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Moon Mission Techmatic Tribute!

Graydog

Biblical Innards
I don't have a Techmatic but if I did... instead
I will close my eyes and visualize that I am shaving with a Techmatic while using a razor made of space age material .
The TTSB.68 :)
 

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The Instigator
I don't have a Techmatic but if I did... instead
I will close my eyes and visualize that I am shaving with a Techmatic while using a razor made of space age material .
The TTSB.68 :)

Well, yeah! Space capsules were MADE of titanium (in large part). Why I like Ti68 so much.

Yet I feel I must risk face with the Techmatic in honor of these pioneers of exploration ...


AA
 
Okay, I'm on board, but I might change my mind if you keep knocking the Techmatic.
Didn't you say that you hadn't actually shaved with one yet?
That's the problem here.
The Techmatic gets its bad rap based on uninformed rumour and hearsay. It's heresy, I say!
The Techmatic was a great idea, a great razor, and a great shave! It just wasn't a cost-effective system, with its relatively expensive cartridges for its day.
I actually shave with them, and I find that men who do shave with them to-day share my opinion.
It's people with vague memories of shaving with one back in the sixties, or those who've NEVER shaved with one that are spewing all the unwarranted vitriol and ridicule.
I say, instead of apologetically asking them to shave with one for a few days in honour of the moon flight, like it's some loathsome burden or chore, CHALLENGE them to shave with one at all, and report honestly on their experiences.
I've never had a bad shave with the Techmatic.
I just opened a new-old-stock Techmatic from 1966 and shaved with its original cartridge, using the first "blade" position, that's been exposed for over 50 years...and I got a terrific, comfortable shave, with BBS results and no tugs, nicks, irritation, or blood, whatsoever.
In fact, I shouldn't hesitate to defend the claim that, in its day, the Techmatic was the best shaving system ever invented, period!
This Techmatic hating has got to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Nice thread.

I've looked at the pictures but I still dont understand how these razors work. I assume the 'band' is actually a replacement head sort of thing. Could someone show and explain how one might go about changing them for a fresh one along with showing the actual band or blade or whatever it is that actually does the cutting. Also, blade position? These are adjustable? Is the gap adjusted like with all other adjustables or is there some other 'tech' involved in that?

I like learning. Teach me! :tongue_sm
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Okay, I'm on board, but I might change my mind if you keep knocking the Techmatic.
Didn't you say that you hadn't actually shaved with one yet?
That's the problem here.
The Techmatic gets its bad rap based on uninformed rumour and hearsay. It's heresy, I say!
The Techmatic was a great idea, a great razor, and a great shave! It just wasn't a cost-effective system, with its relatively expensive cartridges for its day.
I actually shave with them, and I find that men who do shave with them to-day share my opinion.
It's people with vague memories of shaving with one back in the sixties, or those who've NEVER shaved with one that are spewing all the unwarranted vitriol and ridicule.
I say, instead of apologetically asking them to shave with one for a few days in honour of the moon flight, like it's some loathsome burden or chore, CHALLENGE them to shave with one at all, and report honestly on their experiences.
I've never had a bad shave with the Techmatic.
I just opened a new-old-stock Techmatic from 1966 and shaved with its original cartridge, using the first "blade" position, that's been exposed for over 50 years...and I got a terrific, comfortable shave, with BBS results and no tugs, nicks, irritation, or blood, whatsoever.
In fact, I shouldn't hesitate to defend the claim that, in its day, the Techmatic was the best shaving system ever invented, period!
This Techmatic hating has got to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, everyone listen to this man! This is the voice of actual experience. Science relies on this!

The Techmatic deserves its day! If it was good enough for NASA, it's good enough for us!

AND, you have the center seat - congratulations, Astro No.2!

Uh, this makes you the flight-necessary "crewman who has flown in space before," and the other two are ... rookies. uh, Techmatic novices.

AA
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Nice thread.

