A vintage Gillette Aluminium Tech - Made in England

Gillette: 1951 Aluminium Tech - Yaqibrush: Aqua - Martin de Candré: Agrumes
This week's shave stars a vintage travel/grooming set which cost me £15 and is immaculate; it includes an English made, three piece Aluminium Tech Gillette razor, dated 1951. This is the first time I've used this razor, or one like it, and it turns out to be the star of the show. It is another terrific English made Gillette.
The brush is my Yaqi Aqua, with a 24mm synthetic tuxedo knot. I like this one; it is a little chunky and very comfortable to hold and I love the blue resin handle.
Yaqibrush website at AliExpress:
yaqibrush.alie...
The shaving soap is a sample envelope of the Agrumes handmade soap from Martin de Candré. It is very lightly scented with lemon, grapefruit and bergamot essential oils and provides a clean, somewhat medicinal scent. I do like this soap from MdC but, once again, for a lot less money, there are better soaps on the market. However, there is something I really like about the MdC soap. I can't explain it!
Ingredients:
* Stearic Acid, Aqua, Coconut Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Aroma.
#FriendshipShaving #MarkShaving #Yaqibrush

[@royhadley686]

Beautiful travel set.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you, Roy 👍

[@jerome6051]

Happy birthday smooth shaven

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thanks Jerome

[@anonymousprole8367]

Happy belated birthday Mark, hope that this year will have many pleasant surprises for you in it! -Henry

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you very much, Henry. I'm looking forward to this year and I'm sure it will be a good one with lots of nice surprises. By the way, I'll be using your brush next week, my friend. Remind me where you live again.

[@anonymousprole8367]

@@FriendshipShaving Awesome! I am currently a resident of Germany, but I am from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which is basically right between the US and Canada.

[@victormazzella5796]

Nice set, Happy Birthday Mark.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you, my friend.

[@mikeh9701]

Hi Mark- Great shave; thank you! Belated birthday wishes 🎉🎂! Many more to come! Beautiful razor kit! Note-worthy t-shirt this week, too! I hope you are feeling well and will have a restful weekend ahead. Best regards, as always, my friend!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Good day, my friend. Thank you very much for my birthday wishes. My t-shorts are becoming noteworthy; I can see I will have to get a few more. To be honest I could do with some new clothes - I seem to spend my spare cash on razors 😃 The weekend comes around so quickly. I do hope you have an enjoyable weekend. All the best, Mike 👍

[@vinyljunkie64]

Belated birthday wishes Mark! Congratulations on such a great find! May you enjoy many more shaves and birthdays!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you mate. Let's hope so - for all of us 😃 All the very best.

[@tomislavpetak]

Happy Birthday Mark! Cheers 🍻

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you, Tomislav. All the best 👍

[@tomislavpetak]

@@FriendshipShaving thank you for all good videos! 😀

[@David-mu2mt]

That looks like a very good set and a very good shave something to enjoy for a long time 😀👍

[@billydancy1730]

Happy birthday Mark :)

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you Billy 😃👍

[@davidanderson3425]

Belated birthday wishes, Mark. You don't look a day over 30! All those shaving products are keeping you young. I see in the video description the travel set was only £15. You must be overjoyed. That was a great deal. The condition is fantastic. I enjoyed watching your shave and clearly you were delighted with the razor. Have a great weekend, mate!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Hi David. Not a day over thirty - you smooth talker! I'm seriously pleased with my set. I don't get out to travel but I just couldn't resist. It'll still get regular use. I love our hobby 😃

[@pauledmonds4141]

Belated birthday wishes to you, Mark. That kit is just a stunner, I love the elegance of the whole thing from a time gone by. Big old brush for combing your hair, but I guess it was of its time. Very special shave.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Surprisingly, that brush really works well on my hair. I was surprised but my hair looks much tidier in a way that a comb didn't quite manage since I got grey hair. It's great. Perhaps they knew a thing or two back in the day. Thanks for the birthday wishes Paul. I hope Sharon and yourself are well. Cheers.

