Gillette's current product line is focused on disposable razors, but some shave enthusiasts prefer vintage all-metal safety razor models, especially those with adjustable blades that let you modify how aggressive your shave will be. Good places to find vintage adjustable safety razors like these include garage sales, vintage shops, estate sales and, unsurprisingly, eBay.
Definition
A safety razor reduces the risk associated with a slip of the hand when shaving with a straight razor or "cut throat." A guard mechanism encloses most of the blade, so that only the edge of the razor blade touches your skin, making it almost impossible to inflict serious wounds.
Use
One shaves differently with a safety razor than with the ubiquitous disposable razors on the market today. Instead of scraping the face of the razor along your skin, you should lightly pull the safety razor's edge along your skin, using it, in the words of Leisureguy, who literally wrote the book on shaving, "Like a scythe, not a hoe." The safety razor's blade should be roughly parallel to your skin as you shave.
Adjustable
A variety of settings on adjustable Gillette safety razors, such as the 1-9 Adjustable Razor Line, allow you to modify how far the razor's blade edge protrudes from the safety bar--in other words, you can modify how aggressive a shave the razor gives. Always start with the least aggressive setting--1--and slowly work your way up to the higher settings until you find the lowest setting you can use for an effective shave.
Mechanism
Typically, you twist the bottom part of the handle on a Gillette adjustable safety razor to open or close the razor compartment, letting you insert or remove sharp razors. You should also loosen the bottom part of the handle slightly when you adjust the razor's angle setting, which is usually done by twisting a numbered sleeve just underneath the head of the razor.
Identification
Identifying vintage Gillette adjustable safety razors can be a challenge. Try looking for razor serial numbers on top of the guard or inner barrel. You may also find razor date codes underneath the guard mechanism or near the blade attachment. You can also identify the razors by their obvious characteristics, such as the width, length and shape of the handle. See the Resources section for more information.
Cost
Expect to pay anywhere from $10 to several hundred dollars for a vintage Gillette safety razor. The cheapest costs will probably come from vintage stores, garage sales and estate sales, while you might pay more on eBay or other auction sites or classified sales, especially if you're purchasing a cleaned model with extra blades.
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