Picked up a new-to-me razor yesterday

[Mark]

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:

[timmy]

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!

[Mark]

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

[brihacharan]

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

[essdee1972]

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!!

[xl_target]

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.

[essdee1972]

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"!

[Rrahulkumar]

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. .