[@bradleycred99]

Happy belated birthday Mark. 🍻 That shave kit is amazing! It looks like it was in a time capsule. The razor feedback was spot on. I really like that shave brush and your T-shirt is a hoot. I grew up near a Fuller Brush Plant. I wish I had one of their vintage shave brushes. Have a great weekend!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you, Bradley. I can't quite believe how nice condition the set is in; someone must have had it in their bottom drawer for their whole life. I just like looking at it 😃 I see those Fuller brushes on eBay quite often, they made a really nice Amber base, with black marbling to match a black ferrule. Love vintage Americana. I need some more t-shirts, I'll have to look out for some fun ones. Take care, buddy. 👍

[@GeorgeKanatas]

Happy birthday Mark! Your travel set is in great condition. 👌 I have some brush suggestions for you to consider also except the Wee Scot: 1.Omega 599 silvertip badger. Super little brush with a beautiful marbleized resin handle, with a total height of 75mm, (loft 45mm, knot 18mm). You have to see photos of how this little knot blooms. It's quite surprising believe me! 2.Omega 11047 "Mighty Midget." This is the brother of the 599. Same handle and dimensions, but mixed badger & boar hair. I have this brush, and it's in permanent rotation in my den, and one of my favorites. This brush is small only in the dimensions. It has the right backbone for face lathering, it whips up a lather even from tripled milled soaps, the face feel (for me), is just right, the handle is ergonomic, and it costs 10-12 pounds. Great value for money for this small giant. It's more than a travel brush! 3.DScosmetic mini synthetic travel brush with natural bamboo handle. This one is also 75mm tall with 50mm loft, but I don't know how it performs. It's cute nevertheless. I hope that I helped you with these options Mark. Of course if you want to be period correct you have to find a vintage gillette-rubberset travel brush. 😉

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thanks for your suggestions, George. Thank you very much, I shall look forward to investigating more. I was hoping to get an English made brush, as it's an English set, but perhaps that is being a bit unrealistic. I have a Gillette - Rubberset brush from much earlier than the 1950's. Those early brush tubes were smaller I think - I will have to check that! Anyway, it will be fun. Thanks mate 😃👍

[@JarkkoLaitinen211]

Looks fine! I manage get in my hands that same safetyrazor. It was dirty and oxidation on it, so i clean and little polish it and now it look great! Lookin for to test it!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Very nice! It is a nice little shaver. I'm pleased your's cleaned up so well.

[@brendonbriggs1792]

Happy belated Birthday Mark! Great find and great shave.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Hey, thanks Brendon. I appreciate it 👍

[@jensebu78]

Happy Birthday Mark! What a nice shaving bag!!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you, Jens. All the best mate.

[@TheCrash212]

Happy belated Birthday!! Great looking set you have there. I only have a couple of English Gillette and they shave wonderfully. Have a safe and great weekend.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Hey Claude, thank you. You are right, it really was a nice shave and a touch more aggressive than I would have guessed. I got lucky with this set 😃 I hope you're well.

[@owend8956]

Happy belated birthday my man! Truly is a beauty. Enjoy every minute!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you Owen, that is very kind of you. All the best to you.

[@malcm4763]

Afternoon Mark, you really did get a good buy with the travel set, I tend to bowl lather then finish the last 20% on the face. Great shave mate, have a nice weekend.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Hi Malcolm, I hope your well. Yes, a bit of both seems to make sense. I enjoy both face and bowl lathering - I think I find bowl lathering a little more relaxing. To think there was a time I struggled to do either. I wish this rain would stop, mate! ☔️

[@moggridge1]

Happy Birthday, Mark! 🎉🍰 A very lovely kit, you deserve it. That shirt looks like it should have a B29 under the lady... 😊 I also discovered that about bowl - lathering recently. My thought was one is able to add more air and make smaller bubbles in a bowl. Anyway, I find it better for the face that way.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you very much. I am rather enamoured with my kit, I must admit. Now, I do like the pin up art and can just see a lady riding a B29. That would make a fantastic image for a t-shirt. I've just being watching the latest version of Catch 22 with George Clooney. It was very good indeed.

[@airdbreck]

Great shave nice razor

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thanks mate. Take care.

[@iswtwytv]

Happy Birthday! All the best my friend.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you, my friend. All the very best to you. Take care 👍

[@achimkohlhage1328]

Happy belated birthday, Mark. A lovely box, may I suggest a Wee Scot brush, it should fit. Such a case will love to host a posh little brush...

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thanks Achim. I will look into the Wee Scot. It may be a little small but I shall have a look at the measurements. I hope you are well. All the best.

[@razorblade7676]

Great find both are amazing the set and the razor. I'm very jelly.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thanks mate 👍

[@David-mu2mt]

PS happy birthday Sir 21 again enjoy 👍

[@FriendshipShaving]

Hello David. Thank you for my birthday wishes - I'm not sure I'd like to be twenty one again. What a drama! 😅 I enjoy the quiet life too much, now. I'm really pleased with my set which will last my lifetime. I like that. All the best.

[@sven.k]

Hello Mark, you made yourself a really nice birthday present 👍 It‘s a very decent travel set. What a luck that it’s in good hands now. I wished such items would be available for modern razors too. I have one for my Pils 101 but it‘s not even close to yours.

