Advice please

eneville · Thursday June 30, 2011

Hi Collective,

What's a good DE razor to get? My current razor has given up the ghost, despite trying to lubricate the screw part of the butterfly with oil, it is, in my eyes un-salvageable.

So, since I think the problem was down to some part of the screw rusting, does anyone know of some corrosion resistant, or completely non-ferrous DE razors (I don't want to fork out for the gold versions either!)

Many thanks

Garbe · Thursday June 30, 2011

What razor do you have,as most of the old Gillette butterfly razors are 30 to 50 years old and still useable.

Do you clean the razor because soap build up can cause the mechanism to not function.

beejay · Friday July 1, 2011

EJ and Merkur are excellent brands and offer a good selection but you may find a move from one piece to two or three a PITA.
You should look on the BST section as there's usually always someone selling great condition Gillettes. Sunbury or French I'm sure could assist you.
regards, beejay

moodymick · Friday July 1, 2011

Get a Flair Tip. As long as it holds a blade straight you'll be sorted. Reasonably priced, different flavours and fairly plentiful.

Why you still sitting there?

FrenchBlade · Friday July 1, 2011

Have to agree, go vintage, they've lasted 50 years, they'll last that again if you take care of them.

Vintage gillettes are made of brass and don't rust like metal ones.

Max

eneville · Friday July 1, 2011

FrenchBlade said:
Have to agree, go vintage, they've lasted 50 years, they'll last that again if you take care of them.

Vintage gillettes are made of brass and don't rust like metal ones.

Max

Thanks, what are the modern ones typically made from? I'm not so keen on getting a vintage model as I'd like to buy something current that I know I can go back to, should I ever need to (supposing the worst happens and my collection gets lost in a fire etc).

Garbe said:
What razor do you have,as most of the old Gillette butterfly razors are 30 to 50 years old and still useable.

Do you clean the razor because soap build up can cause the mechanism to not function.

It's one of these:

http://www.s5h.net/wiki/File:Butterfly_double_edge_razor_closed.jpg
http://www.s5h.net/wiki/File:Butterfly_double_edge_razor.jpg

I believe it's a "Shaving Factory" or "Ming Shui".

jcwit · Friday July 1, 2011

Thats what it looks like. Personnally I think the Weishi is a better option with the butterfly doors. But in the end if you do not wish to spend much cash I'd opt for the 3 piece LORD L6. Here in the States they go for around $12.00 and give an excellent shave IMHO of course.

Canuck · Friday July 1, 2011

"Thanks, what are the modern ones typically made from?"

All sorts, but the top quality ones are usually a mix of either chrome plated brass (common in all quality razor heads), and surgical steel (more common in Merkur handles). Some have plastic parts (usually the handle if anything, Jagger and Muhle widely use plastic). It's all rust proof.

Merkur are good, as are Edwin Jagger and Muhle. All three of those are extremely well made. You can get an Edwin Jagger on Amazon for less than Â£20 at the moment... merkur are a bit dearer at around the Â£28 mark (average).

hunnymonster · Friday July 1, 2011

eneville said:
Thanks, what are the modern ones typically made from?

Typically plated ZAMAK or similar (once the plating is holed/worn/abraded the relatively reactive zinc-alloy will corrode way faster than brass).

Canuck · Friday July 1, 2011

Really? Oh. :blush:

And I'd never heard of ZAMAK. I thought Merkurs were steel.

Garbe · Friday July 1, 2011

I've got an Edwin dagger which I love to shave with and a 'few' old Gillettes, Which you can pick them relatively cheap, my last one cost less than Â£5. Just given it a clean and will use it next time I shave.

I find I keep going back to the EJ, I just love the shave it gives, very forgiving, i use it just like my old sensor, no cuts or soreness. Excellent razor.

jcwit · Saturday July 2, 2011

hunnymonster said:
eneville said:

Thanks, what are the modern ones typically made from?

Click to expand...

Typically plated ZAMAK or similar (once the plating is holed/worn/abraded the relatively reactive zinc-alloy will corrode way faster than brass).

All depends which grade of Zamak is used. If Zamak 5 is used it is resistant to corrosion and Zamak 5 is what is normally used in Europe.

Not sure just what alloy Lord razors are made of but they do attract rare earth magnets to some extent.

Arrowhead · Saturday July 2, 2011

New to me too, but sure enough this was what I got when I googled "mazak":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazak_(alloy)

eneville · Sunday July 3, 2011

As a stopgap I was pleasently surprised by the nice shave I've just experienced with a Boots DE. It only cost me Â£3.79, with 5 blades. Not tried the blades, the head seems a bit unprotected as there is little to hold whilst changing blades. Dead good for the money, no visit from Aunt Nicky this time!

Rev-O · Sunday July 3, 2011

Get a Gillette SuperSpeed:

http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9070

And when you've got one of them (Â£10-Â£15) and liked it try it's sexier sister, the English-made Rocket:

http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9206

(Pay Â£20-40 worth every penny)

Rob72 · Friday March 9, 2012

Rev-O said:
Get a Gillette SuperSpeed:

http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9070

And when you've got one of them (Â£10-Â£15) and liked it try it's sexier sister, the English-made Rocket:

http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9206

(Pay Â£20-40 worth every penny)

Absolutely! I'm not sure what your market is like here, but TSD(The Shave Den) and B&B(Badger and Blade) have very fair-market value sales, amongst everyone. You can always drop by the local second-hand stores and see what they may have. A wash in hot water and Scrubbing Bubbles absolutely disinfects, and generally brightens them up significantly.