So many things and so little time to try them all. But her goes a very biased view of razors:
1. Gillette "Fat Boy" - A nice, quality razor BUT tremendously overpriced on Ebay and like sites. Come on, these were made in great quantities and are not rare and are not that good for what is being paid today. Over $40.00 is a crime. I know, I know, supply and demand, power of the marketplace and the like but these razors are over rated and overpriced in a sane market. I have two and they tend to be rough on my face. They do have the value however of being able to adjust somewhat to whatever blade you choose for the day. People rave about them being heavy and well built - but so were steam engines and you wouldn't want to shave with them. Too much hype. Just OK even if they are heavy.
2. Gillette red tip SS - My favorite of all the Gillettes. Nice feel, balance and looks. I can use almost every blade in this razor and get a good shave. If I feel the need for a good bleeding, I can put in a Feather. If you care more about shaving than about collecting, a beat up one can be had on Ebay for very little and this is about all I really need for shaving. My #1.
3. Gillette Ranger - If any Gillette deserves to command the price that the "Fat Boy" does it's this razor. Made only in 1941 and a bit uncommon, samples can still easily be found. Thin handle, heavy head, it is a very mild razor and is the only one that I use the dreaded Feather in. Mild razor - lethal blade. Just the perfect marriage. My #2.
4. Gillette SS 40's/50's/60's - I have some real favorites here but not because of the way they shave (they are almost all the same) but because they are a link with my past. I have a 47 SS that I like because that was the year I was born and also the only year the SS had a no-notch center plate. A '58 TV Sports promo SS that has the no horizontal line handle and reminds me of watching the Gillette Cavacade of Sports ("is on the air") on TV with my dad - loved those fights. I have a '62 SS for the years I was in HS. I always think of the hands that must have touched these razors and the faces, probably long since gone, that they shaved. My #3 on down.
There is no best razor, blade, brush etc. . Its like deciding who was the best QB in football, best football team ever, best ... you name it. It is great fun, very interesting but is just fun. Not life and death (excluding the Feather). Razors are like wifes - most men have one (or maybe two) so have fun. With razors, you can cheat right in front of your wife in the bathroom and she doesn't even suspect.
All this is just another way of telling you why I didn't marry the fat girl down the street. Just a matter of taste.
1. Gillette "Fat Boy" - A nice, quality razor BUT tremendously overpriced on Ebay and like sites. Come on, these were made in great quantities and are not rare and are not that good for what is being paid today. Over $40.00 is a crime. I know, I know, supply and demand, power of the marketplace and the like but these razors are over rated and overpriced in a sane market. I have two and they tend to be rough on my face. They do have the value however of being able to adjust somewhat to whatever blade you choose for the day. People rave about them being heavy and well built - but so were steam engines and you wouldn't want to shave with them. Too much hype. Just OK even if they are heavy.
2. Gillette red tip SS - My favorite of all the Gillettes. Nice feel, balance and looks. I can use almost every blade in this razor and get a good shave. If I feel the need for a good bleeding, I can put in a Feather. If you care more about shaving than about collecting, a beat up one can be had on Ebay for very little and this is about all I really need for shaving. My #1.
3. Gillette Ranger - If any Gillette deserves to command the price that the "Fat Boy" does it's this razor. Made only in 1941 and a bit uncommon, samples can still easily be found. Thin handle, heavy head, it is a very mild razor and is the only one that I use the dreaded Feather in. Mild razor - lethal blade. Just the perfect marriage. My #2.
4. Gillette SS 40's/50's/60's - I have some real favorites here but not because of the way they shave (they are almost all the same) but because they are a link with my past. I have a 47 SS that I like because that was the year I was born and also the only year the SS had a no-notch center plate. A '58 TV Sports promo SS that has the no horizontal line handle and reminds me of watching the Gillette Cavacade of Sports ("is on the air") on TV with my dad - loved those fights. I have a '62 SS for the years I was in HS. I always think of the hands that must have touched these razors and the faces, probably long since gone, that they shaved. My #3 on down.
There is no best razor, blade, brush etc. . Its like deciding who was the best QB in football, best football team ever, best ... you name it. It is great fun, very interesting but is just fun. Not life and death (excluding the Feather). Razors are like wifes - most men have one (or maybe two) so have fun. With razors, you can cheat right in front of your wife in the bathroom and she doesn't even suspect.
All this is just another way of telling you why I didn't marry the fat girl down the street. Just a matter of taste.
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