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Gillette Old-type?

Often hear that the Gillette Old-type is an aggressive razor due to the use of modern thinner blades. I have a Canadian Old-type but it seems the blade almost rests on the bottom open comb piece; there is little if any blade gap at all. Do I have a defective razor or is there more to aggression than blade gap?
 
Often hear that the Gillette Old-type is an aggressive razor due to the use of modern thinner blades. I have a Canadian Old-type but it seems the blade almost rests on the bottom open comb piece; there is little if any blade gap at all. Do I have a defective razor or is there more to aggression than blade gap?

That is exactly how mine is. I didn't find it a particularly aggressive razor, but didn't find it very smooth either. As always... YMMV
 
I heard the same thing about the Old-Type, especially with the open-combs. I'm not really sure what aggressive means, but I don't find them any harsher than my SuperSpeed or Ladies Gillette. That said, I did find that Derby blades treated me much better in the Old-Types than Feathers which treat me better in the SS or Ladies Gillette.

What you described about the blade resting on the comb is how mine are as well. Either that's the way it was intended or we've both got some goofed up razors, which I don't think is the case.
 
Good, so at least I know nothing's wrong with the razor. The razor is treating me pretty well. It cuts hair that didn't get cut with other razors because it lies so flat. I'm using it with a Gillette 7'o'clock and it's pretty smooth.
 
I've been quite pleasently surpised with the ABC old-types I've picked up. I love the handles, but was worried about wether it would be too aggressive (whatever that means) for me. They have become my favorite razors without a doubt.
 
I use an Old Type head everyday and get fantastic results. My blade rest's directly on the combs also. I thought that was normal. Either way I get really smooth shaves from it. I would say it's a bit more aggressive than my HD but smoother.
 
I don't find the Old Type aggressive at all. Personally, I find them to be a rather mild razor, all things considered. I think the reason they get labeled as aggressive is because they are an open comb razor and for whatever reason some equate an open comb razor as being an aggressive razor.
 
Ive wondered if maybe the reason they're mentioned as aggressive is the angle of the blade to the head? Due to the rounded head, the blade is less perpendicular to the handle than with many of the later Gillettes. Though I'm just speculating. Either way, I shaved with a Single Ring every day last week, and a Double Ring and a Bulldog this week, got great shaves from each and every one!
 
I don't know what blades the rest of you are using, but I have found that the combination of my Old Type or NEW with a NOS carbon "blue" blade is very aggressive. I have to stretch the skin to avoid a "catch then cut" scenario. It is nearest to straight shaving that I've experienced with a safety razor.
 
..It is nearest to straight shaving that I've experienced with a safety razor.
You should try a Gem Open Comb MicroMatic. Many people describe it as the closest you can get to straight razor shaving in a safety razor. :biggrin1:

Back OT:
So far, I've found my ball end Old Type to be a smooth shaving razor, almost better than my 40s SuperSpeed. That's with using modern, thin blades. I wonder if my opinion of the smoothness could be due to it being a FrankenRazor in that I fit the Old type head on an old plastic Atra handle.
 
Man, what's up with all these old thread being resurrected lately? I didn't even notice the date of the original post. Dur on me I guess. :lol:
 
I shaved with 2 open combs today for the first time. Old Type ball end and a Bostonian type. Both were very aggressive. Like a Fat Boy at 6 or above or a Red Tip. You can DEFINITELY feel the blade against your skin going from your chin to neck. I was super surprised that I did end up with hardly any rednedness after putting after shave on because it felt like the most aggressive shave I've ever had. It's the only DE shave that I have not needed to go back and clean up certain areas like jawbone, sides of neck, adams apple, cheeks, chin. I always do at least 4 passes and always have to do clean up but not this time! I'll definitely shave with the open combs again but I can't see makin' daily or even weekly use of it. A couple times a month at most. I have a Gillette Single Ring open comb coming in the mail Monday hopefully that came in a lot I won and the seller didn't know it was rare or a Gillette. Got it for under $10. Pretty stoked on that. I realized after winning that the Merkur HD seems to be a copy of it and now I'll have the original, COOL!
 
This thread still has life. And why not? If someone has a legitimate question, the question doesn't go away for everyone just because it appeared on a thread once, right? I saw this 4 year old thread today and learned something from it.

And I can add my 2 cents as well: I had the exact same experience with an Old Type that I got recently. The blade does sit very flat against the guard, but there is more than enough to cut whiskers. It does have less forgiveness, I felt. Less than the NEW open combs, and even less than the English NEW open combs. But, think about the time this razor was made -- from 1904 to 1920s (and later?). Most of the other gents were using cut throat razors, and they were use to an "agressive" razor and new how to handle one.

I feel that each razor requires at least a week of learning time. Some razors have a high learning curve, meaning they are less forgiving of technique that doesn't match that razor. The Old Types have a very high learning curve, I feel.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Third bump to the top!

If it's an OLD razor, and a new user, the question's answer is still relevant.

Like the others, I learned something here about my new OLD. Some are calling aggressive, some are calling it mild; I'm still undecided- all I can say is it did a perfect job with NO weepers or irritation at all. My technique was exceedingly careful, however, and the Astra SP isn't the most dangerous blade. But I am so impressed with the Gillette OLD. Much razor to appreciate here, and it will be 100 years old before you know it ... who shaves with OLD?


AA
 
I ran my old type a couple of weeks ago. Prepped as normal, loaded a new GSB (the same way I test all razors). My technique was exactly the same. I found it a bit too harsh for my liking.

Contrast this with my long comb New. That razor was a completely different animal. It provided an amazingly close shave that did not give nearly the neck issues the old type did.

Everyone is different, but that's my take. If you like the old type, shave on!
 
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