Yup ... that is my idea of a #77 too.
The Gillette open comb razors and their differentiating shaving properties
- Thread starter Polarbeard
- Start date
Great read PolarBeard. And Welcome to B&B.
My first DE was a New LC and I love it.
My only criticism of your is so minor that I feel bad for mentioning it, but since you are ESL I think that you'll probably appreciate it. "where" is for "where can I find a New LC razor for sale"
"were" is for "there were too many New LC razors to choose from, so I bought them all"
sorry for the english cop post,
and again, Welcome to B&B.
My first DE was a New LC and I love it.
My only criticism of your is so minor that I feel bad for mentioning it, but since you are ESL I think that you'll probably appreciate it. "where" is for "where can I find a New LC razor for sale"
"were" is for "there were too many New LC razors to choose from, so I bought them all"
sorry for the english cop post,
and again, Welcome to B&B.that's a very nice razor Jeff
That is not the razor that comes to my mind when someone mentions a Gillette #77 set.
This is my idea of a #77:
Polarbeard, do you have more pictures?
we know, that Gillette used the same number for different razor types:
- Thread starter
- #45
The razor is genuin. Mr Razor has it on his homepage (I hope it´s OK to add links). And I was partly wrong it isn´t produced 1947 but in 1945.
The link to Mr Razor:
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1945 (P2 on blade) NEW No77 thin Tech handle.JPG
Mr razor´s pictures are good. But since I own the set in focus for this discussion I´ve taken a couple of more pictures as well. The razor isn´t used why the head still is wrapped i cellophane. I have a another Gillette Long Comb from 1945 that I bought in unused condition, a travel set sold in two different version with Tech head or New LC, but under the same model number. My belief is that the British after the war used whatever razor parts they had left and combined them into sets using old set names. That probably because of that post war Britain was i bad shape and had to make use of what they had.
The link to Mr Razor:
http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1945 (P2 on blade) NEW No77 thin Tech handle.JPG
Mr razor´s pictures are good. But since I own the set in focus for this discussion I´ve taken a couple of more pictures as well. The razor isn´t used why the head still is wrapped i cellophane. I have a another Gillette Long Comb from 1945 that I bought in unused condition, a travel set sold in two different version with Tech head or New LC, but under the same model number. My belief is that the British after the war used whatever razor parts they had left and combined them into sets using old set names. That probably because of that post war Britain was i bad shape and had to make use of what they had.
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Gillette certainly would have been eager to produce new razors from leftover parts after WWII. However they also did that at other times: Gillette hated to throw anything away.
Do you have any of the original blades, or were they removed from the set? Achim placed his example to 1945 using blades that he believed to be original, coded P-2. Without plausibly original blades it is much more difficult to establish a date, but I think 1939-45 would be reasonable.
Achim also has http://mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1941 (L2 on blade) NEW with Tech handle England.JPG which he places in 1941 because of date-coded blades. And he has http://mr-razor.com/Rasierer/The NEW/1939 NEW with Tech handle England.JPG with no blades, tentatively placed in 1939 but I am not sure why he chose that year.
Epic any post for that mater...thanks...great read!
Extremely cool. I had no idea there was a mid-forties #77. And that one is truly NOS. Thanks for the pictures. Beautiful!
- Thread starter
- #49
I'm sorry to say that this set came exactly as in the pictures; without the blades. I am not a collector (I'm not, not really, not me, arghhh!) so I normally unwrap and use any razor that comes my way, but not this time. I already had this very head so I keep this as a spare to make certain that I have a lifetime supply of Long Combs in really good condition. I do really like the Long Combs, but being a habitual creature I love my Fatips, all of them!
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Polarbeard,
I have exactly the same set, but without the outer packing box - no blades either. I bought it from Portugal. It has the same head as the 2 piece #77/#88.
With regard to your experience with the Old Type, you have to remember that the Old Type 3 hole blades were thicker and more bend resistant than modern blades. This changes the gap and blade angle completely. The men of the early 20th century took pride in their skills with a straight razor and would have been unlikely to accept a new design unless it shaved as close as their straight. If you wish to experience a 1905 shave with an Old Type razor, shim with and old type 3 hole blade. I think you'll find it gives the R41 a run for its money.
Cheers
George
I have exactly the same set, but without the outer packing box - no blades either. I bought it from Portugal. It has the same head as the 2 piece #77/#88.
With regard to your experience with the Old Type, you have to remember that the Old Type 3 hole blades were thicker and more bend resistant than modern blades. This changes the gap and blade angle completely. The men of the early 20th century took pride in their skills with a straight razor and would have been unlikely to accept a new design unless it shaved as close as their straight. If you wish to experience a 1905 shave with an Old Type razor, shim with and old type 3 hole blade. I think you'll find it gives the R41 a run for its money.
Cheers
George
Wow, thanks for coming out of "lurker" mode in such grand fashion!
Informative and interesting article, and I love your placement of each model in a historical context.
Bravo!
Informative and interesting article, and I love your placement of each model in a historical context.
Bravo!
- Thread starter
- #52
Jo djusst wait ant zee me enklisch get even more better. Were much tank. 
- Thread starter
- #53
Good morning George,
I must confess that I haven't tried a shim on the Old Type, but being one of those nerds that have spent a large part of their lifes accumulated spare time digging into historical trivia I got myself an antique razor blade sharpener and sharpened a couple of old type razor blades. I might have got it wrong but to me it didn't alter the Old Types shaving performance very much.
I usually use a modern blade shim and back off the tightening screw as per the original instructions. Works for me.
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That's awesome! I'm gonna try that tomorrow.
Thanks very much for this informative post.
I've recently acquired a Tuckaway and it is fast becoming my favorite razor. BTW - Great original post.
Cheers
Simon
- Thread starter
- #58
Thank you Simon. I congratulate you on buying a very good razor. Very intuitive to use and it gives a very nice and close shave besides everything else I've already written about it. A very underappreciated gem of a razor.
I'm now looking to add a Bostonian "New Improved" to my collection, for that longer handled experience!
- Thread starter
- #60
Yes there always something new to try isn't there? I try my best not to fall for it, at least not too often. And sometimes I tell myself that I'm actually in control of it. I wish I was, but then again life is short and I believe it was Oscar Wilde who said that the best way to resist a temptation is to fall for it. Personally I'm trying hard not to buy another Old Type ABC. But on the other hand why should I bother about feeding my hungry family when there's such a beautiful razor to buy to my "It's not a collection"? My beloved ones tend to eat everyday anyhow. Happy hunting!
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