I've noticed that some old Gillettes, the fat handle Tech for example, show up in a Brass and copper combination from time to time, in addition to the usual silver and gold. Does anybody have any comment on how durable or easy to clean this finish is? I am assuming that it is coated, like the gold razors, and thus would not be amenable to heaving scrubbing of any kind? I kinda like the fact that the silver tone razors seem to all be just some form of metal plating, which can be freely scrubbed and polished, but all one color is boring, no?
Brass and copper Gillettes
- Thread starter moses
- Start date
I found this old thread while I was searching for the answer to the question: "How many different fat handle Tech models were made?" I was cleaning an old eBay winning and realized it was brass and copper. It also has a few design differences--straight side grooves and one-piece slot.
So...how many fat handle Tech models were made?
(And which model came first?)
Thanks,
Christopher
So...how many fat handle Tech models were made?
(And which model came first?)
Thanks,
Christopher
I am convinced that the coating on the NEW handles was so thin that it could wear of easily, showing the copper of the handle. I had a golden NEW and when I polished it, I suddenly had a copper NEW.
I don`t think that they were made with a copper finish.
The razor looks quite nice without the golden finish, it`s just a shame that the copper oxidizes and becomes green slowly.
You can see that your copper razor still has the gold intact where you insert the head. The finish on this part is a little bit more solid, somehow. The same is true for my razor, so that your copper NEW is a former golden NEW.
I don`t think that they were made with a copper finish.
The razor looks quite nice without the golden finish, it`s just a shame that the copper oxidizes and becomes green slowly.
You can see that your copper razor still has the gold intact where you insert the head. The finish on this part is a little bit more solid, somehow. The same is true for my razor, so that your copper NEW is a former golden NEW.
I have the razor on the right in closed and open comb. I like the look of copper razors. My grandfather had one (which I cannot now find). I, too, am interested in how copper cleans up. I haven't tried anything yet.
I too have polished the gold right off of a Tech to reveal the same combination that is in Christopher's photo on the right. It looks good and I wonder if there is something that the razor could be coated with to seal it from oxidation?
The silver Tech on the left has the 154 cap from a NEW made in 1931 if it's made in the USA. I am thinking these are not nearly as rare as the Krumholz book makes them out to be.
The silver Tech on the left has the 154 cap from a NEW made in 1931 if it's made in the USA. I am thinking these are not nearly as rare as the Krumholz book makes them out to be.
*****
You can see that your copper razor still has the gold intact where you insert the head.
*****
I think that that part is brass, and not a gold finish of some sort. Brass is different from copper. I would think if they were all gold, that there would be at least a few for sale where the gold finish is only partly rubbed off. I haven't seen any on ebay like that. But, admittedly, I am a newb to this DE business and am certainly no DE razor historian.
You can see that your copper razor still has the gold intact where you insert the head.
*****
I think that that part is brass, and not a gold finish of some sort. Brass is different from copper. I would think if they were all gold, that there would be at least a few for sale where the gold finish is only partly rubbed off. I haven't seen any on ebay like that. But, admittedly, I am a newb to this DE business and am certainly no DE razor historian.
So...the one on the left is a Tech, and the one on the right is a NEW? And the Tech has some supposed rare handle-cap combination? (This is all Greek.) NEW. 154 Cap. 1931. I'm lost here. Can someone please explain in baby terms what razors I own? LOL (I thought I had two old Techs.)
By the way...I am sure the copper and brass razor is simply an old silver or gold razor with serious plating loss.
Thanks,
Christopher =)
By the way...I am sure the copper and brass razor is simply an old silver or gold razor with serious plating loss.
Thanks,
Christopher =)
I agree. The top part is brass. There is no silver or gold left on this razor. You say these turn up from time to time but never with any trace of silver or gold? How strange. Maybe they accidentally skipped the silver or gold plating stage in the factory? Or maybe people just polish the plating right off like Chris said? Who knows? It looks cool anyway. Maybe I'll keep it.
