How many people buy DE razors to shave with or collect?

I personally like to collect some popular Gillette DE razors and I bought some new DE razors like the Merkurs. I shave with both vintage Gillettes and the new Merkurs. I think a lot of new people who are just getting into the hobby who just want a good shave and save money should just buy a new DE razor like the Merkurs/Parkers. The Merkurs usually shave close enough, the razors aren't that expensive and best of all you don't have to boil, clean, polish and lub the razors like the used Gillettes. I think vintage Gillettes have turned into the "new collectable" on Ebay and prices are becoming so high, that buying them to shave with isn't alway practical. Also you can't see the razor until you get it in your hands. I guess if you found a very good to excellent condition vintage Gillette razor at a junk shop of antique store for a few bucks, yeah buy it, it's a good deal. But most people don't really need old Gillette razors. Just buy a new DE razor for $24-30 a one time purchase and you're set unless you are a collector who wants to spend hundreds of dollars on used razors. Yeah there are some deals to be found on Ebay, but they are getting harder to find now that old razors are in such high demand.

I'm not to the collecting level. Yet.

Right now, I have two of most of the razors I like: Lady Gillette, Knack, Schick Krona, and Superspeed (different years). And I use them all.

If I came across something at an antique store that was nice, I'd probably get it. But collecting without using is not in my blood. Yet.

I have the bug for collecting them Will be spending Saturday hunting some down.

Mostly to shave with.

Eddie

Some people collect coins and others match books. Why not razors?
Some of these are like pieces of fine art while other are great examples of inginuity and still others a fantastic piece of history.
I agree the prices seem to be going through the roof, isn't everything?
Prices will go up and they will go down. That's just the way it is. I've seen it time and again with many things.

Fads and crazys come and go as well. Wet shaving and the use of DE's are on the rise with more and more guys switching back to it while still more young fellows are learning about it at a younger age. Hey, I've turned 6 guys at work into DE wet shavers since christmas alone. The demand is up, plain and simple.

Me, I collect and I use them. You think you have it tough, I need to buy 2 of everything to keep my RAD in check. I'll pay top dollar for a mint piece but then I need to find one that I can shave with, at least once.

You know, it really is a rather inexpensive hobby compared to many others.
As for using, sure you can by a new razor for 30 to 50 plus bucks and get a good shave or you can spend the same and get a piece of history that will shave as good if not better than the new stuff and it will last you a lifetime.
Yes so yo may have to spend a half hour and envoke a little pride to clean up an old razor but is that really asking to much, a half hour.

BTW, I have about 45 razors here that I will sell for between 15 and 35 dollars and they are clean and ready to go when I ship them, just like a new one.

Enjoy the shave....

thirdeye said:

Me, I collect and I use them. You think you have it tough, I need to buy 2 of everything to keep my RAD in check. I'll pay top dollar for a mint piece but then I need to find one that I can shave with, at least once.

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I thought I was the only one to do that. Gotta have a looker and a shaver.

The thing is, I like the old Gillettes better for shaving than I do the Merkurs. Cleaning an old one is not the big deal it may sound like. When I pick one up somewhere for three or four dollars I only spend twenty or thirty minutes cleaning and disinfecting it. When I have finished I have, in my opinion, a better-made razor than I could get from Merkur for $35. I did buy a Merkur HD. A nice razor, shaves me well, but not any better than my junk-shop Techs and Superspeeds. Yeah, EBay is pricey. But it is the only way I know to get the mint collectibles.

I've been thinking about this idea of collecting razors. I started collecting them as right after Christmas, but my collection is, and will probably stay a user collection. I don't think I want nor could I afford a mint condition razor. $50.00 for me, is just about out of the range of possibility unless the razor is like new. As an example, someone on B&B was offering a some new in the box Gillettes for what looks like a really good price. If I buy one though, I'll buy it to use it so the value will probably drop through the floor. Another example is the rocket, I just got a great shaver, but it's not much to look at. I'll be wanting add another one to the collection sometime soon, but I don't have any idea what to ask for. I definitely cant afford the $100+ price tags I've seen on mint rockets & aristocrats and such and like I said, I want to use it. I don't really have any idea of what price range to look in.

I bought on eBay an Aristocrat and a Fatboy. I expect to collect some more. They fun gadgets.

DaveS

I collect them and use them for shaving. Like MTGrayling I have shavers and lookers. My family dont understand it, but some of those razors are works of art, and they're only going to get scarcer as the years go by. Having said that some of the prices on ebay seem a bit steep, but supply and demand rules. If its just a fad, then the prices will come back down, or as people realise that old razor of grandads they were going to chuck out is worth something, the supply might increase. The hard ones to find will be the mint condition common razors in their boxes, as these are more likely to have been used in the first place.

so far, I haven't bought a razor I wouldn't shave with or a car I wouldn't drive.

I used to shave with pretty much every razor that I bought. After a while, I decided none of them shaved better than my plain old 40's Super Speed. I do have a few razors that I keep in my rotation for some variety (a 40's SS, a Fat boy, a Sticky, a GEM G-bar, and a Merkur HD and Progress), but for the most part, I keep my collectibles separate from my shavers. My mint razors stay mint.

MTgrayling said:

I thought I was the only one to do that. Gotta have a looker and a shaver.

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Me 2

I've never been much for buying anything I am afraid to use. I have a couple of minty Gillettes and wouldn't mind some more but I do not want to get into the bidding wars on ebay. I use the Gillettes occasionally but my Merkur 38C is my everyday razor. I have a friend who frequents large flea markets during the summer and I'm going to have him look for some nice razors for me to add to what I have if he can find them at reasonable prices.

Shaving. except for my birthday razor.... and a handfull of backup razors...

Right now I'm just looking for shavers. I've only been using a DE for 5 months so I don't know what I like best yet. I'm mostly after common razors with good reputations and a beater of a toggle (grandfather used one). I'll probably end up keeping a few that I like to shave with and sell the rest. I've got one that I need to list (duplicate) and another one that will probably be sold as well.

I really don't have a need to have pristine razors, I'm just going to use them anyway.

I want them all, I want them to look nice, and I want to use them all.

If I find one that I really like, I keep looking and buy 2,3...5 because I know they're not being made anymore.

You never know what disaster could befall a rugged piece of metal that's treated like it were made of paper-thin china.

To use: SS TTO 1948-53 & Red Tip.

I use DE's to shave and collect because I can't not do so!

I am glad someone noted above, that he had a Lady Gillette razor. I like it cause it has a SS head and that longer handle with the ball on the end allows for superior control.
A truly great Gillette.

I buy em to shave with but I am sure at some point the bug will bite me....