, Dettol, Nivea etc). There are also good blades available locally in India. the Black 7 O'çlock, green 7 O'clock, Supermax platinum etc are very good blades. For me the Supermax platinum blade gives awesome result.

The transition from cartridge razors to DE is troublesome for some. Just use the least pressure while shaving with a DE. The trick is to attempt for a *burn free* shave (it will obviously not be a BBS or baby butt smooth shave). But once you master the angle and pressure you will get that eventually. Also try not to hurry while shaving with a DE.

Happy shaving!!

[Desmosedici]

Nice Writeup.Thanks for the Thread HG.

I started with a twin blade. Within my first year of shaving itself, i came to using the Razor. Yeah, the nicks and cuts were always there at some point but the smoothest finish was guaranteed by the traditional razor.

Have used Mach 3, Philishave etc but never got or felt the clean look. Have tried foam / gel etc as well.

I get a rough beard and i shave once in 3 days, so my rigour is to use the brush and Godrej Shaving Cream (cool menthol, its very refreshing) and start scrapping with a twin blade. This helps to get a painfree 1st level beard removal. Post this i use the Razor for that 'chikna' look.

and as Sumit (Infotech58) mentioned, Feather is one of the sharpest blades i have ever used but its not easily available nowadays hence switched to Gillette Blades.

[H_Dogg72]

Here's my gear.
I have been shaving the old school way for about a year now. Badger&Blade being a obsession.

Biotique's cream is the best, Truefitt and hill is pathetic.
The list:
1. Edwin Jagger Super Badger Med.
2.Muhle R41
3.Edwin Jagger DE89
4.Semogue 1520


EDIT: I think it's a Gillette 7'0 Clock Sterling razor in the above picture.
EDIT: That's clear nail polish on the semogue, pathetic paint quality to blame.
EDIT:The tweezerman is like $10 and is used by my grandad.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Attachment 1254989

Ah! The Butterfly Gillette! How I regret throwing this away and going for the plastic disposable twin blade Gillettes a score and odd years away! I would buy one tomorrow, but can't find it anywhere.

I was hooked to the plastics when I saw the ads back then, in which you got baby soft skin after shaving, every girl passing you on the street would notice it and blow kisses at you.

Though not a single flying kiss came my way, I was happy enough with the convenience of the twin blades. In the ads, the first blade cut the beard and then stretched the skin over the stubble. The second blade neatly sliced off the stubble! I still use them. They are very forgiving, one can shave absent mindedly and still not come to grief. I change the razor every week.

Then came the next set of ads for the three bladed version. The first blade cut the beard and stretched the skin, the second one cut it pretty close and stretched the skin further, and the third one then gave such a smooth shave that PYTs on the road gave you a longing look! Now, that made me thoughtful. So my twins were not giving me a close shave after all?

But I hesitated to change them and continued, then suddenly the new ads came for the ones with FIVE blades, each blade slicing the beard and stretching the skin, the following one also slicing the beard and stretching, the next one also.......and so on, till the PYTs swooned the moment they saw you!

What next? A ten bladed version looking like a mouth organ?

M/S Gillette & Co, they really are thinking our top floor is vacant, aren't they?