Christopher
I have several of these brass and copper razors, both open comb and closed safety bar. They do require a bit of extra effort to keep clean, but I think they are worth it. I just use a Simple Green spray and a toothbrush to keep them clean. Getting them clean is may be another issue, but of the one's I have, all have cleaned up very well. Just took some patience, a long soak in Simple Green and some elbow grease with Maas.
They sure do look pretty on a rack, lots of shiney brass and copper.
They are both fat handle Tech's but the cap on the one on the left could be from a 1931 NEW. Krumholz describes these as being "scarce". I have one American and one English 154 cap and saw one on eBay last week so how scarce could they be?
Here is a shot of my 4 fat handle Tech's. You can see what I believe to be tarnished silver on the handle in the center. One of the brass and chrome combinations did have a thin sheen of gold before I polished it off.
I googled the "copper" issue but turned up nothing. Does Krumholz say anything about whether the Tech ever came in copper? I will say that they make a handsome razor.
Christopher and I both have different base plates as well as the possible 154 caps. You can see how the openings in the base plates are shaped differently in the photos below. I wonder what the significance of of this is and the fact that on both the 154 cap is present with the same base plate? Odd, these must be the straight side grooves Christopher mentions above. One of the features touted by Gillette when they introduced this razor was the fact that it "Cleans quickly - Never clogs" I imagine the wider slots would accomplish this.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=14041&stc=1&d=1197064282
I'm aware that I have too much time on my hands.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=14041&stc=1&d=1197064282
I'm aware that I have too much time on my hands.
That's exactly what I was talking about. The caps are different. The base plates are different too. One has triangular openings while the other has straight.
And I noticed on my razor the threaded bolt part of the cap is solid copper--no silver or gold plating. I would think there should be at least a little of the original plating. It's the least exposed or handled part. Oh, well. If it's not original, then the razor was probably dunked in some kind of chemical that eats plating. The loss is too uniform otherwise...IMHO. Maybe the old WWII veterans cleaned their razors in the field using government strength paint thinner. Who knows?
Christopher
The 1939 Tech has triangle guard slots.
See: http://www.geocities.com/safetyrazors/gil_ser2.htm So, the "Tech" on the right appears to be a '39.
Still can't find anything on the copper.
See: http://www.geocities.com/safetyrazors/gil_ser2.htm So, the "Tech" on the right appears to be a '39.
Still can't find anything on the copper.
The website states "1939 J 134/TTO/Tech Tech intro'd with triangle guard slots." It also says "1952 X TTO/Tech Tech gets parallel slots."
So...the triangle slot razor was made 1939-1951 and the parallel (straight) slot razor was made 1952-19XX. Is that right?
Christopher
I didn't review the site close enough. I think you are right -- triangle up to 51. The Tech on the right is a 39-51. 
If that were true our straight slots should have date codes. Mine doesn't. Yours?
Nope. Argh! (The 1952s might be the thin handle Techs.)
Okay...I took a closer look at my Techs. The silver Tech has some plating loss on the base plate around the center hole--brass. There is a small chip of silver plate missing on the top left corner of the cap--copper. It seems the Tech razors were made of both copper and brass parts, and the two-tone copper and brass razors are simply normal Techs that are missing the plating. (We've already suggested it, I'm just confirming it.) The only question left is why are there two styles of fat handle Techs, and what are the production dates for each? Are there more than two styles?
According to the geocities website the Tech was in war production from 1942-1945. Could the straight slot razor be a war production only?
(Oh! How I wish I had the Krumholz book!)
CJB
I just read the Tech section in the Krumholz book and he doesn't mention the triangle slotted guards at all. His pictures where you can see the bottom of the razor head are of the straight ones. He also says they came in chrome, gold or with plastic handles.
What? I give up. I'm selling them all. Super-Speeds only from now on. =/
Christopher
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