Matthew Wild
Gillette Old Type open tooth razor
I love shadows in studio pictures – so I went crazy here trying to give an impression of the open comb head of this 80-something year old razor.
There is something captivating about an open comb razor (the “teeth” on the razor head). I love history, I guess.
This Gillette Old Type razor was made sometime in the 1920s – I can’t date it exactly because it doesn’t have a date code, but I know these “Brownie” box sets were only made in that era.
Which means it pre-dates the Great Depression and the Second World War. It has to be between 80 and 90 years old.
Like I said, I love history. OK, it suffers from the typical ball handle cracks. These handles were made in three parts, press fitted together. Being different thicknesses, they contract at different rates.
I actually made the cracks worse myself pouring boiling water over the razor in the process of aluminum foil / baking soda baths, which is the best way to bring tarnished silver back up to a shine. (Polishing removes silver. While I did polish as a final step, I really, really didn’t want to remove too much silver and end up with a brass razor.)
If you want to use my pictures, or talk about my communications work, reach me at Wild West Communications.
Gillette Old Type open tooth razor
I love shadows in studio pictures – so I went crazy here trying to give an impression of the open comb head of this 80-something year old razor.
There is something captivating about an open comb razor (the “teeth” on the razor head). I love history, I guess.
This Gillette Old Type razor was made sometime in the 1920s – I can’t date it exactly because it doesn’t have a date code, but I know these “Brownie” box sets were only made in that era.
Which means it pre-dates the Great Depression and the Second World War. It has to be between 80 and 90 years old.
Like I said, I love history. OK, it suffers from the typical ball handle cracks. These handles were made in three parts, press fitted together. Being different thicknesses, they contract at different rates.
I actually made the cracks worse myself pouring boiling water over the razor in the process of aluminum foil / baking soda baths, which is the best way to bring tarnished silver back up to a shine. (Polishing removes silver. While I did polish as a final step, I really, really didn’t want to remove too much silver and end up with a brass razor.)
If you want to use my pictures, or talk about my communications work, reach me at Wild West Communications.