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Best Gillette Rocket?

I got these two rockets today. Thanks to a member here on B&B. The post played with it for weeks. It took a month plus to arrive but Im happy. I didnt have any Rockets. Now I have two.
HD 500 and Flare Tip.

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I got these two rockets today. Thanks to a member here on B&B. The post played with it for weeks. It took a month plus to arrive but Im happy. I didnt have any Rockets. Now I have two.
HD 500 and Flare Tip.

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Congrates both beautiful razors. The razor you ID as an HD500 is instead a "Parat". Still a great razor. Here are mine for your comparison.The Parat (Red case) was made in Germany and has a smooth collar at the top of the handle. The HD500 (Blue case) made in England and has a notched collar at the top of the handle. BTW the other razor is a Flair Tip (aka Rocket) and there are 7 different verisons of the British Flair Tip (including yours). Rockets can be very confusing. Note: Razor's 4 & 6 are the same (Rhodium handle) but appear in two seperate razor sets.

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Congrates both beautiful razors. The razor you I'd as an HD500 is instead a "Parat". Still a great razor. The Parat (Red case) was made in Germany and has a smooth collar at the top of the handle. The HD500 (Blue case) made in England and has a notched collar at the top of the handle. Here are both of mine for your review. BTW the other razor is a Flair Tip (aka Rocket) and there are 7 different verisons of the British Flair Tip (including yours). Rockets can be very confusing.

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I recently purchased a razor that looks exactly like the "Parat" that you ID in your post (I mean, exactly). However, mine is stamped "MADE IN ENGLAND" on the underside of the baseplate. It is also stamped with "BRIT.PAT." and "694093" on the topside of the baseplate. It weighs 62 grams. Any idea what mine is? I had placed it as a late 1950s British Rocket or possibly an Aristocrat Jr. I'm guessing though.

By the way, I also have a cased British Rocket HD500 like the other one in your post. It is a superb shaving machine; one of my favorites.
 
Here comes the confusion. I'd have to say it's a Parat because it's marked "Brit. Pat" 694093 in the blade tray. Mine is marked upper blade tray "Brit.Pat 694093, weight 61.7g and underside made in England on the right and Gillette logo lower left. However it's different in that its also marked with a with a "II" on the underside plate near the handle. The "II" denotes a medium shave. The Blue Tip's are marked with a "I" denoting light shave and the Red Tip's a "III" denoting "heavy". Does your have that the "II"? OK now to throw more confusion in this matter. The original "Rocket" some times made in Canada looks exactly like the Parat but comes in a different Red Case marked "ROCKET" and has a different marking in the upper blade tray "Patent Pending" It's also marked "Made in England on the lower right with a Gillette logo on the underside left but not I II or III. Weight 63.4g. OF NOTE: The HD500 was also made in an all bright Aluminum model (I have) and also a "Gold Anodized" finish model also all Aluminum (Set 52A) which I do have. It weights only 29.6g. So the Red case below is the original "Rocket and the Blue case is the anodized HD500 style.

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I recently purchased a razor that looks exactly like the "Parat" that you ID in your post (I mean, exactly). However, mine is stamped "MADE IN ENGLAND" on the underside of the baseplate. It is also stamped with "BRIT.PAT." and "694093" on the topside of the baseplate. It weighs 62 grams. Any idea what mine is? I had placed it as a late 1950s British Rocket or possibly an Aristocrat Jr. I'm guessing though.

By the way, I also have a cased British Rocket HD500 like the other one in your post. It is a superb shaving machine; one of my favorites.
I think that will be the English 62' Rocket mg, as pictured here.

Very reminiscent of a classic Super Speed. Not a flare tip, interesting for 1962.
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Yes I have the bright aluminum too. A 1952 British Anniversary Set No 52A aka "Paper Clip" in the blue case. Razor is all Aluminum construction except for the doors, centerbar and endcaps (nickel plated). Razor markings upper blade plate "Patent Pending". Markings underside plate "Gillette Logo" and right "Made in England". Razor 35.2 grams / 1.24 oz.

Also here is an Aristocrat Jr. Razor has customary (British) pointed end caps and "gap" above the TTO knob. Includes original creme color Brit blade dispenser. Razor very heavy at 72.5 grams.
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I think that will be the English 62' Rocket mg, as pictured here.

Very reminiscent of a classic Super Speed. Not a flare tip, interesting for 1962.
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@preidy thank you so much for your input. My razor DOES have the "II" marking on the baseplate as you indicate. So, a Parat may have been in the cards (and perhaps still is). Brother @Alum Ladd has kept the mystery running, however, with his very adept find in the deep well of mr-razor's website. Simon, how to you always manage to see things there that I miss ;)? I found my example of the Parat/Set 54A at an estate sale without a case or blades, so no clues from those accoutrements. If the Set 54A were made in 1961 rather than 1962, I would assign that moniker just to give myself another birth year razor :). I will consider the case sufficiently narrowed to be "closed." Thank you gents!
 
