The razor I'm looking for is on the corner where those two roads meet.
My English RFB NEW LC/prewar Tech cap/ATT Kronos and U.S. Goodwill LC/ATT Kronos are there so far.
What is your favorite Gillette NEW?
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The razor I'm looking for is on the corner where those two roads meet.
My English RFB NEW LC/prewar Tech cap/ATT Kronos and U.S. Goodwill LC/ATT Kronos are there so far.
I'm not 100% sure about this, but all Big Boys, Belmont/Criterion and Norfolk Deluxe I have seen have 17mm base plates, so that leaves the Red & Black sets and the Lady Gillette NEW Deluxe sets, which I haven't seen many.
I think I've read somewhere that the 15mm is a bit less common, but I'm not sure.
Here's Achim's Red & Black Deluxe, a 15mm:
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I've been wet shaving around 30 years, however I am relatively new to DE experience (though I wish I had discovered it much earlier). I also use heavy aftermarket handles and I feel that the 15mm is a very efficient razor and is also pretty smooth too (as always the YMMV caveat applies). I might add that my skin does not seem to be irritated easily.
How would you, and Nuclear, compare the 17mm Deluxe with a regular new LC (or a flat bottomed English if you have one)?
BTW my 15mm Deluxe looks like the Red & Black posted above.
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I assume you really mean the Flat Bottom, not the Raised Flat Bottom?
IMHO, the 17mm is quite a bit more efficient that a regular American LC, and tremendously more efficient that the UK Flat Bottom.The Flat Bottoms are IMO the mildest of all NEWs, it's not necessarily a bad thing though, they're extremely smooth and still decently efficient IMO.
The difference is not so obvious if we're talking about the UK RFB, which is without any doubts my #2 razor.
I have finally been successful in acquiring a 15 mm Deluxe that is in transit from the US right now.
I had one several years ago but had problems with it in comparison with the very mild Feather AS-D1 that was my only razor for 18 months. I have since moved on to more efficient razors and expect to fit the Deluxe into my rotation of 3 piece razors. I have used the 17 mm copy from the banned vendor without problems so this 15 mm Deluxe shouldn't be as raw as I remember it.
Thanks for the info, Nuclear. Congrats on the 15mm Deluxe, bosseb.
Thx for the feedback. Yes I was referring to a UK FB and not a UK RFB. The RFB is another NEW that I am lacking - One I was watching recently on the bay went for $130. It was a very clean example but a little rich for me. I guess I'll keep watching out for one.
I saw that one too, a bit pricey I agree ... I don't think it'll last though, one of these days they'll be chasing Fatboys again.
Can you define efficiency versus smoothness? Do you get an overall better shave (e.g., closer, less irritation, less passes, etc.) with the UK RFB versus a UK FB and/or American NEW LC?
Being new to wet shaving and open combs, I've just tried the Old Type, NEW SC, NEW LC, and a Gillette 7 O'clock. They all provided close shaves, but it seemed like the NEW LC and 7 O'clock offered less irritation and just felt really comfortable on the face.
Efficiency is the ability to get the job done with less passes/touch ups. Smoothness is, well ... smoothness ...
For example, I think the Old Type is the most efficient Gillette I have tried, but it's not the smoothest ... I'm willing to sacrifice some of that efficiency if I can get some extra smoothness, that balance between efficiency and smoothness is very important IMO.
I must say though, the Old Type is an excellent razor,but I'm not always in the mood for an Old Type shave ...
The 17mm Deluxe is perfect precisely because it gets the job done effortlessly and it's incredibly smooth at the same time. The RFB head is without a doubt my #2 razor, great razors too.
I also prefer the American LC to the UK Flat Bottoms, which are clearly my least favorite NEWs at this point.
It seems as though there are two questions here: a requested definition (for which you have provided your personal experience), and a requested choice (for which you have again provided a personal experience). This should keep me from going too far astray.
For decades, I wore starched, white shirts (and ties) to work, and for decades my throat sanded those shirt collars to fuzz and early retirement. I found shaving against the grain on my throat to be irritating, but worse, it left tiny weepers that resulted in tiny red dots on the collar. So for me, efficiency is a close shave that doesn't sand the shirt collar, and smoothness is a close shave that doesn't irritate or leave tiny weepers.
As to the second part of your question, I have LCs, SCs, and Deluxes, but have never tried any but the USA NEWS. I will, however, report that by width (from comb shoulder drop to shoulder drop) the Deluxes are the narrowest and the LCs are the widest. Additionally, the caps on the LCs (replated) are the narrower than the SCs and Deluxes. I had a hard time getting the calipers between the teeth, but the individual teeth on the Deluxes seemed wider (visually) and more sharply defined than the replated LCs.
After all that, I can tell you that my shaving experiences with the replated LCs (I haven't shaved with a non-replated LC in about six months now) consistently result in smoother, longer-lasting shaves with less irritation. (Confession: I have used only Deluxes during OCtober.)
Thanks Edgar and 'TADIII' for helping me understand how y'all use the terms and how the razors compare.
I'm enjoying trying new open comb razors thus far, and I plan to stick with the LC and/or 7 O'Clock for now. I'm entering the November gentlemanly restraint, and I need to give the wallet a rest!
I'm enjoying trying new open comb razors thus far, and I plan to stick with the LC and/or 7 O'Clock for now. I'm entering the November gentlemanly restraint, and I need to give the wallet a rest!
My new favorite NEW
How it arrived
And how I'll be useing it
How it arrived
And how I'll be useing it
I saw that one, came with a Wardonia set as well, right? The price was right too.
It's a very nice RFB, congrats!
It's a very nice RFB, congrats!
Yes it did, I'll be posting the Wardonia on the Not Gillette thread later tonight or tomorrow when I get some time. Had put a request for an English FB or RFB on B/S/T but got no offers so I had to go to Ebay UK to find one. Cost a bit more with shipping and all but She is so pretty !
P.S. the Wardonia looks like it may be really agressive.
I saw that one, came with a Wardonia set as well, right? The price was right too.
It's a very nice RFB, congrats!
P.S. the Wardonia looks like it may be really agressive.
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the sixty some odd dollars for the two razors was very fair price though, but yes im sure shipping brought that up a bit. nice razors, i remember that auction as well. i had asked if he/she would ship to the u.s. and said they would. i just decide to pass on it as i wasnt getting alont with the other rfb i have. still temping to buy these whenever you see them though, im just very attracted to the aesthetics of them, as they are also becoming more rare.
One question, Paul.
Does the lid of your case look like this:
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1941 (L2 on blade) NEW with Tech handle England.JPG
Or like this:
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1945 (P2 on blade) NEW No77 thin Tech handle.JPG
That is the regular Fat Handle, or the Thin Tech one?
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The various versions of the RFB NEW are my all-time favorite Gillettes. For me, they hit the sweet spot were smoothness and efficiency meet.
You don't see all that many RFB NEWs on BST, but you clearly landed a very nice one from merry ol' eBay-UK.
Is that an Elite Razor handle? It should go very well with the RFB.
The only set I have seen that combines the LC and that handle is this:
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1933 Exposition Model.JPG
That doesn't mean it was the only one though ... It was made post 1932, since it has the 3 patents stamped on the base plate.
Thanks for sharing.
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1933 Exposition Model.JPG
That doesn't mean it was the only one though ... It was made post 1932, since it has the 3 patents stamped on the base plate.
Thanks for sharing.
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