Trouble with blades

[ChrisT]

I have a vintage Gibbs razor but I don't use it.

For this razor you have to find special blades and these are no more in production.
I show you some pics. (pics are not mine)
here is the razor

here is the head

and here is the blade:

Someone told me he "cuts" a normal blade to get the little notches on both side of the blade.

My questions are:
Do you also have this kind of razor and have some tried to do this?

 

[Shangas]

Interesting predicament.

About the only way around this would be to buy regular DE razor-blades (still manufactured in their billions) and cut notches in the blade-ends. But these blades are designed to be very flimsy and breakable. So I would be very careful about trying that.

 

[Annixter]

Interesting predicament.

About the only way around this would be to buy regular DE razor-blades (still manufactured in their billions) and cut notches in the blade-ends. But these blades are designed to be very flimsy and breakable. So I would be very careful about trying that.

ChrisT, did the person tell you exactly how he cut the notches? I'll add to Shangas warning: I would be surprised if anyone can cut those tight notches in a razor blade with any type of hand shears (tin snips) without the razor blade cracking or even shattering. Someone could cut the notches with a grinder or a cut-off wheel, but the steel is so brittle due to heat treating I think shearing would break it. If you do decide to try and use tin snips, I recommend wearing leather gloves and a face mask because if the blade does shatter you'll have some nasty shrapnel.

Are you set on using this exact DE, or would another suffice? You might consider getting one that accepts standard blades.

 

[Feraud]

I wouldn't bother trying to cut notches in the razor blades. Sounds like way more trouble than it's worth and someone is bound to get a metal shard in the eye.
There are plenty of DE razors available that use standard blades. Get one of those and enjoy shaving.

 

[DeaconKC]

Gotta agree with Feraud, it's is a very nice collection piece. If you must cut the notches, use a Dremel tool with a cutting disc to avoid the blade shattering from the pressure of shears.

 

[ChrisT]

It was a bad idea to cut the notches.
A lot a work and a very bad result.
I will not use this DE razors, but I have some others razors

 

[dnjan]

If I were going to try to cut notched in the ends of blades like that, I would make a stack of at least five, put them in a vise, and take a dremel tool to them.

 

[scotrace]

With safety goggles.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I am with dnjan except I would sandwich a stack of blades between 2 pieces of wood, clamp them tight together, then cut the notches with a cutting disc. This would not be difficult or dangerous.

This would be a good method to get some blades to try the razor but might be too much trouble if you had to do it all the time.

 

[ChrisT]

you are right Stanley, too much troble to do it all the time.