[@FriendshipShaving]

It is very nice, especially for the very little money I paid for it. The modern sets are nothing like these vintage ones which, in my opinion are so much better. I just need to glue the back piece of leather, where there is no stitching and it'll be as good as new. Happy day 😃😃

[@stevek4622]

Belated Happy Birthday! That kit is fantastic 👍

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you very much, Steve. Take care.

[@zbushong]

Happy Birthday Mark! What a fantastic kit/set with such a grand razor. Thanks to your previous video, I’ve pulled out my MDC soaps & am so enjoying the quality and shuttle fragrances this “Old World” company continues to produce. All the best, Cheers. Zac.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you Zac. I can't stop looking at my travel set, it pleases me a great deal. 😃 I think I might be a little strange! It's good to read you are enjoying your MdC soaps. I really enjoy using the samples I have. The company must be loving this resurgence in traditional shaving.

[@TallysVids]

Happy Birthday Mark, hope you had a good one and I hope you are keeping well. Great shave too 😀👍🏼

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you, mate. I hope you're keeping well too; have a nice weekend. 👍

[@TallysVids]

@@FriendshipShaving Yeah keeping well thanks. You have a nice weekend to 👍🏼

[@joaonevessantos]

Happy belated birthday Mark. Hope you enjoyed your day and perhaps a special shave? Where do you find those shaving treasures! The set is absolutely wonderful. The Gillette Tech is my favorite razor and I have collected some by now. Perfect in its simplicity. And great slapping at the end as well 😊👍

[@FriendshipShaving]

Hello João, thank you for my birthday wishes. I really do not have much money and just get lucky on eBay, now and again, looking for the odd item. The Tech was a really great shave and I think slapping my face may become my signature move 😃 Take care.

[@joaonevessantos]

@@FriendshipShaving You should be proud of the face slapping. It's a great tradeMark 😉

[@sheshaveswithjill4838]

Awesome Shaving Kit!! Happy Birthday!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thank you very much Jill. Take care 😃

[@clint4004]

I just recently bought a Gillette travel kit from '62 full pack of blades plastic insert looks new.. very fun to own.. great video Sir FS...

[@FriendshipShaving]

Nice! Isn't it amazing that we can still find these items in such good condition. I love my set 😃

[@clint4004]

@@FriendshipShaving Absolutely Mark. Classics definitely improve the experience to have such authentic quality.

[@FriendshipShaving]

I feel quite classy when I pick mine up. We don't have anything like it in the modern age and I feel it's a shame. Perhaps as a nation(s) we have become a bit less smart and stylish. Not you and I, though 😃

[@clint4004]

@@FriendshipShaving Yes, indeed perhaps disposability will be a passing phase. These are much more like invaluable tools..

[@horatiuteodorescu8350]

Sir, if i had to choose my grandfather i would like to be like you!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Wow, thank you. That is very kind. All the very best to you. Take care.

[@DE_Razor_Shaving]

Nice set! 😮😎👍🏼💈👌🏼

[@FriendshipShaving]

Thanks mate.

[@DE_Razor_Shaving]

Friendship Shaving Your welcome. 😁

[@brianheck7903]

Happy belated birthday!

[@viningscircle]

Happy Belated Birthday Mark! In my Gillette vintage collection I just had to include the British Tech along with the US one. Just noticed--what a coincidence that I used the very same Yaqi brush for my shave today!

[@FriendshipShaving]

Nice one. You have both - I really must, at some point, get myself a British fat handled Tech to sit next to it's American cousin. I have a little display now and I love it. I only have a few razors that are display quality but they look great. I just need to add a Toggle and a Double Ring 😃 Here's hoping. The Yaqi brush is really very nice. I've been impressed by their products.

[@davidwatson3035]

Great minds think alike. I very recently bought a NOS Tech with the ball end handle, exactly like yours which the seller advertised as coming from an early 1960s grooming kit. My first shave was not good as I pressed down too much, as it's such a light razor. My second shave was fantastic with a 7 O'Clock Yellow. You do have to find the angle, as you noted in your video, and it's quite a narrow one. However overall it's a very enjoyable razor to use, especially if you have to shave daily. Mild but effective is exactly how I'd describe it. I hope you continue to enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine.

[@FriendshipShaving]

It sounds like you've got a good one 👍 I was a little surprised at how good the shave was, with this razor - as you mentioned, it is so light. Those folk at Gillette certainly knew a thing or two about razors. I might actually display mine, in my cabinet. I think these old sets are very classy and something you don't see these days.

