The Good Old Tech

[pausted]

I recently bought an HTGAM open comb razor here on the board (thanks, Vladimir) because I have wanted to try a modern OC. I shaved with it for 5 days straight. I would consider it to be fairly aggressive but I had no issues with nicks or weepers. Last night I noticed a bit of soreness on my neck so I decided to stop with it for awhile.

This morning I screwed the HTGAM handle on to an old Gillette Tech head and loaded a Big Ben blade. From the available items in my den, that combo is about as mild as it gets. I got a great, comfortable shave. I guess that with reasonably good technique and a good quality soap or cream, one can get a DFS with a mild razor and blade.

[jww]

I own 3 different techs in all. Two are for my sons who some day say they will want to try a DE razor, and I figured best way to start them is with something mild. Oh, and said sons are 30 and 27 respectively ..... one keeps trimmed stubble, the other only shaves every few days --- not because he doesn't need to but because he doesn't like (or want so he says) to.

[CMur12]

I recently bought an HTGAM open comb razor here on the board (thanks, Vladimir) because I have wanted to try a modern OC. I shaved with it for 5 days straight. I would consider it to be fairly aggressive but I had no issues with nicks or weepers. Last night I noticed a bit of soreness on my neck so I decided to stop with it for awhile.

This morning I screwed the HTGAM handle on to an old Gillette Tech head and loaded a Big Ben blade. From the available items in my den, that combo is about as mild as it gets. I got a great, comfortable shave. I guess that with reasonably good technique and a good quality soap or cream, one can get a DFS with a mild razor and blade.

I would definitely agree with this. I used a Tech, almost exclusively, for over three years and I still use mild razors. I make a thinner lather to allow the blade easier access to the whiskers.

What is HTGAM?

- Murray

[pausted]

What is HTGAM?

- Murray

HTGAM is the abbreviation for "How to Grow a Moustache", a vendor of shaving supplies. I'm told that the razor is a product (clone) of Cadet razors.

[CMur12]

Thanks, Basil. I'm doing very little purchasing these days and I'm not familiar with that vendor.

- Murray

[Squire]

I own 3 different techs in all. Two are for my sons who some day say they will want to try a DE razor, and I figured best way to start them is with something mild.

One day they'll thank you Wendell.

[jww]

I own 3 different techs in all. Two are for my sons who some day say they will want to try a DE razor, and I figured best way to start them is with something mild.

One day they'll thank you Wendell.

Indeed, that is my hope. My middle son's wife keeps egging him to go to a DE "Like your dad." and he keeps resisting. He thinks it's too expensive to acquire a brush and soaps. He looks at my stash and asks me how much I have invested. I remind him that it's over time, and that once my stock has gotten full and solid, it is minimal expense to maintain. It's the cost of AS (like the BLK4 that I am picking up in the UK next week) that seems to be putting him off. #1 son is already there -- he's still only just 30 though and works in an agency where the environment is very much slight stubble rather than clean shaven. That's been the work culture for him for some time -- and to be fair, the lad actually pulls it off quite well.

[brothers]

For some guys, it arises out of passion or at least a bit of long - suppressed self-indulgence, as opposed to a cold calculated financial transaction. Once it catches fire, it's a source of actual physical and mental pleasure that fuels the interest. Without that, it's just throwing good money at a boring grooming chore, and those guys understandably can't be expected to "get it". That's just the way it is.

[BPman]

Having used a broad spectrum of Gillette Tech razors from three different countries I will offer my 2 cents. I use a Tech often even today and IMO the best of the lot is the Canadian Pre War with triangular slots. It has more blade exposure than all the other Techs and while by no means aggressive gives the best shave of all. The next best would be an English ball end with oval slots that's is just a tad less aggressive. Third would be the English "flat bottom" Tech that is rare. Finally, the U.S. made post-war with oval slots is the mildest of all, yet like all Techs a great razor. The U.S. Pre-War with triangular slots shaves just like the English "flat bottom" to me. I have yet to buy/use the elusive & ultra rare "hybrid" Tech that is a combo of the Gillette New and the Tech. They are rarer than a Republican in San Francisco. As well, I have never used any Tech made in South America, e.g., Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina or Brazil.

