Stupid Question?

scottymac

scottymac

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Morning all,
Hope this doesn't seem like a stupid question.
Is there much of a difference between modern safety razors and and vintage ones.And if there is a difference what are they.
How do you know which vintage razors suits you is it just trial and error.Thinking of buying a vintage razor but as there is so many not sure what is best to go for.

Cheers
Scotty
 
There are a wide variety of both new and vintage razors, some are aggressive some mild, its not the age but the model that is the factor which affects whether its right for you.

Yes it is trial and error to an extent, for example you may find you fancy using a heavier razor or a more aggressive one, the advantage you have here is that you can ask for recommendations for a you're nest purchase based on what you want to try and sometimes kind members will offer to lend you one to see if you like it :)
 
There is no real tangible difference, some will cry vintage and others favour new made razors, but they both use the same blades both remove hair from your face.

I personally like both, how to tell which on is right for you depends on what you want out of the razor. Are you looking for an aggressive one to use for that "little bit difference in your shave" or are you looking for something you can use everyday. What kind of modern razors do you like?

Some vintages are rare so will be pricey while others are relatively common and cheaper, this will factor into which on you go for.
 
Audiolab,
I am currently using a cheap Boots DE razor just now and waiting for a blade sample pack to come from Connaught shaving
The wife didn't know what to get me for christmas so i asked fo the Edwin Jagger DE89L so will have to wait 3 weeks to try that out.
Since joining here last month i never knew much about DE shaving never mind that most people on here use a vintage razor,so i will probably wait a while and see how i get on with the DE89L but seeing some of the razors for sale on BST i am getting more tempted to buy a vintage.
Never thought i would enjoy shaving so much but in the month since i started it doesn't seem like a chore now.

Thanks
Scotty
 
The DE89 is my razor of choice to try anything new (blade, soap etc) because it works so well! I enjoy using other razors but would never part with the Edwin Jagger.
 
Hi Scotty,

The DE89 is a fantastic razor and one I am sure you will enjoy. When you do get to a vintage a Twist To Open (TTO) would be a nice progression, probably something like a Slim Adjustable would be a good start, not too expensive and easy to come by they are nice shavers and merit their popularity.

Welcome to the slippery slope ;) but it is a lot of fun.
 
Welcome to the slippery slope ;) but it is a lot of fun.
Click to expand...
Tell me about it already bought some nannys soap and a New forest brush.
Starting to take over the bathroom.

Cheers for the advice very much appreciated

Scotty
 
The Jagger is a really good choice - not as aggressive as the ubiquitous Merkur 34C or 38C but will give a closer shave than many of the old vintage razors.
Of course you will be tempted to try several razors. But don't be in too much of a hurry to try too many, too quickly. PM me for a loan of a Gillette Superspeed at any time - it's one of the most popular vintage razors and I have a spare.
 
No, it's not a silly question, and yes you have got what I'd say was an ideal razor on the way to enjoy at Christmas. I've got the Muehle version of the same shaving head and it's a very sweet, undemanding and effective piece of equipment, my view. If you later decide (almost inevitable !) to expand your stable of razors you may well find that an older razor has that intangible feel of good engineering & the patina of time attached. For me there's always been a kinda thrill when I handle or use my nearly 100 yr old straight razors, and from what I've seen others post on TSR I'm not alone in that feeling.

JohnnyO. \ :geek:
 
I'll add my support to the EJ8x. I have the head from my 89L on a custom-made handle. I know many also go for the Merkur 34c, which I haven't ever used, but I do really like the Merkur 42 - 1904 Classic replica as well.
      • I highly reccomend both.[/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]
 
Fido wrote
PM me for a loan of a Gillette Superspeed at any time - it's one of the most popular vintage razors and I have a spare.
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Thanks for that Pete,will see how i get on with the 89L first then take it from there.

Scotty
 
scottymac said:
Morning all,
Hope this doesn't seem like a stupid question.
Is there much of a difference between modern safety razors and and vintage ones.And if there is a difference what are they.
How do you know which vintage razors suits you is it just trial and error.Thinking of buying a vintage razor but as there is so many not sure what is best to go for.

Cheers
Scotty
Click to expand...

Hi there,

Those are some good questions. Yeah, there's differences between vintage and new razors, but there's also differences between various new ones and various older versions. How's that?

How the razor is set up as far as weight, balance, and the head and handle design is gonna determine how it'll fit you. All those things add to the performance, pro or con.

Heh, this whole goofy 'hobby' is trial and error, and you gotta try more than one model razor to figure out what's up. The thing about razors and blades is it's all about comparisons. Right now you have zero reference point, and you can pick most of the razors out there to start with. My advice is to get one on the milder side, and stay away from slants or open combs for the moment.

The more popular vintage Gillettes are the various Tech and superspeed types. There's also some adjustables, and also there's other fixed head types that are well received and get very good reviews. All of those would be fine to start with.

The EJ DE89 is extremely popular if you wanna buy new. Yeah, you can see by the other posts that members love that head design.

Whatever one you get, don't change it for a month or so. You want to improve your technique so you can accurately judge the next razor you try. Keep using the same type blade for two weeks, so that when you switch you'll actually notice a difference between the two.

Ok, that's plenty for now. I hope some of what I typed will help somehow.

Martin
 
Pig Cat said:
Nice post Martin! :D
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Hey thanks,

Heh, I didn't wanna depress the OP by telling him that whatever razor he starts with is probably not gonna end up being his go to choice down the road. I also wasn't gonna mention what a looong journey that can be of finding the right combo. Whew, thank God I'm done with that.........heh.

See that? It's my compassionate side that you guys never knew about. This is what kept me from being brutally honest earlier. Well, I was sorta tired of typing too.

Martin
 
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