Any modern equivalents to the Gillette Bostonian?

[Jbird45]

I picked up a Bostonian in the charity auction last year and it is one of my favorites as far as DE go. It has a crack in the tube and 4 of the teeth are bent, but it shaves well enough!

I would like to have a backup, and I was looking and it appears Bostonians go for a pretty good price on the used market, and I hate to spend $100 plus on a razor and have another tube crack or some other problem and potentially ruin a collectible or piece of history.

I guess I am more concerned with getting a razor that equals the shave quality over a collectible, so would there be anything on the new market performance wise that is equal to the Bostonian?

 

[lasta]

Unfortunately a lot of pre 30's Gillette's are susceptible to cracking handles...I've had 3 New Improved razors, all had cracks.

I would suggest looking for a Tuckaway, 3 piece that will accept modern handles. Shaves the same as a Bostonian.

 

[lasta]

iKon Open Comb Deluxe is worth looking into. Based on the successor New Deluxe.

Although I don't like black razors...

 

[huck1680]

Spend the money get a Tatara Masamune OC.. Excellent razor. Or try a handful of new , truly excellent razors. Which may not Abe OC.

 

[Beefdrippings]

Maybe a RazoRock Old Type? Very inexpensive, brand new open comb. Obviously a copy of a Gillette old type but it might be the closest modern alternative

 

[nemo]

I picked up a Bostonian in the charity auction last year and it is one of my favorites ...

The Bostonian was only a model name and came as the New Improved, New DeLuxe, and the later New.
Confusing? A little, but the basic razor designs were made as many different models.
What I'm saying is you don't necessarily need to find a "Bostonian" for a similar backup.
New Improved has guide pins, DeLuxe has a flat bottom, New has a ridge -- which is yours?

 

[spacemonkey42]

I got a Razorock Old Type rather than test my luck with a vintage razor. They are cheap and very inexpensive. Plus you get an excellent handle with it.

 

[Joezamboni]

The Bostonian was only a model name and came as the New Improved, New DeLuxe, and the later New.
Confusing? A little, but the basic razor designs were made as many different models.
What I'm saying is you don't necessarily need to find a "Bostonian" for a similar backup.
New Improved has guide pins, DeLuxe has a flat bottom, New has a ridge -- which is yours?

He has the right idea. I managed to pick up a New Improved (tuckaway), New Deluxe (tuckaway) and New Long comb and had all the heads replated nickel. I have the look I like, the razors were user grade with meh plating so I kind of saved them and now they get a second use in my set. Pair them with my favorite aftermarket handle when I use them. I think I got the New Improved on here for $25 and the guy lived close so I just picked it up from him. I’m going to assumed with the number of teeth bent and no mention of breaks he has an ”Improved”

As long as the teeth aren’t bent there isn’t much that can go wrong. The New Improved can bend a little at the corners of the top cap but this is something that’s easy to get a sense of from pictures.

The bostonian handle is notorious for cracks. The tuckaway isn’t any better but I have a later version that isn’t cracked For my deluxe.

 

[huck1680]

I would go for a modern razor. The Razorine FlatBoy is an excellent choice as is the Karve OverLander in brass.

 

[huck1680]

Or if you have to have an OC...the Tarara Masamune OC a truly great OC shaver.

 

[Jbird45]

The Bostonian was only a model name and came as the New Improved, New DeLuxe, and the later New.
Confusing? A little, but the basic razor designs were made as many different models.
What I'm saying is you don't necessarily need to find a "Bostonian" for a similar backup.
New Improved has guide pins, DeLuxe has a flat bottom, New has a ridge -- which is yours?

Here is a picture of it. Based on your description I am assuming it is a New Improved?