Gillette Super Speed 1940's no date code

Quality razor of which my biggest complaint is the weight. I expected this to be mild fro the outset from all the reviews I'd already read. I was looking for a mild shave today and it delivered that. It doesn't have the weight that many of the others in its family have and for that I'm left wanting. My preference is for a heavy longer handle , which this has neither. It is easy to grip even with a lather laden hand.

I brought this product from the bay for 35 and it was in new condition for it's age that is amazing so i grabbed it. Now this was when i first started shave and my only razor was a Krona at the time. So like any newbie to the wet shaving would i came to B&B and looked at all the reviews of the Newbie razor. When i realized i want a vintage and i want a gillette. the super speeds are mild user friendly to any one starting out and still i have much love and use it in my rotation right on side of my krona and fatboy. if you just starting and want to do vintage i would save grab one and never let it go. but that just my option

These razors are still very common, and affordable. I bought mine for $10.00, and it had some tarnish on it, but I easily cleaned it up. I feel silly for not trying out a 40's superspeed sooner, because it really is a great razor. It shaves so smooth, and the knurling on the handle gives a nice grip too. It is a well made razor, and the fact that there are still so many of these around is a testament to its durability. I put an Astra SP blade in it for the first shave, lathered up with Mitchell's, and had one of the smoothest, most effortless shaves ever. I would recommend a 1940's superspeed to any wetshaver, try one out.

I seriously believe that it cant get better than this. Its a completly botherfree and harmless shaving experience everytime. Mild but very effective. My skin is completly glass smooth after a few passes and without any irritation or nicks. Who can ask for more? A bit to short handle maybe but thats no big deal considering the great balance. I really like this razor and can recommend it to both new de shavers as more experienced.

I recently bought a 1948 Gillette Super Speed on ebay. My beard is medium to heavy. I have 26 safety razors and this razor is within the top 5 as for being a pleasure to use. It is a medium aggression razor, that gives outstanding close, smooth, and comfortable shaves with a Feather blade. I have used the razor for one week, using three-pass daily shaves, and I have had zero nicks or weepers. Most of my other razors if used for a week with the ultra sharp Feather blade would draw some occasional blood. If I were limited to one word to describe this razor, the descriptive word would be "smooth" or "comfortable." The razor cosmetically looks to be a high quality classic instrument. This model of the Super Speed was produced by Gillette between 1947 and 1954. It is an outstanding DE safety razor by any measurement.

At the time of this writing, I own a Gillette slim adjustable, two 40's Superspeeds, A Merkur 180, two techs, an Aristocrat, a "New", and some 70's Superspeeds. Of them all, the 40's Superspeed is my favorite. It has a nice heft, good balance, medium aggressiveness, and, despite that, gives a very close, easy shave. For me, this is the perfect razor.

Great shaves, low price, high quality, and vintage charm make the 40's Superspeed a great (best?) first classic razor for your collection.

Try a Feather blade in this mild razor for a nice pairing.

My first DE razor. As people have commented, this got me in the game with a very good learning curve. Very minimal cuts in the beginning when I was shaving with too much pressure. As I have improved my technique, I find nothing wanting.

It is a beautifully made piece of equipment. I marvel at how solid it feels and how well it works after more than 60 years!

It shaves in a very mild fashion. If you need to get more aggressive, you can opt for a more aggressive blade or angle. I suspect I will stick with this razor for many many years -- hopefully I'll be using this razor when it's 100 years old!

The 40's Super Speed was the first DE razor I ever used. It was bought new by my grandfather and I have used it on and off for the past ten years.

Great shave and mild, works well with blades that are "picky" in other razors.

I dig the 40's Super Speed and would recommend it to anyone.
Wp

Don't know if it's just my particular SS (1948-1950) but it isn't noticeably milder than my HD. Still a good razor and will give a great shave. Surprisingly, for what is effectively an antique, it actually cost a good deal less than the HD, I got mine for £15 (excluding postage).

My SS does give a good comfortable shave without any problems, it's well made, lasts forever (mine's already about 60 years old), looks good and is just generally an excellent razor all round.

I still like the HD though, it feels better and gives more feedback. It's slightly easier to replace the blade on a SS but it's not that difficult on an HD. The SS doesn't have the same heft either - I really like the solid feel of the HD.

So in conclusion there's nothing wrong with the SS but it's still the HD for me.

Excellent Razor for darn near any price. It provides a very nice shave with minimal learning curve as it's very forgiving nature makes it perfect for the newbie. Mild shaver but it gets the job done. I Bought mine for around $5 but I have seen these go for as much as $25 and would consider it $25 well spent. Excellent shaver, excellent quality and just plain fun to use. Rated a 5 in aggressiveness as it is a relatively mild razor and rated a zero in adjustability because it is not adjustable.

These Super Speeds do in fact produce such a wonderful shave!
I recently used a 41 Ranger Tech and same thing.. nice comfortable shave.
I'm beginning to think it's ironic, that some of best shaves are from the least expensive
razors Gillette produce like the various Techs and Super Speeds, rather than the over priced Fatboys and "too rare to shave with" Executives, 66's etc etc etc.

The 40's SS is a great razor for those new to wetshaving. It is also a terrific razor for experienced shavers as well. I still rotate among a handful of razors when I shave, but the 40's SS is the one that I reach for more than any other. It gives a great shave and is tough as nails. You can't go wrong with it.

I agree with the above comments regarding the 40's Superspeed. On the day this razor was created, all the planets were in perfect alignment. I own about thirty razors, including most of the American Gillette TTO's, English Aristocrats/Rockets, and a very nice gold Progress. Many of them are nice shavers, and certainly more expensive because of their rarity, but the SS is my favorite daily shaver. It's balance and smoothness are amazing, and my more collectable razors like the #66 now spend most of their time on the shelf just looking good.

Chuck

If you are new to wetshaving, or an experienced bladerunner, you will love this razor. I have about 40 DE's and another 15 or so straights. This razor has become my daily go-to razor. The balance is perfect, and even with the shorter and thinner than I really like handle, it fits very comfortably in my large hands.

The one thing I really like about this razor is, that I don't not have to even think about my shave. I don't have to think about blade angle, I don't have to think about the sensitive jawline. It just shaves and shaves smooth every time. I pair it up with a Crystal or even a Derby, and she is ready to provide BBS shaving pleasure. XTG, WTG or ATG - It does not matter. No weepers, nicks or bleeders, every time.

Why did Gillette ever change from this design. This is the perfect razor.

Okay, I must start out by saying that I am new to wetshaving. However, my grandfather had a gillette superspeed identical to the one that I picked up on ebay. After he would shave, he used to lather my face up with his brush and hot shave cream dispenser and let me "shave" with it (without the blade of course.) This superspeed I purchased on ebay for less than $10. It has no date code on it, and is not a tapered bottom, or colored bottom, but is the knurled handle. From what I can tell, it would be pre 1948-1950? If anyone can correct me on this, please do, I'd love to know. Let's get one thing out of the way, my Pawpaw (who could walk on water, gave the best christmas presents, could do no wrong, practically raised me) had one identical, so maybe I'm going to be partial to the superspeed for sentimental reasons.
I used the razor with cheap blades purchased at SuperDollar (5 for $1.) The blades don't last long enough for me, but give a really good shave. I'd love to try other blades in this razor, hoping that it continues to shave this nice or better with other blades as well. Maybe these cheap blades are a great match for this razor, maybe it's the razor, maybe it's the sentimental value of the razor, but I love the shave I get with it! I'll tell now, I'm hooked on wetshaving. My face feels great, no razor rash, no ingrown hairs, I like it.
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