Very cool. The Brit Flair Tips are great! Enjoy!Well, in any case, these two are in the mail now coming my way: a new old stock 1970s English Tech and a 1963 flaretip that I just couldn't resist
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Very cool. The Brit Flair Tips are great! Enjoy!Well, in any case, these two are in the mail now coming my way: a new old stock 1970s English Tech and a 1963 flaretip that I just couldn't resist
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This reminds me of that old saying about the grass being something or other, on the other side of the thinga-ma-jiggy... What the heck was it called again? It divided properties?
The flaretip is a very nice razor with beautiful build quality. If it has II on the bottom plate it is a post 59'. Gillette London did not use datecodes. II indicates a medium shave. The Red Tip's of that date have III.Well, in any case, these two are in the mail now coming my way: a new old stock 1970s English Tech and a 1963 flaretip that I just couldn't resist
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Wow, they look awesome, as good as new! The Flair tip its just so irresistible, like a fine lady I was actually surprised, I got it for 20 dollars and I was the only bidder, I guess I got lucky. The seller said it's from 1963 and it has a date code l2. So I guess it's not a British one? The seller is from France so I assumed it's British made but it doesn't really matter if it's US made.The flaretip is a very nice razor with beautiful build quality. If it has II on the bottom plate it is a post 59'. Gillette London did not use datecodes. II indicates a medium shave. The Red Tip's of that date have III.
Gillette London were chaotic in date code usage. They seem to have started using them in the mid-latter 60's onwards and most often on Techs and Slim Twists. I've never seen a dated coded Rocket or Flaretip, but I haven't seen that many. It's possible you have a later-production British made example from 1963?Wow, they look awesome, as good as new! The Flair tip its just so irresistible, like a fine lady I was actually surprised, I got it for 20 dollars and I was the only bidder, I guess I got lucky. The seller said it's from 1963 and it has a date code l2. So I guess it's not a British one? The seller is from France so I assumed it's British made but it doesn't really matter if it's US made.
The Tech looks really sweet too, I'm keeping an eye on a Rocket too
Some of this may be obvious from the above, but at least through the first 40 or so posts in this thread, folks are painting one part of the problem or another. I'll try to combine the various elements as I see the design problem.I've only been around B&B for just over a year. During that period, I've read lots of threads where people complain repeatedly about a few brands with blade registration problems. I don't like hassling with stuff like that. As others have stated, I find it annoying. I don't think it's too much to expect a razor manufacturer to deliver a non-fussy product. It isn't rocket science.
So far, I've just avoided those brands. Others still swear by them and put up with the inconsistencies. Shaving for me is a place of inner tranquility. Hardware complications don't need to be part of that, esp. since they are easily avoided.
You cannot go wrong with a Flat Bottom Tech. Get one.In any case, British Ebay has a few nice listings of the flat bottomed techs.
I know the GC68-P is getting lots of mentions, but for under your nose and maneuverability, the Lupo is king.The game changer and Lupo are insane values for their cost. I normally shave with Blackland, Wolfman, charcoal goods. But I would be perfectly happy with a Lupo 95 had I never heard of those expensive bling razors.
Brother Doug, you are a werk of Art, who created werks of Art. How in the werld do you do things like that that are so TINY?You cannot go wrong with a Flat Bottom Tech. Get one.
I know the GC68-P is getting lots of mentions, but for under your nose and maneuverability, the Lupo is king.
As far as alignment issues with Fatip are concerned, these bushings I machined work like a charm!
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~doug~
Thanks for the compliments Dave, I started machining miniature parts at the very beginning of my career, and found it much easier than having to use a hoist to load parts that weighed over 100 pounds.Brother Doug, you are a werk of Art, who created werks of Art. How in the werld do you do things like that that are so TINY?
You my friend are NOT a genius then! Just wise! You remind me of my fellow nursing students when we were in our clinical rotations.... There are several nurses out there today that might love babies, but the main reason some chose to specialize in babies is because they weigh so little!Thanks for the compliments Dave, I started machining miniature parts at the very beginning of my career, and found it much easier than having to use a hoist to load parts that weighed over 100 pounds.
Having access to a CNC Hardinge GT27 that cost the company over $85k, and a totally clueless boss, also made things easy.
~doug~
I had a similar experience with the Rockwell 6C. The screw post coming out of the top cap was slightly bent, so the handel would force the baseplate to shift slightly to one side once it was tightened. It was impossible to get an even blade exposure on both sides.After about a year of active wetshaving, I feel mad and discouraged. I have bought several razors and they all had uneven blade exposure.
Let's start with the biggest offender:
the Fatip Piccolo - it's embarrassing they produce it in this state. The blade can move 3 millimeters in every possible direction after you put it on the cap, you're pretty much eyeing the exposure yourself. I binned it after 3 days.
Wilkinson Sword classic - came with a bent safety bar right out of the box
Parker 97R - uneven blade exposure, different feedback sound, different feel on skin on each side
And the most disappointing offender: the Rockwell 6C. The cap is fine, the plates are uneven. Again, clear differences in blade feel and different audio feedback. I thought when I bought this razor that it's the only one I will ever need. Now it's basically a matter of days before I decide to bin it.
Currently, I'm shaving with the 5 dollar Lord L5 and I'm a happy camper, and an English Tech is on its way. I feel so mad that I wasted so much money for absolutely nothing. How is it possible that in this day and age razor producers can't get blade exposure right? It's just silly. I mean, wetshaving is still infinitely cheaper than cartridges, but I wasted money for nothing. I know those are cheap razors, but do I really need to pay 100 dollars?
Anyway, thanks for reading, I hope you've had better experiences
Same.I've kicked around the idea of getting one a few times.
The flaretip is a very nice razor with beautiful build quality. If it has II on the bottom plate it is a post 59'. Gillette London did not use datecodes. II indicates a medium shave. The Red Tip's of that date have III.
Slightly longer handle than the 53-54 Rockets I have, and a touch milder, but that is very subjective.
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Here is my lovely little English Tech from the late 50's with the cross pattern hatched aluminium handle. Brass flat top cap. A markedly efficient Tech and my travel DE.
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You can't go wrong with any of them. Great choices!