I have a Gillette Single Ring Old Type and a New Deluxe. I'm considering buying a New Improved. Does anyone have experience with all three of these razors. I'd like to know how the New Improved compares with the others and if it is significantly different.
Question about Gillette New Improved
- Thread starter den fly
- Start date
I have a Single Ring (1920) Old Type that I consider more aggressive than my Big Fellow New Improved (circa 1921-1928?).
Both are a joy to look at and hold, functional, outstanding Gillette designs, and are among my favorites.
I use the Single Ring after abstaining from shaving for a few days. It has a thinner, curved cap, with thinner, sharper teeth (don't drop it!). It's nimble, precise and may require better technique.
The Big Fellow is a special occasion or anytime razor. It is larger, heavier, well balanced, with a flat guard-plate, thick head and thicker teeth.
Both are a joy to look at and hold, functional, outstanding Gillette designs, and are among my favorites.
I use the Single Ring after abstaining from shaving for a few days. It has a thinner, curved cap, with thinner, sharper teeth (don't drop it!). It's nimble, precise and may require better technique.
The Big Fellow is a special occasion or anytime razor. It is larger, heavier, well balanced, with a flat guard-plate, thick head and thicker teeth.
I have two New Improved Single Ring styles (there isn't really a name for them as the names are linked to the presentation case names) but they are basically 3-piece razors in the style of a single ring, as well as a Silver Plated Tuckaway (still a 3-piece, but along the lines of a 3-piece Old Type or NEW). In my humble but accurate opinion, the New Improved is smoother than an Old Type Thin Cap (the Old Type Thick Cap is better than the thins) and is smoother than the New Deluxe. The New Improved series are also way better looking, and the presentation cases (when you can find them) are unrivaled. The only edge I would give to the Gillette NEW razors (Long and Short Comb) is that they center a modern blade better/easier, mainly because the New Improveds were designed for the old three-hole carbon blades, but you can still use modern blades, just watch the side to side when tightening. Because they clamp and support the blade so tightly, the New Improved razors also shave very smoothly with stainless or carbon (I prefer vintage carbon thin blades in a New Improved) blades -- with a carbon blade they give a shave much like a carbon straight razor (superior post shave face-feel).
The Gillette Old Types and the NEW razors were desined by accountants focused on selling blades and making money, while the New Improved series were designed by engineers with a flair for art deco design. Okay, if I didn't let on before, I'm a big, big fan.
The Gillette Old Types and the NEW razors were desined by accountants focused on selling blades and making money, while the New Improved series were designed by engineers with a flair for art deco design. Okay, if I didn't let on before, I'm a big, big fan.
- Thread starter
- #4
One thing for sure. I love the decco style of the New Improved. They are beautiful looking razors.
