Is this a Gillette Knack? Shaves very well. I'm looking for a new safety razor. What would this be classified as? Mild I'm assuming and what modern would it be compared to? Thanks
Gillette knack
- Thread starter quianwick9755
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There is no photo loading for me. Maybe if you can try and load it again we can help you out.
The Gillette Knack was a late Super-Speed model. It was sold under different names and numbers over the years e.g. G2000 in Germany's 1980s (with a cheap blue thin long plastic handle instead of the black one). The head is like the late Super-Speeds (flat head). So, yes, it is very very mild, and not very well made. I prefer the older head design of the 1940s style Super-Speeds and would recommend to get a 1940s to 1950s Super-Speed model.
Is this what you have? Got the Knack... but did not like it. Shaved fine but the handle is tough to clean.
The fine line recesses really hang onto crud (web pic) -
The fine line recesses really hang onto crud (web pic) -
Do you actually own a Knack? The one that @novitiate shows in the above photo - US made between 1967 and 1974. I have at least 4. And they are not the super mild razor that a 60s or 50s Super-Speed is. Also more aggressive than the later thin handle G1000 because of bigger gap and exposure. That handle is not black, it is blueish. They started making black handles only in 1991 when the thin handle was made in the UK. The greenish-blue ones were earlier. Since we can't see photo on the original post, it could even be another razor - A Slim Twist, a Super Slimtwist or a G1000, that are quite often mistaken for a Knack on the Internet and on this forum.
@ivan_101: Yep, I owned nearly every vintage Gillette over the time.
All late 1960s Super-Speeds and "Gillette offspring" (Knack, G1000 ezc.) have the same head design and, at least to my face, shave the same (also no difference between US and English models). To my face they are all very very mild and not the most efficient razors. It's always possible that you have a damaged model with a larger blade gap due to mechanical failure?!
Starting with the knack Gillette began it's downfall to cheap made razors (keep in mind that parallel to the knack they also produced still better made flare tips but also with the new head design).
Over time I gave all these models away and only have a pre WWI Old Type (which is going away soon), one 1950s British made Tech Ballend (all nickel plated brass, and diffent from it's US cousin), an US made Red Tip (mid 1950s), an US made Flare Tip (also 1950s) which might go away, and a British made Gillette Parat (a variant of the HD 500 Rocket made for the German market in the 1950s) which is by far my favourite vintage Gillette model (and feels a bit different to the US flare tip). These are better made, smoother (not necessarily milder) to the face, and at the same time they are more efficient than the later head design -- at least to my wiry stubble.
All late 1960s Super-Speeds and "Gillette offspring" (Knack, G1000 ezc.) have the same head design and, at least to my face, shave the same (also no difference between US and English models). To my face they are all very very mild and not the most efficient razors. It's always possible that you have a damaged model with a larger blade gap due to mechanical failure?!
Starting with the knack Gillette began it's downfall to cheap made razors (keep in mind that parallel to the knack they also produced still better made flare tips but also with the new head design).
Over time I gave all these models away and only have a pre WWI Old Type (which is going away soon), one 1950s British made Tech Ballend (all nickel plated brass, and diffent from it's US cousin), an US made Red Tip (mid 1950s), an US made Flare Tip (also 1950s) which might go away, and a British made Gillette Parat (a variant of the HD 500 Rocket made for the German market in the 1950s) which is by far my favourite vintage Gillette model (and feels a bit different to the US flare tip). These are better made, smoother (not necessarily milder) to the face, and at the same time they are more efficient than the later head design -- at least to my wiry stubble.
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As I wrote, I have at least 4 US Knacks like that on the picture above. So it is not a case of mechanical faillure. They all have bigger gaps and more exposure than the earlier 50s and 60s Super Speeds I have (and a have quite a lot of them starting from the late 40s to the late 80s black handles). To me they shave differently and BBS is much easier to achieve with my tough beard, compared to the the other Super Speeds and the later Gillette 1000. And the UK Super Slimtwist here https://mr-razor.com/Rasierer/One-Piece solid guard bar/1969 (O4) Slim Twist beschriftet Logo.jpg is much milder than the Knack.
Yes, all those Gillette TTOs are mild if you compare them to a NEW or modern razors that are much more aggressive, but I was comparing the US made Knack on the photo to the other TTO Gillette razors you mentioned in your first post.
My experience with all those razors is current, i.e. the last couple of years, as I keep using them all.
I have all those models you mention, except the Parat, and to me the post-1962 lower profile head is more efficient than the earlier high profile head. For example my 1963 Super-Speeds, Knacks and black handle Super Speeds are more aggressive than say the 1960, 1957 or my few pre-1954 SS razors.The exception here are the all UK-made post 1962 lower head TTOs which are milder than their US counterparts.
I have a blue handle Knack and of my Gillette TTO's (super speed and slim adjustable) the Knack gives me the best shaves and is the most effortless of all my razors. I'm not a fan of TTO's except the Knack.
I read somewhere else that the Knack was sort of the zenith of Gillette's design regarding shavability. I think that's true. It's not sleek in appearance but it just really works and it's light weight and long grippy handle are refreshing. It gives me easy BBS that's even all around and although the shaves don't last as long as my more aggressive razors it's more than made up for by the gentleness of the Knack as well as the shave quality.
An odd perk is its audible feedback. The head and handle are like a hollow drum which amplifies an almost musical scraping sound that's quite satisfying.
I paid $8 for mine. Tough to beat that!
I read somewhere else that the Knack was sort of the zenith of Gillette's design regarding shavability. I think that's true. It's not sleek in appearance but it just really works and it's light weight and long grippy handle are refreshing. It gives me easy BBS that's even all around and although the shaves don't last as long as my more aggressive razors it's more than made up for by the gentleness of the Knack as well as the shave quality.
An odd perk is its audible feedback. The head and handle are like a hollow drum which amplifies an almost musical scraping sound that's quite satisfying.
I paid $8 for mine. Tough to beat that!
Knack is a fun shaver. The odd balance makes it a great rinser!
AA
AA
I had my 1st head shave with my new to me 77 knack.it was a weird shave tbh.it was a great shave it feels and sounds like it's aggressive but is relatively mild.i like it,I'm gunna shim it on my next shave and see how it performs. I looooove how thin and grippy the handle is. especially for head shaving where it's all done by feel.hehe i learnt very fast to not use a mirror(very bad cut/scallop).i have a 1960 fatboy,which i don't use much because it has been replated and the handle is mega slippery!!now i wanna try make a nice custom wooden handle for the knack
On the blade gap chart it calls out the Knack at .64mm, same as late 40's Super Speeds. I find the shave comparable and maybe even more efficient than the earlier Super Speeds. At any rate, I get a nice, near BBS shave from it. It is about .10mm greater than the Schick Krona, and I can get pretty good shaves from it as well.
I agree, my Knacks certainly have a larger gap and IMO, they are more efficient as well. Make great travel razors when you have the case they came in. I think they are cool looking and shave really well.
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