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First impressions of new Gillette Black Beauty.

My first Gillette Super Adjustable, aka the Black Beauty arrived this weekend. Beautiful! Was the first impression. Used but in great shape. Doors and dial run smoothly, black shaft has no chips or brassing and neither does the head or the doors. The date code is T2 which makes that a '73 which means that this little beauty is 40 years old. Fantastic. I like the top heavy feel it has and the robust feel for something that has a couple of mechanical tricks up its sleeve.

I popped in a Gillette Platinum and lathered up with Proraso sensitive white. (I've only had 2 shaves with the proraso white and I'm loving the lather I'm getting).I set the gillette on 5 and figured I can go up or down depending on the first pass.

Well I didn't need to adjust it. Got a DFS on the first pass and only had to do a few xtg strokes to get a bbs on the face. A second pass on the neck and I got the DFS I usually settle for on the neck. No nicks or cuts, just 1 tiny weeper between chin and lower lip. That's my weeper hot spot.

while I might try other razors now and again, I can see this being my go to razor for the time being.if you've got one sitting unused in your shave den, then crack it out and lather up. It deserves it.

-nick

here she is beside my little Edwin.
 

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This weekend, along with the black beauty, I got a fat boy, first production year, a super speed black handle from 66 and a slim that's stuck on 1 that I will probably attempt to restore at some later date. That's why I bought it.

If I buy another razor any time soon, it will probably be the long handle version of the black beauty.
 
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I have a black beauty I2 1988,later versions have a plastic base under the butterfly doors.The earlier models from 1969 have metal bases.Metal base models weight is about 2.4 oz and the later plastic bases wieght is 2 oz. I don.t like the later versions (plastic) because they feel light.I think the Fat Boy or even SS slim adjustables shave much better( in my opinion).Every one is different.
Russ
 
Just shaved with my birth quarter razor that arrived today. My new Gillette Slim adjustable date code L4.
Tabac shaving cream, Astra blade. It was a pleasure shaving with it. First and second pass on 5. Mild, smooth yet close shave.
 

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I have the long handle Black Beauty. I was also looking for the short handled version but found a Slim for less money and decided to get that just for even more variety.
 
I think that the Gillette 1950.s version of SS-TTO (non-adj) feel great and shave at about the 5 setting on the adjustables.I love the SS slim adj but always put it up to keep it nice,then I go back to my 1953 TTO which has some brassing under the head.Its fun to continually experiment.I also use Astra SP blades and once in a while a Gillette Plat Plus.Does it make sense to find a razor you like and then put it up to keep it nice? Annal I guess.
 
I have the long handle Black Beauty. I was also looking for the short handled version but found a Slim for less money and decided to get that just for even more variety.
Where I said, this completes my rotation for a while, well right after "while" is up, the long handle black beauty is next. The Super feels great in my hand but I really want to try the larger long handle version. Then the rotation will be a bit more complete :) Astras and gillette adjustables are a great combo.

But I shouldn't even be doing this! I'm supposed to be learning straight shaving and using the DEs if I'm a bit rashed, or touching up where I didn't do a good job with the straight. Which is a lot of places, because I've only had 8 shaves with the dovo so far. I just keep getting drawn to another totally chilled out shave with a vintage gillette, and I'm neglecting my straight razor training.
 
I just used my short-handle Super Adjustable again today. It is one of my favorite razors; smooth and easy to use, but quite close. I use mine at a setting of 6, with Astra blades. I love it!
 
You have more guts than I do. Your right, there are a lot of good Gillette razors out there.A never ending mystery.Good luck on your straight razor shaving. Go easy!!!
 
I started with straight razors about 2 months ago and with DE razors about 1 3/4 months ago :)

I use them both but if my face is getting nicked up I stick with the DE's for a few shaves and then back back to straights for all the easy stuff and then touch up the chin/upper lip area with a DE.
 
Wish I had one "lying around" in a drawer somewhere :D I've been hunting for a good adjustable for a while, just need to get it at the right price
 
You have more guts than I do. Your right, there are a lot of good Gillette razors out there.A never ending mystery.Good luck on your straight razor shaving. Go easy!!!

Thanks, it's going ok. Chin area is tricky. A lot of technique to learn.
 
I started with straight razors about 2 months ago and with DE razors about 1 3/4 months ago :)

I use them both but if my face is getting nicked up I stick with the DE's for a few shaves and then back back to straights for all the easy stuff and then touch up the chin/upper lip area with a DE.

Yep. Same here. And I'm lovin it.
 
Wish I had one "lying around" in a drawer somewhere :D I've been hunting for a good adjustable for a while, just need to get it at the right price

Try the market place here. I got mine from the bay, but prices are getting silly. Another B&B member might just have a nice user grade razor for sale at a more reasonable price.
 
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