I picked up an Old Type recently as well, and took it for a spin yesterday for the first time. The first thing I noticed was the blade alignment was a little tricky and took me a good 5 minutes to get even exposure on both sides. However, after that I was plain sailing and got one of my closest ever shaves. It's also my first open comb so didn't know what to expect which probably added to the quality of the shave as I was super careful and gave it my full attention.
Gillette Old Type or Dark side of the Gillette
- Thread starter Mougrim
- Start date
I use Gillette Old Type all the time, as well as a few razors from that era. It's really smooth. I don't like later models. Gentlemen, English is not my native language, so I apologize if there are mistakes in the text. I am attaching some of my photos of these razors.
I have a 1918 old type single ring,it's 1 of my favorites.it shaves like a demon!!i also have a slightly later ball end old type with the 102a head.for the life of me can't get a decent shave from it.i only have a small collection of 11 gillettes so I'll keep it for now lol
If there is a radical difference in the shaves one gets between Old Types it's likely reflecting damage to the razor{s). :They are very easlily sent out of whack with bumps or drops, something Gillette sought to address with its later models.
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If there is any damage to the razors,it's microscopic..because I'm very anal about tools and blades and such.all the teeth are straight and aligned.the trouble for me comes from the 102a thicker head.it has almost no blade feel and i compensate by using pressure...that leads to bumps.i understand what you're saying...but I've already figured out the issue i have with it
..thanks though mateSee the inner corners of the top cap if they are bent and they don't allow the cap to go low enough to hold the blade to all it's length.If there is any damage to the razors,it's microscopic..because I'm very anal about tools and blades and such.all the teeth are straight and aligned.the trouble for me comes from the 102a thicker head.it has almost no blade feel and i compensate by using pressure...that leads to bumps.i understand what you're saying...but I've already figured out the issue i have with it
Hey thanks mate..i check them out thoroughly when I'm cleaning them up, when i 1st get them ay.i appreciate your comment though.all my users are in top condition
The one catch regarding the Old Type is that back then the blades were thicker and stiffer. So perhaps you are right that there can be a problem if the blade is not held securely. I've got some in very good condition, though, that weren't excessively priced. You need to look at the photos closely. There are some trustworthy BIN sellers, too.
I am willing to let you in on a little secret of mine, if you promise not to tell anyone?
Do you promise?
OK, here's the secret:
Silly Putty.
Shhhh!
Instead of a shim, just put a tiny bit in the gap to help hold the blade securely.
I'm a traditionalist, and prefer the original, rather than the unicorn sprinkles or the pumpkin latte smelling versions.
Don't forget: Mum's the word!
I am willing to let you in on a little secret of mine, if you promise not to tell anyone?
Do you promise?
OK, here's the secret:
Silly Putty.
Shhhh!
Instead of a shim, just put a tiny bit in the gap to help hold the blade securely.
I'm a traditionalist, and prefer the original, rather than the unicorn sprinkles or the pumpkin latte smelling versions.
Don't forget: Mum's the word!
I have three Old Types in the photo. Two shave aggressively and one softly. I don’t know what is the reason. Maybe you should buy another razor like this. They are not expensive. Due to the huge circulation, even after a hundred years, there are a lot of them on sale.
I found a more aggressive razor I like a lot. Ikon Tech!!
www.wellshaved.gr
iKon ShaveCraft 104 'Tech' Head
iKon ShaveCraft 104 'Tech' HeadΒάρος κεφαλής : 24 γραμμάριαΚατασκευασμένη από μασίφ αλουμίνιοΕξαιρετικά επιθετικήΔεν είναι κατάλληλη για καθημερινό ξύρισμα
www.wellshaved.gr
The OT just takes a different angle to be both efficient and comfortable. They like a shallower angle, with the handle farther from your face, and they they cut and don't scrape, or at least that's how mine likes to be handled. Steeper seems to scrape, sort of like my R41 close, it's just not as forgiving as the NEW SC.
You may also want to try different blades, as my OT and to some degree my SC, shave and feel different with various blades. I find the Pol-Silver, Nacet, and oddly a Feather, seem to work really well in them, the Wilkinson Sword, Astra SP, Bolzano (hate that blade), and German Personna not so smooth.
You may also want to try different blades, as my OT and to some degree my SC, shave and feel different with various blades. I find the Pol-Silver, Nacet, and oddly a Feather, seem to work really well in them, the Wilkinson Sword, Astra SP, Bolzano (hate that blade), and German Personna not so smooth.
Old Types can appear to be in great condition until you know what to look for then some might surprise you. My 1916 Single Ring below.
Before. Notice the corners of the cap and the airspace around the blade.
After 30 seconds with a steel nail file to remove those 'feet' on the cap corners.
It was barely usable in the first picture but after filing those 'feet' off, it became wonderfully smooth.
For a comparison, my made in Canada Old Type that is perfectly straight and square. Notice how firmly the blade is clamped to the flats of the teeth in the comb.
Before. Notice the corners of the cap and the airspace around the blade.
After 30 seconds with a steel nail file to remove those 'feet' on the cap corners.
It was barely usable in the first picture but after filing those 'feet' off, it became wonderfully smooth.
For a comparison, my made in Canada Old Type that is perfectly straight and square. Notice how firmly the blade is clamped to the flats of the teeth in the comb.
+1 and a big Amen to this.
True up the corners per the @Esox Method and the Old Type is an awesome and very sweet shaving razor.
I know the secret of this shaving system. It's good if some corporation starts making blades like this again. I like to match the spirit of the era. I have a lot of these blades. Hard to get. And this is not a wedge razor where you can sharpen for a long time. Bilaterals have little resource. GEM one-sided, more.
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