The collection now looks like this:Show us your vintage ladies!
There's always a lot of talk regarding the young and sexy razors of modern artisans but not much talk about the matures in our dens.
Here's mine:
View attachment 54954
30s Gillette Old Type
Gillette New LC
40s Gillette Tech
1958 Gillette Superspeed Flare Tip
1960 Gillette Fatboy
1967 Gillette Slim
1967 Gillette Aristocrat Slim
1978 Gillette SA Black Beauty
Rolls Razor
Ever Ready 1912
Schick Type E
Schick Type L
Schick Type M Adjustable
That is all I use these days, nothing made after 1964. My most used is a 1940s fat handle flat bottom Tech. It is just good at its job.~18 months since I last used my vintage DEs. I think they need to come out for August.
I've just had them out of the rack for a brief admiration session. They're beautiful things.That is all I use these days, nothing made after 1964. My most used is a 1950s fat handle flat bottom Tech. It is just good at its job.
A great story with some real history there Iain, a good read, thank's for posting.@Boycie83 - as promised - a modified Gillette Slim Twist - I think
View attachment 54983
View attachment 54985
View attachment 54986
View attachment 54992
Provenance - all the following information came from the original owner of the razor and what little I could find on t'interweb - which wasn't a lot - if anything is wrong - I'm happy to be corrected - so -
I was given this by Jim - who I got to know at Glasgow Sheriff Court until he retired a few years back - before he worked there - he did 20 years in the City of Glasgow - subsequently Strathclyde Police - this was the razor he used every day he was on duty - cops were not allowed to look like hipsters in those days. When he left school in the mid-sixties - before he joined the police - he went to work for Perma-Sharp in East Kilbride - the first of Scotland's new towns - the company were American in origin and at one point had plants producing - mostly - blades - in the US, Australia, Israel in addition to Scotland. They made them under their own name - and for other markets - they were - and still are - very highly regarded - if you ever see them at a reasonable price - buy them. The ones manufactured in East Kilbride are particularly sought after - perhaps in part - because when the plant was set up the company poached the engineers who had developed the original stainless steel blade for Wilkinson Sword. The parent company went bust in 1972 but the facility continued to manufacture blades under license from Schick. Perma-Sharp had a nice pr thing going - their staff - male presumably - were given half an hour a day - paid - to shave at work - some have wondered whether this was just a stunt - but Jim confirmed it was absolutely true. The razor above was supplied by the company - the subsequent mod to the handle - he had done - we'll come to that in a bit. It looks like a Gillette Slim Twist to me - but oddly if you look at the close up - an engineer had engraved A and B on the bomb doors - he doesn't know why - that is the way it arrived in his hands. I have no idea how to date the head - it is almost completely missing the normal marks you would expect on a vintage Gillette - no patent declaration, no date code - all it has on the base - is 'Gillette England' on either side of the handle stem. If anybody knows more about this - I'd be happy to hear from them. The handle mod - is potentially the most interesting aspect to this razor - Jim didn't like the original - he felt the balance was off - so asked a mate who was a lathe operator/turner at John Browns ship builders in Clydebank - to make him a replacement to his own design - which is the one you see. At the time the yard was coming to the completion of order - 736 - better known later - as the QE 2 - it is likely that the rod stock used to make the custom handle was 'borrowed' from materials destined for one of the last great Cunard liners. A nice touch I think.
So - that is the story of this razor - when Jim retired from the cops - he retired the razor - deciding to take a more relaxed approach to shaving as he didn't have to every day - it sat in a drawer for years - until for some reason we got to talking about wet shaving - the next time we met - he presented it to me - wanting it to go to someone that would appreciate and value it. I was touched. I wasn't going to insult him by offering money but knew he took a dram - so got him a very nice bottle of malt. Honour satisfied. By their nature vintage razors are mass produced objects - but this one - in its current form - is unique.
Finally - I can't find out how long Perma-Sharp lasted in East Kilbride - at least until the late 70's - in 1966 Gillette sued them in Glasgow Sheriff Court for infringement of patent rights - they lost - but had the last laugh - they latterly bought the company and shut it down - but kept their trademarks - which - of course - they still use today.
Thanks for reading - cheers - I.
