Brotherhood of the Open Comb

[Azarius]

Are the heads on a Merkur 1904 #41 & 11c the same?

The 1904 seems awfully light in weight.

The 1904 OC is a three piece head design, so if you want more weight, you can swap out the handle. The 11C HD is a two piece design, but the heads are identical. The problem for me with the 11c was that the comb is attached to the handle. I like to try out various handles and heads.

The 1904 OC I use everyday as my evening razor, I just love it.

[bluesbishop]

Excuse me, you got that mirror-like finish with newspaper?

Yep...newspaper...30 years ago that's what we used to polish our belt buckles with in the Marine Corp with brasso...
so Istill use the newspaper but with a milder polish for Razors....MAAS or Flitz works best...Mothers aluminum and mad polish has worked well for me too...

[Krona Kruiser]

Yep...newspaper...30 years ago that's what we used to polish our belt buckles with in the Marine Corp with brasso...
so Istill use the newspaper but with a milder polish for Razors....MAAS or Flitz works best...Mothers aluminum and mad polish has worked well for me too...

Those are the skills my dad taught from his time in the Army. I can also do a mean spit shine.

[mhdena]

The 1904 OC is a three piece head design, so if you want more weight, you can swap out the handle. The 11C HD is a two piece design, but the heads are identical. The problem for me with the 11c was that the comb is attached to the handle. I like to try out various handles and heads.

The 1904 OC I use everyday as my evening razor, I just love it.

Will a handle like a Sabi or Weber fit the 1904? How much difference between a 1904 oc shave and a 2010 r41 if you've used that also?

[fatthumb]

A replated Goodwill head with the diamond cut-out would look amazing on one of those handles. How much does the Tradere handle weigh?

~2.5 ounces (71.5 grams) according to the website http://www.tradererazors.com/The_Tradere_Handle.html

[itaforte]

Before Maas
After
Thanks for everyone's help with figuring out this type of razor

[Azarius]

Will a handle like a Sabi or Weber fit the 1904? How much difference between a 1904 oc shave and a 2010 r41 if you've used that also?

I use the handle from my Parker 97R on my 1904 all of the time. I could not answer about the Sabi or Weber, but I would guess that they would fit. I am ordering a few Sabi's this week (the T2 and T3), so I will let you know.

[bluesbishop]

Before Maas
After
Thanks for everyone's help with figuring out this type of razor

Looks great!!

[Azarius]

How much difference between a 1904 oc shave and a 2010 r41 if you've used that also?

Sorry about not answering the 2nd part of your question above. I had switched tabs and when I pressed auto restore I did not notice that it had not saved the next paragraph.

IMO, there is not a huge difference between the two. I do love my 2010 R41, but I use the 1904 much more often. They are both based on Old Type heads, so although I am sure that many would argue that they shave vastly different. If I put the 1904 head on the 2010 handle, I cannot tell the difference.

[OldGreyGuy]

Here is the one I picked up and cleaned up the Two Tones look pretty nice actually

Looks good, I think you have done a great job there, the two tone has come up well.

[chongo gordo]

Real quick demo. This is a Brasso before/after. I stripped the old plating with Brasso and it only took 5 minutes. Please don't do this on plating you like.

Not to beat a dead horse, but does anyone like, or try to preserve the gold tone finish? As I said previously, I'm expecting a razor with the gold tone plating pretty much intact. If there's any reason not to strip it I'd like to know.

[Dr Roadrash]

Will a handle like a Sabi or Weber fit the 1904? How much difference between a 1904 oc shave and a 2010 r41 if you've used that also?

The Sabi handle fits all my DEs new and vintage except for the FaTip and Joris which have unusual threads. So I would bet on it working but don't have a 1904.
Aaron

[Krona Kruiser]

Not to beat a dead horse, but does anyone like, or try to preserve the gold tone finish? As I said previously, I'm expecting a razor with the gold tone plating pretty much intact. If there's any reason not to strip it I'd like to know.

Many leave the razor alone. It's only really done when the plating is completely shot. It looks distinguished on some razors but ultimately, it's a personal choice.

[Touchy]

Pictures of the Gillette 20's Old Type I took on its maiden voyage today with a new Big Ben SS blade, my first ever with an OC. Love the feel & balance of the razor and handle. I don't consider the BB to be a sharp blade. I took a lot of time shaving, doing a lot of touch-up, experimenting with short and longer strokes. I got a smooth shave with no cuts or nicks but felt I really needed a sharper blade since I could feel drag. Any advice on technique with this razor would be appreciated. Couple of pics below, as promised.

