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Classic Gillette razors display
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The King's Presentation Case
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My Promise to Buyers:
· I will hold every customer in the highest regard and with the best service. I will not compromise my integrity for a quick dollar. If you are not happy - I will do whatever it takes to correct it!
· Everything I sell is in excellent working condition and safe to use- I personally inspect all items before listing.
· Items are clearly and honestly described and accompanied by superb quality pictures.
· Packing is done by the highest standards using clean, quality padding.
· When possible, I will always consolidate shipping fees for multiple items.
· I ship all items on the next business day after payment was cleared.
! BUY SAFETY RAZORS FROM A SELLER THAT KNOWS SAFETY RAZORS!
Razor Collection and Classic Shaving
Razor collection can be quite a bit of fun! This all began a few years ago when I lost my trusty Schick injector razor and discovered that it is no longer available for sale! The last Schick injectors retailed in 1998, and then by mail order for couple more years. In Japan they continued to sell until 2002, and then dissapeared. Nowadays , the only places to get them are antique stores or eBay.
I am being asked quite frequently to my opinion on razors, blades, foam, technique etc. First I will say that there are many types of beards and personalities, and the shaving preference someone adopts must be related to these two.
For classic shaving - you have to have the patience and make time that is necessary. You will need 5-10 minutes, to prepare your face, to apply the foam, to go through the first run, and then the second sweep. You cant and you dont want to rush through that. For one, you do not want to injure yourself, and perhaps more importantly, one can really enjoy the sensation of shaving done right. If you are all about spending no more than 30 seconds on this necessary duty- forget it, you need to use an electric.
If you are "blessed" with fast growing, tough beard stubs, then you are probably not enjoying any of the newer, disposable razors (twin, triple quarto, etc). The reason is, the blades are too "flimsy"- not being sufficiently stiff, they will cause the sensation of "dragging" or "pulling" that is anything but pleasant when you need to get the job done. Therefore you should really opt for classic shaving! The classic safety razors, which dominated the shaving market until the mid-70's, employ a single, robust blade that has an extra sharp edge; these blades can cut through the toughest stubs smoothly and effortlessly. This is what the old safety razors where designed to do, and they do it well!
There are two types of classic shaving systems that are very good- the double-edge system (Gillette, and now also Merkur), and the injector single edge system (Schick). There is also a class of single edge that comes with a thicker one-sided blade (GEM, Ever-ready)- unfortunately, these systems were never perfected well enough to come close to the two others mentioned above.
The double-edge systems are the most common and are great to use, although it takes a bit of practice and skill to get the job done consistently right. Large part of it is learning to "tilt" the razor cap at the optimal angle for effortless shaving. A very important consideration is a choice of blade- you want to have it super-sharp, coated with slick polymer layer for smoothness, and durable (so you can use it several times). There is an opinion that the stainless steel variety is not the best way to go, because their edge is much less durable than the non-stainless steel ones. The Gillette super-blue blades and the Schick-Krona thins are examples of excellent non-stainless steel blades. However, these are rather scarce, and you will really do just fine using the stainless-steel variety of the leading brands (Gillette, Schick, Personna). I have occasionally tried other brands and was disappointed.
Which razors to use with the double edge system is a matter of choice- I have personally enjoyed using all (!) the Gillette models I have tried, even the rather early ones (from the 1920's on), as long as I use a high quality, crisp blade! Some people will only go with an adjustable- I agree there is an advantage there, as it takes some of the careful handling from the user, making shaving easier. However, as you become more proficient in classic shaving, you can accomplish the same level of "closeness" and "fit" with a non-adjustable, and in fact, do better than you would with the adjustable razors.
A very different type of superb classic safety razors is the Schick Injector system. This method employs a unique and effective combination of blade and razor- the blade is single-edged, and is loaded into the razor by using a special magazine that ?injects? it to its place in the razor head. This is done without the user having to fiddle with the blade directly. A spring mechanism in the razor head constantly maintains pressure on the blade so that it cannot come off. When replacing the blade, a ?stem? in the magazine is pushed inside the razor, temporarily loosening the spring grip, allowing for ejection of the old blade and insertion of a new one. A very simple and effective system. The vast majority of injector razors were made by the Schick brand (that invented them) which was later bought by the Eversharp Co. Other brands were making the injector razors in the late 60's, e.g., PAL and Personna.
There are several clear advantages to the Schick injector system: (i) the ease of use- the razor head is in ?perfect? angle for effective shaving, and therefore the user does not need to exercise nearly as much of shaving skills as they would have to with the double-edge system, in other words, yes- it is much easier to get a great clean shave without cutting yourself, (ii) the blades the Schick made were always very sharp and once mounted into the razor maintained very high level of stiffness, leading to a tremendous reduction in the ?pull and drag? effect that is sometimes experienced with the double edge system, (iii) the injector razors, because of the razor head design, afford much better precision control when it comes to work around one?s beard or goatee edges (!) and that is a very significant advantage in keeping these areas neatly trimmed. In my own opinion, hands-down, the simplicity of the injector razors provides unparalleled shaving comfort.
The injector razors are no longer manufactured - by any brand, and so their only current source is the second-market. That, plus the fact that these are perhaps the very best safety razors ever made, makes them much more valuable in these markets. Many schick injector razors, in very good to excellent condition, will sell above $50 on eBay (non-adjustable models), and for over $100 (adjustable models). Only the most fancy double-edge razors (vintage Gillette "Aristocrat" razors, or current, upscale Merkur models) have comparable sale values.
My six-point guide for a terrific shave:
(1) Before you shave, soften your skin and beard with warm or hot water. A nice shower first is a great way to accomplish that, but other strategies may be used- when your skin and beard stubs are soft the shave is much much easier!
(2) Use a good quality shaving foam of your choice. I use the Edge brand gel for sensitive skin with aloe. Rub it thoroughly.
(3) Use a safety razor with a crisp blade. I always let the razor warm up in hot water for a little bit- it retains the heat and that is great feel when shaving.
(4) Shave against the hide for closer, more effective shave (I know some people assert the opposite, i.e., shave with the hide first- but in my opinion this is a mute point if you are using a top grade blade and razor)
(5) You may need a second sweep for perfect closeness and trimming. If you can't get close enough in the first take, you are probably not using a Schick injector. Doing a second sweep can be done by the same razor, or if you like to get closer, use a razor with a twin blade- these are available both as a disposable system, double edge system, and the injector system.
(6) Use a nice after shave or balm- that will take you smiling through the rest of your day!
Tips for razor shoppers on eBay:
The safety razor section on eBay is really one of the specialties where eBay gives people access to somethings they just can't get anywhere else. Another big attraction for eBay shoppers is the opportunity to find a great "catch" at an amazing price. For most of us that shop here regularly, we know quite well that for any desirable, properly advertised item there is a price and it won't be undersold. Bargains can sometimes be found for miss-titled items, that way these are viewed by less people (because the most common way to search eBay is by key words). So if you are after a high-quality, sought-after product- be prepared to pay what it's worth. Avoid items that are poorly represented- low grade pics, partial pics, razor shots from a distance too far to see details. When you bid on those, there is more than 50% chance you are in for a disappointment. A most common misrepresentation is not showing the razor top in the pics (the ?cap?, or the area that gets worn down the most in used razors). In my own sales, I make it a point to come up with clear close-ups from several angles- that way there is no mystery about the condition of the item.
(to be continued)
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