Indians For Guns

I was browsing a box of odds and ends at a "yard sale" yesterday and happened across an interesting old double edge Gillette razor.

I shave with double edge razors pretty much exclusively, big reason is the blades are so cheap but I also have all of these neat old razors to use so I am always on the lookout. Anyway, this one was marked "US ARMY", most gillette razors have a date code and this one was stamped "J 1165" which I thought meant January 1965, so Vietnam era. I purchased it for the princely sum of $3.50.

I get home and look it up, and it turns out to be a manufacturing code and this razor was issued to the US Army in 1918! I shaved with it last night and it did a fair job but I think I prefer one of my other ones. I figure I'll keep using it until the blade I put in gets dull and then see what my thoughts are.

No picture yet, so here is a similar one grabbed off a search engine:

Mark, that razor is quite cool! I would guess that it's quite weighty brass, and has a nice heft to it? It looks great!

I think the picture makes it look bigger than what it is, it doesn't weigh that much comparatively.

I'm away from home tonight, I'll post up some better pictures tomorrow.

Mark

Its an old classic - my grandpa used to own one
The knurling is exquisite - gives a firm hold even with wet hands
I own one though made of a heavy white metal - which had brass anodizing - which has since worn off
Maybe I'll get it re-brass anodized - Mark you've inspired me
Briha

Cool find, Mark!

I got one off eBay, but it's the type where the cover closes like a pair of doors. "Fatboy" model. But it cost about 10 X what you paid, incl. shipping. And to think that my Dad donated his 1960's Fatboy to our neighborhood watchman when he got his first Gillette multiblade razor!!

Very nice find Mark.
I still shave with a double edged razor when I can find the blades.
I still have the first one my dad bought me in the late 1970's. It is one of those adjustable Gillettes.

Same as my eBay find, XL.

Here in India, DE blades are still easy to find as barbers use them. They have modified straight (cut-throat) razors which take half a DE blade. I buy a wholesale pack of 50 Wilkinson Sword razors at INR 80 (5X10 packs). That's almost a year of shaving @ 1 week per blade. Gillette also sells a top close razor (like the model Mark bought) with black plastic handle, which retails for INR 100.

Far far better shave than those 4 and 5 bladed "helicopters"!

These Pix remind Me of the one my dad used to shave with. .

I'm not much of a shaver myself and I keep on experimenting with my stubble
But I think i'm gonna find the one my dad used and give it a try. .