1930's Gillette NEW question. Silver? with pics

[FreddieP318ti]

Hello gents,

I have a question for you. I've been on vacation since December 22nd and that has given me a lot of play time. Visiting some antique shops I came across a NEW. Though I dont shave with them I love the looks, cleaning them up, and sending them on to good homes.

The one I have below was jet black and nasty when I found it. After a scrubbing bubbles soak, scrub, and some Flitz polish it turned into this beauty. I have only ever seen these in gold and was wondering if they were also manufactured in silver? If so about how many were made? Did I get lucky or is this someones re-plate? Hard to imagine a re-plate in the condition it was in at a shop. Couple of spots on the top cap but other than that shes beautiful! Was going to pass it on but may just keep it. Cant stop looking at it lol. Pics dont do it justice and plan on a little more polishing.

 

[BSAGuy]

Nice razor and a sweet score.

 

[nuclearblast]

Could be nickel, I don't think that's silver.

I've read about nickel LCs, maybe that's one of them.

 

[lindley]

I see why you say silver though, as it sure looks like it. Nice find, and nice job on the clean up.

 

[imatabor]

You said jet black, right? Silver will tarnish to a dark black. I usually use the baking soda/tinfoil trick. As this only works on silver it is an easy test. If there is any black left on it (in the nooks and crevices) you could try it.

As Edgar points out, I haven't seen any silver NEWs though. I have several silver OTs but not NEWs.
Beautiful either way

 

[Chronarch]

It may also be chrome plated? It's probably nickel though. It likely just sat in a dingy wet cabinet underneath the bathroom sink for 80 years collecting black mold and mange. Looks like a great score though. The nickel/chrome plated NEWs are much more scarce than their gold counterparts.

 

[FreddieP318ti]

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking silver due to the way it was tarnished. Never known nickel to tarnish like that.

@Imatador. How do you do the baking soda/tin foil trick? Still have some tarnish in the knurling and if it works then we will know.

 

[Chronarch]

Boil some water and turn off; grab some tinfoil and line a bowl big enough to hold the razor; put the disassembled razor in the bowl making sure each part is touching the foil; dump a few tablespoons of baking soda over the razor; poor the almost boiling water into the bowl safely. Keep your face and nose out of the way as there will be a small chemical reaction. Bubbles and sulfur laden steam. Wait till it cools down, rinse, scrub, and repeat as necessary. It can take several times.

 

[nuclearblast]

Here's the difference between nickel and silver. Nickel in the middle. That LC doesn't look like silver to me.

 

[imatabor]

Make a little bowl with the tinfoil.
Place in disassembled razor
Add a table or two of spoon of baking soda (I don't know if the amount matters, I just sprinkle it all over the razor)
Add enough boiling water to cover razor.
Keep doing this several times changing up when water gets cold.

The baking soda and tinfoil react and chemically change the tarnish. This won't do anything to the nickel.


Edit: I'm too slow. Thanks Brent

 

[FreddieP318ti]

Thanks Chronarch & Imatabor. I will give it a run and see how it goes.

 

[Chronarch]

Thanks Chronarch & Imatabor. I will give it a run and see how it goes.

No problem. It works very well on tarnished silver. I have done it on a few single rings with fantastic results. I have several other razors that I have chosen to leave the original patina intact though. Good luck and nice NEW! Wish I had one. I definitely prefer rhodium/nickel/chrome over gold.

 

[FreddieP318ti]

Well its doing its thing. Had a few small black specs float up but could be from inside the handle. Water is actually getting a little dirty looking but could just be gunk from in the handle again. Will post back in a bit on what happens.

 

[FreddieP318ti]

Well I think i'm gona say this aint nickel! Two cleanings using the baking soda/aluminum foil method removed almost all the tarnish in the knurling and a couple other spots. The spots under the cap around the thread base is plate loss. I'll give it a couple more cleanings with the baking soda to get the rest of the knurling.

 

[imatabor]

Chemistry Rules!

 

[nuclearblast]

It still doesn't look like silver to me. It cleaned up just like hot water would clean up any other nickel razor, such as a Slim or a Super Speed.

Silver plating is white-ish ... I don't see that on that razor. I might be wrong though.

 

[FreddieP318ti]

It still doesn't look like silver to me. It cleaned up just like hot water would clean up any other nickel razor, such as a Slim or a Super Speed.

Silver plating is white-ish ... I don't see that on that razor. I might be wrong though.

Base plate and under the top cap look kind of whiteish to me. Could be silver plates and a nickel handle. Who knows? Still a happy find for me and it will be enjoyed.

 

[nuclearblast]

Base plate and under the top cap look kind of whiteish to me. Could be silver plates and a nickel handle. Who knows? Still a happy find for me and it will be enjoyed.

Nickel NEWs are very uncommon as Brent said. Never heard about silver plated US NEWs, but who knows. The handle certainly doesn't look like silver, but as I said I might be wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

Congrats on the score.

 

[FreddieP318ti]

Is there any idea on about how many nickel NEW's were made?

 

[nuclearblast]

If that is really a nickel LC I think it's the first one I see (American made). I have read about them, but I don't remember seeing pictures of one.

But hey, I had never seen chromium Big Boy Hybrids (apparently not even Achim saw one before) either, and today I saw two of them. So you see, there's a lot of stuff we don't know. But your razor really looks like nickel to me.