I've looked at the pictures but I still dont understand how these razors work. I assume the 'band' is actually a replacement head sort of thing. Could someone show and explain how one might go about changing them for a fresh one along with showing the actual band or blade or whatever it is that actually does the cutting. Also, blade position? These are adjustable? Is the gap adjusted like with all other adjustables or is there some other 'tech' involved in that?

I like learning. Teach me! :tongue_sm

I got this!

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AA
 

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The Instigator
Note that this one shows a Techmatic, but the band-cart is a Schick - it has the black winding lever on the front. Razor also a lever on back.

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AA
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I got this!

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AA

Now I got that! Thanks lol.

I think I get it. The blade rotates so you get a fresh edge. Sort of like tear off's for motocross racing. Pull the tab and you can see again lol.

Reanson-Professional-Tear-off-Sheet-Anti-Fog-Anti-Scratch-Motocross-Goggle.jpg


adjustt.jpg


This is what I was curious about. Its the only razor I'm aware of that adjusts blade exposure, not blade gap. Thats something I've mentioned a few times myself. That could be easily implemented into modern adjustable DE razor designs and should be.

I've been wondering why razor makers that offer interchangeable bases only make the bases with varying gaps. It would be just as easy I'd think to keep gap a constant and vary blade exposure slightly from negative to positive. Five bases all with the same gap but, for example, bases #1 and #2 having, respectively, .004" and .002" negative exposure. Base #3 neutral exposure, while bases #4 have .002" positive exposure and #5 .004" positive exposure, with maybe an option of .006" for those who like moar! lol

I'll take mine with an .010" 'G' (gap) and .004" '+X' (exposure) base, please. Then maybe step up to a .006" '+X' base. :)

That could be done just by varying the dimensions of the SB/OC. Basic geometry would stay the same and variable blade gaps could still be implemented. Its more work, R&D and machine time, but it would also be the only such design on the market.

Thats a radical razor design. These razors came to market how many years ago and no one has done it since!
 
Podcast by the BBC, three or four parts so far:
"Thirteen minutes to the moon".
Made me realise, 50 years after the fact, what a momentous achievement this was. No mention of the razor sofar.
 
Talk about product placement! Forget about Reece's Pieces on "E.T.".

Still, based on cursory observation, the Techmatic has all the ingredients of a bad shave. A blade strip...coiled...as in circular? How will that not turn out to be dreadful?

Just a reminder to all and sundry. American astronauts landed in the moon six times. Six. No, it wasn't just Neil Armstrong with his bad-azz Ohio self. We landed on the moon so many times it actually got boring. The Soviets never got there...and shaving with a Soviet razor is like enduring the auto-da-fe of the Spanish Inquisition.
 
The other day I opened the door to the shave den …

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An image crossed my mind, then it was gone again, in an instant.

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Wait. The moon landing! Shaving in space!

In just a month, it will be the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. To me, this is humanity’s high-water mark; our greatest achievement.

Man took to the moon his hopes, his dreams – and the Gillette Techmatic razor (ah, you were starting to wonder). There is a famous video of Command Module (CM) Pilot Michael Collins shaving with the Techmatic. His actual razor and tube of goop is in the Smithsonian, I believe. It’s an iconic shaving-in-space moment, the full story of which will be told elsewhere.

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Unlike the finely crafted Saturn V rocket, the Techmatic was … an evolution in shaving. It used a circular sharpened “band” blade loop, much like a bandsaw. Soon to be replaced by Trac II and a monotony of pricy cartridges, Techmatic seemed at the time to be the latest greatest thing – and like the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), destined to take us places. Alas, unlike the LEM it was not to be. Probably the best thing that can be said is that with Techmatic, there was no loose razor blade floating around in the capsule.

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The Techmatic has its fans – a few. They are readily available on the bid site for very little … you’ll pay more for a “band.” I got three for $10.

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Schick soon followed with its Schick Auto Band Razor. Cleverly, Schick put the winder on the band cartridge itself, whereas Gillette put its winder on the back of the razor. As a result – and not by accident – you can use the Schick cartridge in a Techmatic or their own razor – but you cannot put a Techmatic cart in the Schick razor (or you’ll have no way to wind it!). More clever = Schick. Anyways.

