Item Description
I just got this from slcsteve (thanks, Steve!) on Friday and fired it up this morning. I should say wound it up! You just turn the bulbous end on the already bulbous handle and it vibrates like any of the Gillette "power" versions.
Price: This was an expensive razor in its day; mine included the original invoice from 1966 and it was 24.95! I got mine for only $17.50. Considering that most blade razors at that time were 1/10th the price, I think I got a great deal. Thanks again, Steve!
Quality: This is in mint condition and works like a charm. This is no cheap novelty item and ranks with any of my newer razors, even the 38c.
User Friendly: The instructions say just wind it until it stops and it will vibrate for 3 minutes. I think it's closer to 2 and I had to rewind 4 times during my shave, but no matter. It is simple and there is no battery to replace. My only beef is that the head is very deep (thicker than a Gillette fatboy), so tight spots, like around the nose, are tricky.
Grip: The handle is enormous and deeply ridged so not bad, but you must hold it in the middle so that the large end can spin as it winds down. You aren't likely to drop this monster though!
Blade Replacement: I prefer one or two piece setups over this three piece design.
Aggressiveness: I'd say it's near a 4-5 on any of my Gillette adjustables. The vibration really does seem to reduce the drag, so I was able to get some trouble spots, like under my chin, really smooth with no irritation.
Adjustability: n/a
Balance: Given the size of the handle and the windup mechanism, this is understandably bottom-heavy. However, as I mentioned earlier, the head is quite beefy, so it isn't as bad as you might think and probably helps encourage light pressure.
I bought this on a lark thinking it would be more of a conversation piece, but I was very pleasantly surprised by its performance. Since the winding process takes time, it won't be my everyday cutter, but I can see this being a regular part of my rotation. It is another testimony to the ability of American manufacturers to make quality products, at least in days gone by!
Price: This was an expensive razor in its day; mine included the original invoice from 1966 and it was 24.95! I got mine for only $17.50. Considering that most blade razors at that time were 1/10th the price, I think I got a great deal. Thanks again, Steve!
Quality: This is in mint condition and works like a charm. This is no cheap novelty item and ranks with any of my newer razors, even the 38c.
User Friendly: The instructions say just wind it until it stops and it will vibrate for 3 minutes. I think it's closer to 2 and I had to rewind 4 times during my shave, but no matter. It is simple and there is no battery to replace. My only beef is that the head is very deep (thicker than a Gillette fatboy), so tight spots, like around the nose, are tricky.
Grip: The handle is enormous and deeply ridged so not bad, but you must hold it in the middle so that the large end can spin as it winds down. You aren't likely to drop this monster though!
Blade Replacement: I prefer one or two piece setups over this three piece design.
Aggressiveness: I'd say it's near a 4-5 on any of my Gillette adjustables. The vibration really does seem to reduce the drag, so I was able to get some trouble spots, like under my chin, really smooth with no irritation.
Adjustability: n/a
Balance: Given the size of the handle and the windup mechanism, this is understandably bottom-heavy. However, as I mentioned earlier, the head is quite beefy, so it isn't as bad as you might think and probably helps encourage light pressure.
I bought this on a lark thinking it would be more of a conversation piece, but I was very pleasantly surprised by its performance. Since the winding process takes time, it won't be my everyday cutter, but I can see this being a regular part of my rotation. It is another testimony to the ability of American manufacturers to make quality products, at least in days gone by!