[@leehaseley2164]

Happy belated birthday, Mark. I hope you really enjoy yourself. That really is a beauty of set you got yourself. The razor look flipping great. The medicinal scent could be from kaffir lime, perhaps? If the gentleman you mentioned wants to keep a brush away from his face, he could always bowl lather and then apply with his hands?

[@FriendshipShaving]

Kaffir Lime - I don't what that is Lee. I'm going to look it up in a moment. That is the second MdC soap with a bit of a medicinal scent. To be honest, I'm not sure that's the right way to describe it but I can't determine what the scent is or workout how to describe it. Epic fail 😅👍

[@magnoliamike]

I’ve been trying shaving in the shower and I have much less irritation. I used my SuperSpeed for the first time after having it for about a year lol but when I do Decide to do it in the shower I use the Palmolive Shave stick and a synthetic brush do it’s easy to lather and clean the brush. Used a “Sharp Star” Blade for the first time and I liked it

[@FriendshipShaving]

That sounds like a great shave, Mike. It's good to read you finally used your super-speed. I wonder why you get less irritation while under the shower. That's a strange one. I find it hard to lather my face in the shower - the soap keeps getting washed off 😅😅

[@magnoliamike]

Friendship Shaving I know right! I had to like tilt my head under the running water lol but not sure maby all the steam from the hot water makes my skin easier to shave like a great prep but it’s constantly warm and Moisturized

[@HD-J.R.]

Really nice grooming set. The case looks like an old binocular case I have. Happy birthday! I prefer to bowl lather most of the time. We shave so often and even the best shave soaps remove our own natural oils from our skin. Building a lather on the skin by scrubbing with a brush too often is a little harsh. I probably bowl lather 90% of the time. Have a great weekend👍👍👍

[@FriendshipShaving]

It does look like a binocular case! Yes, I suppose it's true that oils are removed from the skin through shaving although, perhaps some of the moisturised modern soaps might help that. I have been enjoying bowl lathering of late; I seem to be getting it just right. It's always nice when that happens. Take care of yourself. Cheers.

[@pickinduck]

Great shaving kit Mark. It's a shame that nobody remembers the history of aluminum anymore. Not very long ago it was worth more than gold. I remember a Laurel & Hardy move where they brag about having an umbrella made of aluminum.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Is that true? That is fascinating. You really are expanding my horizons, today. I suppose it would be a really revolutionary metal being so light weight. I'm going to look for that Laurel and Hardy clip. I wonder if I can find it.

[@pickinduck]

@@FriendshipShaving It would take some looking but you should be able to find it. The thing about aluminum is that it takes an immense amount of energy to produce it from raw material which was beyond our means of mass production until relatively recently but once made it can be easily recycled.

[@Eddies_Bra-att-ha-grejer]

@@FriendshipShaving Napoleon allowed his most esteemed guests to eat with aluminium silverware, the ones with lower status had to make do with crummy gold.

[@tgodla]

I know how you feel I just use that razor and I think that is my daily driver 👍

[@FriendshipShaving]

Very nice, mate. A nice razor for a daily driver. All the best.

[@pickinduck]

You said fuller brush then that made me think of fullers' herb (bouncing bet) then I started wondering if people use to use it for shaving. I am leaning towards that they probably did. With all of the soap makers out there I wonder if any will jump on this. If it doesn't lather well enough maybe what they use to make Indian Ice-cream should.

[@FriendshipShaving]

I initially had no idea what you were referring to but, thanks to the wonder of the Internet, I now know about Fullers herb, and what that term means and how it was used as liquid soap back in the 15th century! Amazing. Thanks for the informative post. That was good.

[@HarveyJohnWillmott]

Where did you get the set from? That’s so cheap! Do you know what it’s worth?

[@FriendshipShaving]

I got it on eBay. I was very lucky, I think!

[@shaveking5681]

Mark, I wonder if you can help me. I have previously had problems choosing a good shaving soap. I contacted you about the reaction I have to TOBS sandalwood. I have been using Proraso Blue cream, however I wish to treat myself to a new soap. Can you recommend a artisan soap which produces a thick and creamy lather? I wait your answer in anticipation.

[@FriendshipShaving]

Hi Chris. There are so many to choose from but I think you won't go far wrong with a Stirling soap. They are great quality for not much money. Ariana and Evans are also very good quality. I can't remember if your UK or USA Chris, but these are available in both countries. 😃

[@shaveking5681]

@@FriendshipShaving I'm UK Mark. I did short list Stirling Soaps as my next tryout. Guess Stirling it is. Thanks Makr

[@FriendshipShaving]

You are probably aware that Shaving Time is a good site Chris. They do 1oz samples which are huge. So you could try a few you like the sound of. Cheers. shavingtime.co.uk/