Easiest way to quickly ID a Parat is that the TTO knob is the same diameter as the handle where the Rocket is just slightly larger, best checked with the knob turned in all the way.
Thank you for the information! My TTO knob "feels" like it is the same diameter as the handle. However, I have a micrometer, so I measured and discovered that the diameter of the TTO knob is 0.0045" (0.011 mm) larger than the handle. The knurling on the TTO knob is slightly heavier than on the handle also, which could account for the difference. After measuring, I'm still left wondering my the diamter of my TTO knob is the "same" or "larger" than the handle. The image that Simon found on mr-razor appears to show the "same" diameter TTO and handle on the British Set No. 54A.

Discussions like these are why I love B&B 🍻
 
Well, Now I'm a bit confused. And it's no wonder. I will go with what Doug said as it seems to be the most specific. But hey, If I can be proven wrong I'm happy to know more.

My Rocket has a larger diameter TTO knob. It's obvious. We are not talking about a tiny amount. Easy to see.
It's marked Made in England, Gillette logo, Brit Pat, and NO 430030. This pat number I'm not finding this anywhere.
Also there are no stamps or marking of any kind on the top of the base plate/inside. It does have a smooth neck and gap when closed at the TTO knob.

So with what has been said above...
The neck makes is a Parat.
No stamps inside make it a HD500.
The Stamps on the bottom of the plate makes it a HD500.
The TTO knob being larger than the handle makes it a HD500.
Not being marked in any way "Made in Germany" points towards the HD500.
Not notched at the top of the handle means Parat.

Plus the guy I got it from said it was an HD500 so unless something else can be proven different...

Still, Thank you @preidy for your opinion and pictures. Now, you're making me want "all" the English Gillettes too.
 
I believe Pat No 430030 was first filed in the US by Gillette in December 1933, US430030 got a priority in issuance but GB430030 was certainly approved by 1935. This patent basically dealt with the TTO concept and mechanism.
GB430030A - Improvements in and relating to safety razors - Google Patents - https://patents.google.com/patent/GB430030A/en

Pat No 430030 began to show up on English Gillette TTO's in 1938 to about 1952.

There is an earlier patent number on English OC TTO's, 400621 which seems to co-exist with 430030. On some pre war models both patents are visible. I think Pat No 400621 was the original TTO patent granted in June 1933, predating 430030.

Here is a beautiful English Aristocrat from 1938-9 with both patent numbers visible
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There is a long gap it seems between 1949-1954 where Patent Pending appears on most English TTO models, when Pat No 694093 begins to appear on them.

This was the patent number which described the new Notched centre bar for use with the new blade loading 'Speed-Pak' in combination with the TTO design.

"694,093. Razors. GILLETTE SAFETY RAZOR CO. Dec. 10, 1948 [Dec. 11, 1947], No. 31991/48. Class 30 [Also in Group XVII] In a safety razor, in which clamping members secure a slotted blade on a blade seat, a blade-locating bar rising above the blade seat and projecting through the slot in the blade has a hooked formation at one end to engage the end of the blade slot to prevent disengagement of the blade from the bar during transfer of the blade from a container by relative separational movement of the container and the razor. As shown, the razor is of the kind described in Specification 430,030, the bladelocating bar 12 carried by a longitudinally movable spindle 13 being provided with or hook 24 which engages the slot 22 in a blade 21 partially ejected through the exit slot 18 of a magazine of the kind described in Specification 687,651, [Group XVII], and having a stack of blades arranged in staggered relation on a rib 25. The blade, partially ejected by finger pressure through the slot 17, is guided by a tongue 19 in the exit slot and separation of the razor and magazine is guided by the engagement of a groove 20 in the base of the magazine with the blade-locating bar 12. The spindle 13 is provided with a tapered head 13a so that the blade settles easily on the blade seat, the clamping members 14, 15, carried on a spider 23, being closed by means of the spindle 13 to transversely fix the blade ready for use."

I got the above patent wording from an ancient B&B thread
Brit Pat 694093 - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/brit-pat-694093.50934/

Any English TTO razor with the notched centre bar will have Pat Pending or the new 694093 patent number inside the head. This Pat Pending period would be for models made from 1949-1954 at the latest.
 
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nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
My Rocket has a larger diameter TTO knob. It's obvious. We are not talking about a tiny amount. Easy to see.
It's marked Made in England, Gillette logo, Brit Pat, and NO 430030. This pat number I'm not finding this anywhere.
Also there are no stamps or marking of any kind on the top of the base plate/inside. It does have a smooth neck and gap when closed at the TTO knob
430,030 -- now that's an Aristocrat Junior, superior to a Rocket in my book.
Heavy, flat bottom head, super shaver ... Congrats!

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