I have never received a bad shave from any Tech. It was really the "work horse" of the Gillette line for decades and is ingenious in its simplicity and functionality. If you want a Mühle R41 type super aggressive shave then forget the Tech. If you want a DFS with ease & no chance of getting a German dueling scar then by all means buy a Tech.

[eeffoc]

For some guys, it arises out of passion or at least a bit of long - suppressed self-indulgence, as opposed to a cold calculated financial transaction. Once it catches fire, it's a source of actual physical and mental pleasure that fuels the interest. Without that, it's just throwing good money at a boring grooming chore, and those guys understandably can't be expected to "get it". That's just the way it is.

I used to hate shaving and would often go days between shaves, I didn't start wet shaving until two years ago and I'm 45 now and I shave every day and look forward to it.

My long - suppressed self-indulgence has been awakened.

[jww]

As an update, I transferred one of my techs to my middle son a few months ago. His wife was urging him to give up cartridge and go with a DE ..... so he dared to try. His first attempt was painful for him, and when I suggested a clean up with alum he screeched like a banshee. Poor man. He went back to his cartridge, but I told him that I am happy to provide wet shaving lessons.

[Squire]

Wendell I have finally, finally, gotten my son to use a single edge disposable. He doesn't seem to trust the "old technology" of a DE.

[brothers]

My son is an inactive member of SMF, but he tells me he is active on one of the FaceBook forums (as am I - probably not the same one he's on). His favorite shaving creams and soaps are numerous, and he refuses to give me his giant tub of Domenico Caraceni 1913 shaving cream, even though I did give him a Blenheim Bouquet wooden bowl. It was one of the old-style bowls, so he could have two, complete with matching old tallow BB soaps. I think his favorite razor is the Merkur Futur, and his favorite/only blades are Derbys. He's somewhat of a hoarder when it comes to all of the name brand soaps and just a few creams. Like me he can go brush or brushless at will without feeling guilty about it. He was shaving his head up until just a few months ago. He likes to grow a beard but he shaves 'em off after a while. He also stubbornly refuses to give me his big glass jar of BB shaving cream. Oh, he's the one that gave me my own tub of DC 1913 about 5 years ago as a Christmas gift. His favorite brush is a large TGN re-knotted Ever Ready that was once owned and used by his grandfather, my dad. (It was Dad's second brush, his first is the Erskine I now use regularly, most recently today.) Anyway, that's my story. PS: He has Techs and the others, but he sticks with the Futur.

[Squire]

My kid might use a Futur if I could convince him it was the very latest thing.

[BPman]

As an update, I transferred one of my techs to my middle son a few months ago. His wife was urging him to give up cartridge and go with a DE ..... so he dared to try. His first attempt was painful for him, and when I suggested a clean up with alum he screeched like a banshee...

I first tried a SE safety razor before a DE and it was as they say, a "straight razor on a stick". Nonetheless, I never really cut myself and rarely do now with a DE. Sounds like his technique is off. As we all know, disposable razor skills are "non-transferrable" to DE shaving. That's why I recommend a mild razor for the neophyte and even milder than the Tech is the Feather Popular. It's damn near "cut-proof" IMO and a great DE to learn the ropes.

[jww]

Thanks for the tip, Squire --- perhaps a Christmas or birthday gift.

[pausted]

A long time ago I bought a Lord razor. (A Tech clone from Egypt, I think). I think it cost five or six bucks. After shaving with it a few times, I put it away in the cabinet. The aluminum handle was too light to suit me. Yesterday I noticed it in the drawer so I put in a Lab Blue blade and screwed on a Razorock brass handle. This morming it gave me a very close and comfortable shave. Just another example of how the Tech head was so well designed that it lasted for decades. Even the clones perform well.

[Squire]

They do indeed and that's a testimony to the design.

[sillyshaver]

Ah the Tech!!
I had a bunch of adjustables, injectors and ended up selling them. Never being used and needed the cash.
I have 3 techs, 1-US square slot, 1- CDN square slot, 1- CDN triangle slot. The only razor I need. As much as I love the look, design, built of the old school gillettes. They really nailed it with the Tech...only razor I use.

[preidy]

I picked up three for my stable mainly just to pass them on to my grandson's as a starter razor. One of my grandson's got his eye on a near mint gold-tone. I let him practice shave with it while I'm wacken my whiskers with my NEW SC, 54 S.S. 55 Red Tip or 64 Slim.