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Here we go! The point of all this!

To honor the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 flight, and these brave men who not only had the courage to go to the moon, but also the courage to shave with Techmatic, I propose the following … (excuse me, Mr. President – hand me that microphone, thanks).

“I propose we shave with the Gillette Techmatic, NOT for a decade (but only from July 16, 2019 to July 20, 2019 – the four days from liftoff to landing), until we return safely to other (and way-better) razors on Earth.

“We shave with the Techmatic, because it is there. To honor humanity’s greatest achievement, which is the moon landing, and NOT the Techmatic (to be clear).

“To shave for (only) four days as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins did … with a poor razor but hope in our hearts and representing the best face in engineering (but not razor engineering) planet Earth has to offer.”

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I am starting this thread one month out, in order that other courageous explorers have time to find a Techmatic and a band for it. Schick will do, I think (and many say the Schick is the better blade). Not asking anyone to shave without running water, as the astros did, or with brushless cream (gross) which, according to reports, horribly clogged their razors. Luckily the LEM and the capsule’s parachutes worked better than the brushless cream.

Do you have the courage to shave as they did?
Rockets blow up, and Techmatics can cut you. One of mine has a nice wave in the old blade it came with.

Forumites: Who is with me on this tribute-journey, as we recall man’s greatest adventure?

What brave B&B-ers will take that first step with Neil, Buzz and Mike?

@ajkel64 @razorboi - You guys onboard?

Pledge yourself to shave with Gillette Techmatic from July 16-20.

Humanity is watching.


AA

Wow! This is Deja Vu all over again!
The Techmatic was the first razor I used.
It was my razor until the Trac 2 came out.
I shaved with Carts until almost a year ago.

Now it is a Merkur 34HD.
The only gear I would like from "back in the day" is a Dunlop Maxply Fort tennis racquet.
 
Now I got that! Thanks lol.

I think I get it. The blade rotates so you get a fresh edge. Sort of like tear off's for motocross racing. Pull the tab and you can see again lol.

View attachment 991620

View attachment 991624

This is what I was curious about. Its the only razor I'm aware of that adjusts blade exposure, not blade gap. Thats something I've mentioned a few times myself. That could be easily implemented into modern adjustable DE razor designs and should be.



Thats a radical razor design. These razors came to market how many years ago and no one has done it since!
Note: The early Techmatic cartridges (1965-1967) were NOT adjustable. The adjustability feature was added in 1967, and Gillette then discontinued the non-adjustable version. I am currently shaving with an early non-adjustable type, and it suits me just fine.
 

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The Instigator
Note: The early Techmatic cartridges (1965-1967) were NOT adjustable. The adjustability feature was added in 1967, and Gillette then discontinued the non-adjustable version. I am currently shaving with an early non-adjustable type, and it suits me just fine.

Yes indeedy - it should be pointed out there are several x several types of both companies band cartridges ... I have like four different ones!

AA
 

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The Instigator
Talk about product placement! Forget about Reece's Pieces on "E.T.".

Still, based on cursory observation, the Techmatic has all the ingredients of a bad shave. A blade strip...coiled...as in circular? How will that not turn out to be dreadful?

Just a reminder to all and sundry. American astronauts landed in the moon six times. Six. No, it wasn't just Neil Armstrong with his bad-azz Ohio self. We landed on the moon so many times it actually got boring. The Soviets never got there...and shaving with a Soviet razor is like enduring the auto-da-fe of the Spanish Inquisition.

Right x2! I had the pleasure of meeting Gene Cernan, Apollo 17 skipper and last man on the moon. There should have been up to Apollo 20; Congress cut the program when people got bored. Bored! With people exploring the moon!

And the coil broke on one of these while I fooled with it ...

AA
 
Fabulous thread!! (And WONDERFUL COLLECTION!!) :a29::a29:

Unfortunately, still not enough to get me back to that shaver.
 
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