Loved it@Boycie83 - as promised - a modified Gillette Slim Twist - I think
View attachment 54983
View attachment 54985
View attachment 54986
View attachment 54992
Provenance - all the following information came from the original owner of the razor and what little I could find on t'interweb - which wasn't a lot - if anything is wrong - I'm happy to be corrected - so -
I was given this by Jim - who I got to know at Glasgow Sheriff Court until he retired a few years back - before he worked there - he did 20 years in the City of Glasgow - subsequently Strathclyde Police - this was the razor he used every day he was on duty - cops were not allowed to look like hipsters in those days. When he left school in the mid-sixties - before he joined the police - he went to work for Perma-Sharp in East Kilbride - the first of Scotland's new towns - the company were American in origin and at one point had plants producing - mostly - blades - in the US, Australia, Israel in addition to Scotland. They made them under their own name - and for other markets - they were - and still are - very highly regarded - if you ever see them at a reasonable price - buy them. The ones manufactured in East Kilbride are particularly sought after - perhaps in part - because when the plant was set up the company poached the engineers who had developed the original stainless steel blade for Wilkinson Sword. The parent company went bust in 1972 but the facility continued to manufacture blades under license from Schick. Perma-Sharp had a nice pr thing going - their staff - male presumably - were given half an hour a day - paid - to shave at work - some have wondered whether this was just a stunt - but Jim confirmed it was absolutely true. The razor above was supplied by the company - the subsequent mod to the handle - he had done - we'll come to that in a bit. It looks like a Gillette Slim Twist to me - but oddly if you look at the close up - an engineer had engraved A and B on the bomb doors - he doesn't know why - that is the way it arrived in his hands. I have no idea how to date the head - it is almost completely missing the normal marks you would expect on a vintage Gillette - no patent declaration, no date code - all it has on the base - is 'Gillette England' on either side of the handle stem. If anybody knows more about this - I'd be happy to hear from them. The handle mod - is potentially the most interesting aspect to this razor - Jim didn't like the original - he felt the balance was off - so asked a mate who was a lathe operator/turner at John Browns ship builders in Clydebank - to make him a replacement to his own design - which is the one you see. At the time the yard was coming to the completion of order - 736 - better known later - as the QE 2 - it is likely that the rod stock used to make the custom handle was 'borrowed' from materials destined for one of the last great Cunard liners. A nice touch I think.
So - that is the story of this razor - when Jim retired from the cops - he retired the razor - deciding to take a more relaxed approach to shaving as he didn't have to every day - it sat in a drawer for years - until for some reason we got to talking about wet shaving - the next time we met - he presented it to me - wanting it to go to someone that would appreciate and value it. I was touched. I wasn't going to insult him by offering money but knew he took a dram - so got him a very nice bottle of malt. Honour satisfied. By their nature vintage razors are mass produced objects - but this one - in its current form - is unique.
Finally - I can't find out how long Perma-Sharp lasted in East Kilbride - at least until the late 70's - in 1966 Gillette sued them in Glasgow Sheriff Court for infringement of patent rights - they lost - but had the last laugh - they latterly bought the company and shut it down - but kept their trademarks - which - of course - they still use today.
Thanks for reading - cheers - I.
A very interesting thread, I’m lucky enough to have a number of vintage razors and really enjoy using them as well as my more modern ones.
It will be hard to imagine that in a blink of an eye, the likes of Blackland Blackbird / Rex Ambassador and many more will be considered the vintage ones. And the ones in the thread will be considered antique pieces.
And even harder to imagine, what will the new modern razors be.
Best,
Ben
Love those vintage Feathers!5 Vintage Japanese with 3 Being Feather
I can’t remember the dates of hand i would need to check it out but i’m auld & it’s getting late lol
View attachment 90687View attachment 90688View attachment 90689View attachment 90690View attachment 90691View attachment 90692Nice Little Travel Gibbs Although i have no idea of date and it’s a feisty little bugger.
The most embarrassing point here is not a Tech in sight.
Unfortunately the ones i had i sold due of condition not being what i like.
The one at the bottom left was the first one i got & it’s possibly the most aggressive razor i own, or certainly up there with the Blackland Dart & the AmbassadorLove those vintage Feathers!
Paul.
5 Vintage Japanese with 3 Being Feather
I can’t remember the dates of hand i would need to check it out but i’m auld & it’s getting late lol
View attachment 90687View attachment 90688View attachment 90689View attachment 90690View attachment 90691View attachment 90692Nice Little Travel Gibbs Although i have no idea of date and it’s a feisty little bugger.
The most embarrassing point here is not a Tech in sight.
Unfortunately the ones i had i sold due of condition not being what i like.
You won’t see me with a Tech in 3 weeks mate unfortunatelyFantastic collection, but if I don't see a Tech in the next three weeks it will be standing in the corner for you.
I take it you like as new razors with box and papers. I'm quite happy with full non chipped plating no box, no dings razors because I know I am just going to use and abuse them. After I buy a razor it has no cash value to me, as in it is cash spent and I will not get it back but I still value them as razors.
Why do you add "Rhodium" to the Aristocrat and then not list the plating on the others? Rhodium is snooty enough that it's a bragging point? A nd if so, why?The collection now looks like this:
Gillette Aristocrat (Rhodium)
40s Gillette Tech
50s Gillette Tech
1958 Gillette Superspeed Flare Tip
1960 Gillette Fatboy
1967 Gillette Slim
1967 Gillette Aristocrat Slim
Ever Ready 1912
Schick Type E
Schick Type L
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?