I appreciate the length of the handle on the black beauty but was curious about the under plate of the head...the black under plate apprears to be plate and the razor definately is lighter...has anyone had any issue with the plastic breaking or woudl anyone know why they would opt for plastic , other than cost cutting?
Black beauty
- Thread starter ORGANIC MAN
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You have a later model if it has the black plastic.
The earlier ones were metal. You can find all the dating and production change info in the Wiki
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/US_Gillette_Dating_Information
Here are my early and late model SA razors so you can see the difference
The SA also came in a long and short handle model
The earlier ones were metal. You can find all the dating and production change info in the Wiki
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/US_Gillette_Dating_Information
Here are my early and late model SA razors so you can see the difference
The SA also came in a long and short handle model
As always, Turtle has the right of it.
I love my birth year/quarter long handle black beauty. It also has the metal instead of the plastic under the head (1969) and shaves really, really nicely. Granted I payed more than I should have for it (bought it from Razor Emporium...) but it is in mint condition, almost NOS.
I love my birth year/quarter long handle black beauty. It also has the metal instead of the plastic under the head (1969) and shaves really, really nicely. Granted I payed more than I should have for it (bought it from Razor Emporium...) but it is in mint condition, almost NOS.
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- #4
do you guys notice a difference in the performance...I have the long handle with the metal bottom but I also just bought one with the plastic that appears to have never been used ...and Im almost wanting to keep it that way...
The plastic piece is the adjustment plate. It sticks up through the top of the safety bars, and is what pushes the blade up to allow for adjustment. It's made of quite heavy plastic, and since it is applied even pressure via the adjustment dial, there should be little possibility for it breaking.
And yes, it appears to be mostly a cost saving measure. There is certainly no benefit to having this piece be plastic instead of metal.
Well I've never used the shorter handled version although I do own a slim which has a shorter handle and the handle is narrower and nickel instead of black enamel. Both great razors for me. Shave similarly though somehow I find the black beauty with the longer handle a bit more efficient. Likely because of the heavier handle. Usually longer handled razors tend to be more efficient than their shorter handled equivalents. If only very slightly, I have found.
I have my birthyear/quarter long handle (W1) and a (T2) short handle version. I love both of them, but I actually prefer the appearance of the short handle and the way it feels in my hand compared to the long handle. Gillette stopped making the short handle version before 1976 so I can't get my birthyear/quarter in a short handle. I don't own a later model one with the plastic base and I probably never will because I think they look terribly cheap and ugly. I guess I'll never find out how one shaves.... but that's okay 
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Ben
.Ben
