Rant: Just can't get a good shave with vintage Gillettes...

[DesertIguana]

Bottom line is if your one of the group that don’t get desired results from Vintage Gillette.

Find something you like, that works, and repot back via NEW POST.

 

[NorthernSoul]

These two statements are a little contradictory.

Either these razors are extremely easy to use, or there’s a code to crack. Can’t be both.

I think the problem is chasing BBS. I am sure millions of people were happy with just getting a socially acceptable shave. It’s when I am trying to get a BBS quality shave that I have issues.

You can read lots of posts here from people who do get BBS shaves with these razors. So, that means it is possible to get that result with these razors.

Unfortunately, you are not getting the BBS results you want, even though many others have. Meaning, it is probably not some limitation in the razors themselves, and you might be able to get similar results, also.

That doesn't seem contradictory.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Well, chiming in to say that I went on a small shopping spree, bought 5 different vintage Gillettes (6 actually but two were identical) and four of them give me good to great shaves, with one (40's style Superspeed) being a bit temperamental and sometimes "angry".

The ones that I love using:

1972 Super 84. It shaves better than my 1971 Super 109, most likely because of different balance. It's a very nimble shaver.

1956 Flare tip Superspeed. Mild yet efficient.

1967 Black handle Superspeed. Very similar to the older one, a bit lighter.

1962 Slim Adjustable.

I am getting better with Pre-War Tech. But the post-war one... no luck. Just too mild.

 

[AshleyC]

I hardly mess with my Super Speeds and two Techs anymore. It isn't that I can't get good shaves from them, but the aggressive stuff and/or technologically interesting stuff just gets my attention more. I passed on a $14 black handle Super Speed today, even though it was the best-looking specimen of a black handle I've seen in the wild.

I knew it would just end up as a display model, and I think it is better that someone else discover it. If you live in southwestern Ohio, I can tell you where it is!

My vintage Gillettes that still get action are my red tip Super Speed--I just painted the tip with fingernail polish while listening to the Reds pre-game--my two Fatboys, a Slim, a 109 Super Adjustable, and a Soviet copy of the 109.

Otherwise, it's my modern stuff.

 

[profusion]

I am getting better with Pre-War Tech. But the post-war one... no luck. Just too mild.

That's a pretty common opinion about the post-war Tech.

For me, the mildness had the opposite effect to what you might think--I was pressing harder and getting horrible razor burn. Now that I've learned more about how to use it, I'm up to a comfortable DFS shave with a Feather in it.

I think it was made to produce a "safe" everyday shave, not a perfect one, at a time when facial hair was not socially acceptable and "days off" were impossible. However, there are certainly gents here who achieve BBS with their post-wars. It was also designed to be cheaper to manufacture than the NEW had been.

 

[Umma2gumma]

That's a pretty common opinion about the post-war Tech.

For me, the mildness had the opposite effect to what you might think--I was pressing harder and getting horrible razor burn. Now that I've learned more about how to use it, I'm up to a comfortable DFS shave with a Feather in it.

I think it was made to produce a "safe" everyday shave, not a perfect one, at a time when facial hair was not socially acceptable and "days off" were impossible. However, there are certainly gents here who achieve BBS with their post-wars. It was also designed to be cheaper to manufacture than the NEW had been.

It co-existed with Flare Tip Superspeeds, which I think are great shavers. (And of course the adjustables). So clearly there was an attempt to provide the customers with at least three different options for finding the best razor that worked for them.

The flare tips are also very mild and a tad less efficient than my modern razors, but the needle was moved towards efficiency just far enough that I can still get a BBS shave using a sharp blade without all the extra scrubbing and irritation. So with the Tech, the mildness doesn't offset the poor quality of shave (DFS is not good enough for me when I can get an effortless BBS with a Variant, sorry). With Superspeeds, the mildness is great because it also comes with the ability to get BBS.

 

[profusion]

It co-existed with Flare Tip Superspeeds, which I think are great shavers. (And of course the adjustables). So clearly there was an attempt to provide the customers with at least three different options for finding the best razor that worked for them.

The flare tips are also very mild and a tad less efficient than my modern razors, but the needle was moved towards efficiency just far enough that I can still get a BBS shave using a sharp blade without all the extra scrubbing and irritation. So with the Tech, the mildness doesn't offset the poor quality of shave (DFS is not good enough for me when I can get an effortless BBS with a Variant, sorry). With Superspeeds, the mildness is great because it also comes with the ability to get BBS.

The Tech was made to be inexpensive. If the SS gave a worse shave, no one would have paid more for them.

 

[Frankie0210]

I have absolutely no problems getting a great shave with a variety of modern razors. Two Parker Variants (original and OC), three Baili razors (the mild BD176, the slightly less mild BD179 TTO, and med-aggressive BT131), Maggard V3A (the blade exposure looks scary but it's an excellent and forgiving shaver), Muhle R41 (for me it's too aggressive for everyday shaving, skin starts to burn after a few days, but I can absolutely get a good shave out of it anytime).

I have no such luck with my vintage Gillettes. Specifically, let's talk Super 109.

I tried it again this morning. Very, very carefully watching the shave angle and pressure. Setting it to 7. Using a sharp blade (Bic). Carefully applying lather. I did get BBS but it still required a few extra passes, and now my throat and under the chin areas are somewhat irritated.

With, say, Maggard I just do three passes with minimal cleanup and no irritation.

I am starting to think that this razor is just too mild for me and no matter what I do, it will not get better. Either I don't do all that extra cleanup and don't get the shave quality I am looking for, or I get irritation.

Same with the post-war Tech. It's super mild and will not irritate at all, but it will not provide the clean efficient shave I am used to unless I go extra length trying to get BBS.

Just wondering if anyone had realized that these post-war Gillettes are just too mild for them, or if there's a few tricks I did not try yet.

I could never get a decent shave with the vintage Gillettes. That's why i like the modern razors.

 

[Umma2gumma]

I could never get a decent shave with the vintage Gillettes. That's why i like the modern razors.

Well did you read my last post ?

 

[DesertIguana]

Mr. Gillette’sRazor freed lot of folk from shaving with straight.

Small percentage of population did not like Gillette Razors.

Gillette own large prying of shaver loyal to Gillette.

 

[horizon]

I've only tried one retro Gillette razor so far and I'm honestly glad I didn't like it, thus saving me a lot of money for a possible retro razor obsession. It didn't go smoothly and was significantly less efficient than the modern razors I have.

 

[dmshaver]

I have quite a few vintage Gillette's which deliver a very nice shave. I have several others that deliver a superb shave. I also have several modern razors that deliver a superb shave. It's all about what works for you. Find it & it doesn't matter what others say, it's what works for your face.