Finding your razor....

Over the years I have experimented with quite a few DE razors as well as
STR8'S. I'm a vintage guy but can easily be swayed to a shinny new DE for a go.
Unlike some I like to have my daily workhorse in current rotation. All right maybe now and again I'll switch up the pace and breakout one I have not used in a few months just for fun.
I recently sold my straights, strops and hones, some love it but I enjoy the advancement of the DE razor, period.

My Humble Hardware with my opinion of each.
The Merkur H.D: Most beginner's choice, why not. Solid no frills, German made D.E. A tad bit agresive under the chin, for $30+ good deal.
My problem with this Razor is the overall quality is kind of hit and miss. Mine has an uneven blade gap, nothing glaring but I can tell the difference from the two sides of the razor. Minimal but German precision ?? I picture these getting pumped out by the thousand, dipped in chrome and off to market.
The Merkur Progress Ahh Adjustability, I had mine modified to the "mergress" to get rid of the plastic knob. I feel it is a step above the H.D.
in quality control and a mild to wild variety of settings. My problem with this Razor is the bugger is slippery, heavy and slick not a good combo. Even blade gap on both sides, make sure to line up that arrow on the side. Many, many people swear by these two Merkurs these are just my opinions.

Gillette Fat Boy 1960 G-3 Enter the vintage world, 49 years older than the Germans. Quality just shines through the build of this tank. I prefer the nickel to the chrome more subdued, not as glaringly shinny. Twist to open is nice, adds a little bulk to the head but still gets to those finicky spaces. The handle is like grip tape, in a rush with some soap on your hands no worries. Adjustable mechanism is superb, click ,click, click you know right where you are. My problem is I am always messing with settings on adjustables, German and Gillette. Better grade than both the above mentioned Germans.
Gillette Super-Speed 1949 no date code This is the workhorse for my daily shaving routine! No surprize to many i'm sure. Perfect blade alignment, perfect. Twist to open, no fumbling. Your basic no frills "at all" vintage Gillette. I used to wish the handle was a wee bit thicker. I am not a small guy but it adds to the finesse factor while shaving. Handle provides good grip and the head is small enough to easily reach under the nose. Not to agresive, yet can handle some serious stubble. It's her 60 year birthday too, no brassing super clean and best of all I know how it shaves every time no adjustment needed. It took a few years to finally realize this was it !!
Why the hell did they stop making these???? Post War Quality wins out for me.

My Humble Opinions.....
Share your favorite performer !!!

I really enjoyed your post. Reflects many of my feelings about the HD and Fat Boy.

My favorite super speed is the Red Tip. I like the heft, a great grip finish and nice balance.

Excellent post and a good read! Its hard to argue with the quality and build of the vintage Gillettes.

If you like the Super Speed but desire a thicker handle then the Aristocrat would be the perfect razor for you.
Once matched with the proper blade, mine loves Derby and IPs but hates Feathers, you get the best of everything.
A razor that not too heavy but not too light, has a relatively fat handle and a great gripping surface.

Very good review of these razors. My favorite DE razor is the red tip Superspeed. The Fatboy is a great piece of design and manufacturing, but I feel it is unnecessarily complex. I kind of like the older idea of giving you a choice of the mild, regular or heavy. I'll admit that when I was a kid with fuzz, I found the blue tip to be great, but now, I like the red . . . If I'd had an adjustable, maybe it would have saved me buying another razor as my needs changed.

I've got three Merkurs. The only one that I find that, for my purposes, stands out, is an old Slant Bar with a Pomco trademark on it. That is a nice shaving razor. The other two, I find to be lackluster. They've been relagated to their place in my collection, but I doubt I'll ever use them again.

Regards,
Tom

G'Day,

I never used any of the above razors, however, very good post. It's giving me a very fair idea of how a Gillette will work vs. Merkur. I have seen other posts with similar comments.

Thanks mate, Luc

I have 30+ razors...I went kind of nuts with RAD when I discovered this board. But the ones I actually shave with have narrowed down to three: My no-date '48 or '49 Superspeed. Quite simply, I think Gillette got it right with this one. Nothing fancy, just a superb shaver, at least to my face. My second razor is the Slim adjustable. I find it easier to maneuver in the tight corners than the Fat Boy. My third is a L-model Schick. Again, simple and reliable. The blades last so long I get bored shaving with it.