And by the way, some of you must own a lot of razors! And all this experience with different handles! What I'm finding in my short time with the DE is that I prefer the fatter, shorter handles of this new OC and my Tech.

Happy Shaving!

Polished Old Type

[bluesbishop]

Pictures of the Gillette 20's Old Type I took on its maiden voyage today with a new Big Ben SS blade, my first ever with an OC. Love the feel & balance of the razor and handle. I don't consider the BB to be a sharp blade. I took a lot of time shaving, doing a lot of touch-up, experimenting with short and longer strokes. I got a smooth shave with no cuts or nicks but felt I really needed a sharper blade since I could feel drag. Any advice on technique with this razor would be appreciated. Couple of pics below, as promised.

And by the way, some of you must own a lot of razors! And all this experience with different handles! What I'm finding in my short time with the DE is that I prefer the fatter, shorter handles of this new OC and my Tech.

Happy Shaving!

Polished Old Type

That is a sweet looking razor!! I would try a sharper blade...maybe a Red IP, or a Gillette Black...or may favorite black the Supermax super Platinum, which for me is the perfect balance of sharp and smooth

[Touchy]

Don't have any you advise but will look to try them when I do. As it happens, when I finished my morning shave I loaded a Timor with a couple of shaves on it for tomorrow's round 2! It also dawned on me this morning, I used to be a chef so why wouldn't I want to use sharper blades? - I wouldn't prepare food with a a dull knife! As long as they're smooth anyway. Big Ben isn't cutting it, at least in this OC. My sample pack only had Lords SS & P, Big Ben's, Timor, Merkur and Rainbow. I added the single packs of WS Black, U.S. Personna, Gillette Platinum, Astra and Feather later on. I've tried all of these in my 23C mostly with mixed/limited results. Feather is the onlly one I'm certain about so far though I like some of the others.

I don't even know if Big Ben is listed on the blade bank thread but I've got a few I'll package to donate/trade in the near future when I've had time to try my sampler pack in the newer acquisitions. Probably most of them are going bye-bye. Thanks for the tip, as usual.

[coyotewhisper]

Looking very nice.

[bluesbishop]

QUOTE=Touchy;4026242]Don't have any you advise but will look to try them when I do. As it happens, when I finished my morning shave I loaded a Timor with a couple of shaves on it for tomorrow's round 2! It also dawned on me this morning, I used to be a chef so why wouldn't I want to use sharper blades? - I wouldn't prepare food with a a dull knife! As long as they're smooth anyway. Big Ben isn't cutting it, at least in this OC. My sample pack only had Lords SS & P, Big Ben's, Timor, Merkur and Rainbow. I added the single packs of WS Black, U.S. Personna, Gillette Platinum, Astra and Feather later on. I've tried all of these in my 23C mostly with mixed/limited results. Feather is the onlly one I'm certain about so far though I like some of the others.

I don't even know if Big Ben is listed on the blade bank thread but I've got a few I'll package to donate/trade in the near future when I've had time to try my sampler pack in the newer acquisitions. Probably most of them are going bye-bye. Thanks for the tip, as usual.[/QUOTE]


Well Chef...as you said..you wouldn't use a dull knife! if you have a favorite blade...pop it in there! I always use my fav blades in any new razor, before I try other blades

[Touchy]

Trust the instincts - will do! Gotta fly!

[alex2363]

Pictures of the Gillette 20's Old Type I took on its maiden voyage today with a new Big Ben SS blade, my first ever with an OC. Love the feel & balance of the razor and handle. I don't consider the BB to be a sharp blade. I took a lot of time shaving, doing a lot of touch-up, experimenting with short and longer strokes. I got a smooth shave with no cuts or nicks but felt I really needed a sharper blade since I could feel drag. Any advice on technique with this razor would be appreciated. Couple of pics below, as promised.

And by the way, some of you must own a lot of razors! And all this experience with different handles! What I'm finding in my short time with the DE is that I prefer the fatter, shorter handles of this new OC and my Tech.

Happy Shaving!

Polished Old Type

great OC set, i would do light pressure until you get used to the razor, just do slow baby hook strokes and make sure you good lather, it will take practice but worth it,