Is it sacrilege?

[Fox]

Is it sacrilege to use a rare vintage collectors DE blade?

I was sent a Darwin blade two years ago by a friend. The problem was I didn't know quite what to do with it and for the last two years it's just been kicking around. I was going to include it in a random box to someone.

But then I had this idea that they may hurt themselves. So thought I would use it instead. A friend who is also into wet shaving who I told thought it was wrong to use it, what do you guys think, is it wrong?

It's now loaded in my razor for my morning shave.

 

[SeanC]

I always ask myself a rhetorical question in this sort of situation, 'Am I a shaver or a curator?'

The answer is almost always the former.

Enjoy your blade. As it's almost certainly carbon steel check it carefully for corosion and test it somewhere harmless first

 

[Welshaver89]

I personally would use it, I have a few unused Gilette Blue blades myself which I haven't used yet because I wonder if they aged well enough to be half decent. From what I see online they seem hit and miss.

My thinking is the blade was made to be used and if you didn't someone else would use it and enjoy it or curse it if it's bad.

 

[DamianJ]

A blade was made to be used, but I understand the collectors viewpoint too. Hope it works well for youwhen you try it.

 

[Whosthedaddy]

I've used old blades, they suck donkey dick.

Horrid things that feel like glass.

Lob it.

 

[Blademonkey]

Is it sacrilege to use a rare vintage collectors DE blade?

I was sent a Darwin blade two years ago by a friend. The problem was I didn't know quite what to do with it and for the last two years it's just been kicking around. I was going to include it in a random box to someone.

But then I had this idea that they may hurt themselves. So thought I would use it instead. A friend who is also into wet shaving who I told thought it was wrong to use it, what do you guys think, is it wrong?

It's now loaded in my razor for my morning shave.

No, use and enjoy it, it was made to be used. It wants to be used!

 

[flip-68]

use it and keep the wrapper. I've heard the vintage blades are pretty rough. let us know how it feels

 

[Fox]

I always ask myself a rhetorical question in this sort of situation, 'Am I a shaver or a curator?'

The answer is almost always the former.

Enjoy your blade. As it's almost certainly carbon steel check it carefully for corrosion and test it somewhere harmless first

Good point, it was claimed to be a rustless blade though it did indeed have some spots but not on the blades edge. I gave the blade a good cleaning with some cheap aftershave, I was out of alcohol.

This was the "new steel blade" cobalt steel. So the packaging claims. If that's true then how old is this blade? Could not find the UK patent, (106187) but the the US was filed in Oct 17, 1916 https://www.google.com/patents/US1277431

So I can confirm that blade technology was not the greatest back then, by today's standards anyway. But it did do the job.

The shave was a bit tuggy, but it did get me smooth after about 6 passes. Not the closest, no weepers and I do feel like I have had a shave but not overly sore by any means.

SOTD image here: S.O.T.D. Saturday 4th March to Friday 10th March 2017

Would I attempt to use this blade again, certainly not.

So how would I rate it out of 10, it would be an impressive 5 - 6

Believe it or not I have had worst from a modern blade, that said they may of been fakes so I won't mention the brand other than they came from Eastern Europe via the bay.

 

[Blademonkey]

Good point, it was claimed to be a rustless blade though it did indeed have some spots but not on the blades edge. I gave the blade a good cleaning with some cheap aftershave, I was out of alcohol.

This was the "new steel blade" cobalt steel. So the packaging claims. If that's true then how old is this blade? Could not find the UK patent, (106187) but the the US was filed in Oct 17, 1916 https://www.google.com/patents/US1277431

So I can confirm that blade technology was not the greatest back then, by today's standards anyway. But it did do the job.

The shave was a bit tuggy, but it did get me smooth after about 6 passes. Not the closest, no weepers and I do feel like I have had a shave but not overly sore by any means.

SOTD image here: S.O.T.D. Saturday 4th March to Friday 10th March 2017

Would I attempt to use this blade again, certainly not.

So how would I rate it out of 10, it would be an impressive 5 - 6

Believe it or not I have had worst from a modern blade, that said they may of been fakes so I won't mention the brand other than they came from Eastern Europe via the bay.

It was an experience even if it didn't get a 10/10 and that's what life is about.

 

[Fox]

It was an experience even if it didn't get a 10/10 and that's what life is about.

Absolutely, a really odd feeling too, to think that your using something that was made such a long time ago and is older than everything in the bathroom including the house itself.

 

[riverrun]

This was the "new steel blade" cobalt steel. So the packaging claims. If that's true then how old is this blade? Could not find the UK patent, (106187) but the the US was filed in Oct 17, 1916 https://www.google.com/patents/US1277431

↪GB106187 (A) ― Filed July 25, 1916, granted May 17, 1917.

 

[matteob]

I would use them too. I would not view a blade myself as a collector's item and I would personally be curious as to how they performed.

Would have been good if they were from 1912 eh Fox

 

[Useless shaver]

I collect to use... hence, use it!...