Black Handled Super Speed

[RedsFan75]

Visited my Mom this weekend, and she had a bit of a surprise waiting for me. My Dad's razor. Dad passed away just over a year and a half ago, but had been on blood thinners, and having issues for quite some time. He, and later Mom, had been using a Trac II for his shaves for many years now, and Mom thought they had thrown away his Gillette. She found it as she was cleaning out some other stuff. I don't have pics as it's been in a box for some time and wasn't cleaned before it was put there, so there's a good bit of soap scum buildup plus some pitting on the doors. Gotta give it a clean up before I take pics. Date code is V-3. If I looked it up correctly that would put it from 3rd quarter of 1975... He must have been bought it or it was a gift cause I don't recall him using a black handled one. Who knows I may have even gotten it for him, I would have been 15 that year. I do know he didn't care for the adjustable razors. Cause later when I got a black beauty adjustable, he commented that the adjustable stuff was a lot of fuss over nothing.

A little bittersweet writing this out, as it's great to have it, but it does make me miss my dad. There was even had a pack of blades with 2 left in it. Some of the used ones are in the blade bank in the back.

I'll probably clean it up and use it, but the emotions are strong right now so it may take me a bit before I do use it. Am I being silly? or sentimental?

Oh well. Thanks for listening.

 

[Dools]

Silly and Sentimental seems to work Just-Fine here.....Works for me!

Thank You for a Great story.

 

[jhh834]

I am glad that you are able to have it in your possession. You will be able to enjoy it on many levels.

 

[warhawk]

Hi Harold: That is a blessing to have something in memory of your dad. Now your shaves will have more meaning. You are a lucky man. Enjoy the shaves and I am looking forward to seeing the pics.

WARHAWK

 

[ironfist]

Its nice that you have it and it brings back memories Thats what part of this journey into wet shaving is all about, the nostalgia.

 

[Copierguy]

Am I being silly? or sentimental?

Not in the least. When I shave with my dad's razor it is special......

 

[CGW409]

Not being silly at all and there is nothing wrong with being sentimental.
Family heirloom razors are the best because of the sentimental value.
I've got four family history razors my grandfather's 1970 black Super Speed,my great grandfather's Big Fellow,my wife's grandfather's short comb NEW and my late father in law's 1953 Super Speed and I would not part with them for all the money in the world though the 70 SS and Big fellow are earmarked to be passed along to my nephew in about 20 years when he's (1) old enough to shave and (2) mature enough to understand these belonged to his great,great grandfather and his great grandfather and the family history therein not for a quick buck on Ebay.

 

[demaro]

I love black handled super speeds. I have a few from my birth year 1968 and also I have a couple that I inherited from my Godfather who passed away last August , one of which I have been using for every shave since the week after his death.. One of them is a 1976 and the other is a 1978. I also found his Father's 1956 Gillette Diplomat ..

 

[ateace]

Well, done, Mom!

Nothing silly about this.
Some things, especially personal items, become very strongly associated with loved ones.
Enjoy your father's razor.

 

[olschoolsteel]

I think this is actually the cool part of our little hobby here. Without starting a poll or anything, I bet 80-90 percent of us have the actual razors our fathers and grandfathers used. Some get used, some are restored and preserved. Either way, it is really cool to have something like this, almost as a right of passage at maturity...or later, that the lather mug and razor gets passed down to the next patriarc of the family. Only to be repeated again when its time for us to pass on our items...

Stop by and read a soap review on Cella by Marco. In one way or another, a little piece of this is inside us all.

 

[JayEddie]

Sentimental by no means equates to silly. My Dad passed three years ago and I'm glad to have the Aristocrat that I remember him shaving with when I was a little kid. I won't even shave with it because I don't want it to lose anymore of the plating.

 

[RedsFan75]

Thanks everyone for the affirmation. It was mentioned about being careful of my cleaning method, any ideas of how to clean it best with thoughts on taking care of the black handle?

 

[Copierguy]

Thanks everyone for the affirmation. It was mentioned about being careful of my cleaning method, any ideas of how to clean it best with thoughts on taking care of the black handle?

You may want to start with warm water and dish soap. After soaking for a bit hit all the nooks and seams with an old toothbrush. Everyone has their favorite medal polish for the nickel plated areas, Blue Magic works for me. Stay away from power tools. The nickel electroplate is thin and easy to burn through.

Slow and easy.....if in doubt, ask. There is help around every corner here.

 

[Sir Lurkalot]

On that razor, you can use scrubbing bubbles on the head but try to keep it away from the black portion. Yesterday I picked up a relatively inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner. I made a mixture of distilled water, Dawn and a bit of ammonia. Then I put in some razors to see what would happen. Well when I was finished the razors looked noticeably cleaner and the solution noticeably dirtier. I was surprised by this because I had cleaned these razors with scrubbing bubbles, baking powder and dish detergent. Glad I bought one.

 

[RedsFan75]

Gave the razor a clean up. It wasn't cleaned before it was put in the box, so it had some pretty stubborn areas, and it had some spotting on the head, but I think it turned out OK.

Sorry about the size, since photo bucket changed I've not quite figured out how to do a thumb nail type link.

And the crew... V-3 SuperSpeed, I-1 Slim, and Z-3 gold ball-end Tech

 

[dreadpirate]

That was my first vintage Gillette.