Apollo Adjustables are an evolving family

[Jake]

I've been collecting the chrome and gold plated Apollos for a number of years. Once they started their German manufacturing, they produced basic closed comb and slant razors, then developed their version of the adjustable razor.

There were 3 basic generations of the adjustable set, here are the 3 that were produced in Germany.

And this is the 1st generation on its own, a 2-piece adjustable:

The 1st and 2nd generation look like this:

And then a variant appeared, the Apollo for the Swedish market, branded as a Matador, a Swedish company that produced a non-adjustable razor and also DE blades. The Matador Micro, a takeoff on the German-branded Apollo Mikron, looks to be identical to the Mikron, except for a few subtle differences.

You can see the name, the case, the included blades, and (as you'll see) the logo under the head.

You can see the logo and name is different between these fraternal twins. But after taking them apart and inspecting their inner handles and the micro-adjusting spring, they are identical on the inside. Their weight is also identical.

Someone had to translate the instruction sheet, but that was apparently a small price to pay to open up the Swedish market for this unique and rarely found shaver. The Matador Micro, in all it's glory. And this one has never been used. At least there's no evidence of soap scum or anything else that would indicate anyone's shaved with it yet. Dare I?

 

[Ron R]

Very nice, lots of history in the shaving world and for its time the quailty is outstanding. I think today they might not match it for the look and finish.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Beautiful razors and an informative post.

Glenn

 

[Jake]

Very nice, lots of history in the shaving world and for its time the quailty is outstanding. I think today they might not match it for the look and finish.

Well imagine what their engineers would be creating if they had 21st century technologies at their disposal -- if they were making these razors today?! The execution of these when they were being made was remarkable. Somewhere between the BMW and Porsche, compared to the Gillette counterpart, as the Chevrolet or Buick. Not that these American cars are inferior, but they are considerably different from the German design and manufacturing expertise.

So while these vintage Apollos can certainly stand up well to razors made in this century, they shouldn't really be compared to the modern stainless or other versions of razors made this century. But imagine what they could have achieved if they continued on the path of where they were in the 1930s.

 

[Jake]

A couple additional photos of the Matador adjustable.

There's the micro-adjuster screw and the main cleaning brush. The other, smaller brush, seems to be another one of the subtle differences between the Swedish Apollo Micro and the Apollo Mikron.

 

[Ron R]

Do you know what year these razors were made or close to production yrs ,I looked but could not find in your review
!

 

[jmudrick]

Do you what year these razors were made or close to production yrs ,I looked but could not find in your review
!

Here's the German patent for the third version, application 1955, published 1958. The second version I didn't save but I recall it was a 1949 application, published 1951. Some of Jakes earlier teases led me to acquire examples of those two.

 

[Northstonehill]

Great post - and posts - around this very interesting razor, thank you!

I do love adjustables so this for sure now is on my bucket list of razors to get

 

[jmudrick]

Here are the other two Apollo patent drawings, 1951 and 1938 publication dates.

All three complete adjustable patents and one slant I've uploaded here:

Apollo - Google Drive

 

[efsk]

Stunning stuff again Jake, very nice razors. I have a Ben Hur mikron (gen 2), but not nearly in as good a shape as yours. Don't like how it shaves though, so I'd just let the Matador be pretty as it is and not shave with it.
What is nice to see is the different paths Gillette and Apollo took for their adjustables. Gillette pushed the middle of the blade up, Apollo raised and lowered the safetybars.

@jmudrick thanks for the patents.

 

[KeenDogg]

Shave with it! I dare ya! Beautiful razor, man.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Jake]

Thanks Gents, and thanks to @jmudrick for researching and displaying the patent information.

 

[jmudrick]

Thanks Gents, and thanks to @jmudrick for researching and displaying the patent information.

Any dates on the documentation for the Matador?

 

[Jake]

Any dates on the documentation for the Matador?

None that I could decipher. I’ll look again. More thoroughly and report back.

 

[ackvil]

I hate it when Jake posts. I know it will fuel my RAD and challenge my resolve not to buy another razor!

 

[Polarbeard]

I have read your fantastic threads since long before I became a member. This one is just as good as ever. I've been following the Swedish market for shaving tools for many years, I often see Matador razors, but I've never seen the Matador Micro. I would have remembered it.

 

[Shave Monkey]

I say shave with it. I would!

 

[Brompton]

Wow, those are beautiful looking razors.

 

[jmudrick]

I hate it when Jake posts. I know it will fuel my RAD and challenge my resolve not to buy another razor!

I just saw what that Matador went for, tamed my hopes if not my desires.

 

[Jake]

I just saw what that Matador went for, tamed my hopes if not my desires.

Over-priced for sure. Yet my purchases have slowed so much I indulged with that set since it does round out my collection so well. Hope my heirs will appreciate their inheritance. When the time comes.