Cartridge History Timeline

[mjclark]

What about the opposition? Advantage, Tracer, Diamond FX and Protector?

Good question.
Do they show the same kind of progression?

 

[Atinofpeas]

Thanks - do you have exact dates for the Kai triple blade and the laterally pivoting handle?


Great stuff! Thanks.

So when was the lubrastrip introduced?
And when were protecting wires introduced (like the Protector and Feather MR3)?

I can’t edit the first post but now we’ve got

1975: First disposable - Bic
2008: First six blade - Dorco

I remember my brother using Wilkinson Sword cartridges with Blade Guards back in the late 80's
They had a red handle iirc

 

[Hepcat]

Great thread!

 

[Sabre]

I remember my brother using Wilkinson Sword cartridges with Blade Guards back in the late 80's
They had a red handle iirc

The retractor...

 

[preidy]

Still a great little razor. I learned on my dad's Schick and went to the Trac II in 72 after they came out with much fanfare. I found this NOS T-2 (still in the original retail plastic sleeve) a few years ago and couldn't pass it up because of the memories. I used a T-2 all my working years and now only when I travel. Just to easy and still gives a great mindless shave.

 

[Hepcat]

Looking over the timeline I’ve started wondering how many advances in design are genuine progress and how many are just marketing.

Some people argue that even a second blade is unnecessary.
With good prep, does a lubrastrip really matter?
And does the guard with the microfins actually make any difference?

I know from personal experience that the pivoting razor head is a boon for headshaving but are most of the other innovations just made for lazy shaving and unnecessary if you have good prep and good technique?

Yes but very few men bother with good prep or have really good technique. The vast majority of us are lazy shavers. That's why many of the innovations made for lazy shavers have been a boon to mankind.

 

[TADIII]

Still a great little razor. I learned on my dad's Schick and went to the Trac II in 72 after they came out with much fanfare. I found this NOS T-2 (still in the original retail plastic sleeve) a few years ago and couldn't pass it up because of the memories. I used a T-2 all my working years and now only when I travel. Just to easy and still gives a great mindless shave.

Help? When you write T-2, are you referring to Trac II, or to the date code? Trac II from '72 would have had a date code of S; T-2 date code would have been the second quarter of 1973.
Gorgeous Deluxe, by the way!
Thank you for your patience.
Tom

 

[Sabre]

Help? When you write T-2, are you referring to Trac II, or to the date code? Trac II from '72 would have had a date code of S; T-2 date code would have been the second quarter of 1973.
Gorgeous Deluxe, by the way!
Thank you for your patience.
Tom

He obviously means Trac II...

 

[preidy]

Help? When you write T-2, are you referring to Trac II, or to the date code? Trac II from '72 would have had a date code of S; T-2 date code would have been the second quarter of 1973.
Gorgeous Deluxe, by the way!
Thank you for your patience.
Tom

Thanks. The T-2 I just meant Trac II for short. The Trac II razor did not have any date codes back then. The Gillette Double Edge razors such as the Super Speed or Tech would have had the date codes showing the quarter of Mfg 1-4 and a letter for the year of Mfg. The Trac II razor was basically the first nail in the coffin for the Gillette DE design razors. The Super Speed I believe was discontinued sometime in the late eighties. I think 88.

 

[TADIII]

Thanks. The T-2 I just meant Trac II for short. The Trac II razor did not have any date codes back then. The Gillette Double Edge razors such as the Super Speed or Tech would have had the date codes showing the quarter of Mfg 1-4 and a letter for the year of Mfg. The Trac II razor was basically the first nail in the coffin for the Gillette DE design razors. The Super Speed I believe was discontinued sometime in the late eighties. I think 88.

4th Quarter of 1971 (when the Trac II was first introduced) did not have a date code; from 1st quarter of '72 on, they all had date codes inside the head:

year by alpha on one side and quarter by number on the other.
HTH
Tom

 

[preidy]

4th Quarter of 1971 (when the Trac II was first introduced) did not have a date code; from 1st quarter of '72 on, they all had date codes inside the head:
View attachment 1051000year by alpha on one side and quarter by number on the other.
HTH
Tom

I stand corrected and thanks for the schooling. All these years in this nutty hobby and I've never heard of that. A remnant from the past right under my nose. I started using the Trac II shortly when it came out with all the sports ad's behind it. Used it when I was working and traveling on the job, now only when go on a trip. 99% DE now. Of course 40+ years would pass before I started using/collecting vintage. BTW. I checked my Deluxe it's a T-1. Pat

 

[Jopo]

I said the Vector wasn't an Atra, and that the later Contours were possibly as bad as the Vectors. The Contour was the European version of the Atra, later it was sold in other markets. The cheap Contour handle has never been sold in Western Europe. Just because two cars share the same name from a manufacturer, doesn't mean they are the same model in different markets.

Actually no, the final North American iteration of the Gillette Atra, discontinued in the 2000's, was the same model as the Vector and latter Contour/Slalom:

Also, haven't seen anybody mention the Japanese version of the Atra - the "Actas". While elsewhere the rubber/plastic handle was introduced, the Actas kept being produced with a metal handle until it was discontinued in the 2010's.

 

[Sabre]

Actually no, the final North American iteration of the Gillette Atra, discontinued in the 2000's, was the same model as the Vector and latter Contour/Slalom:
View attachment 1051016

Also, haven't seen anybody mention the Japanese version of the Atra - the "Actas". While elsewhere the rubber/plastic handle was introduced, the Actas kept being produced with a metal handle until it was discontinued in the 2010's.

View attachment 1051021

Why does your North American Atra have foreign language written underneath the word new?

 

[Jopo]

Why does your North American Atra have foreign language written underneath the word new?

Not a foreign language, for North America. It is in French for the Canadian market, "Nouveau". I bought one of these a couple of years ago (yellowed plastic packaging from sitting on the shelf for so long) at a corner store in Toronto, but can't post better pics as I'm overseas.

 

[Jopo]

Found a larger pic:

 

[Sabre]

Not a foreign language, for North America. It is in French for the Canadian market, "Nouveau". I bought one of these a couple of years ago (yellowed plastic packaging from sitting on the shelf for so long) at a corner store in Toronto, but can't post better pics as I'm overseas.

What does it say under Nouveau?

 

[Jopo]

What does it say under Nouveau?

English: "Non-slip Grip"
French: "Manche Antidérapante"

And here we have the corresponding Contour packaging with English, French, Turkic and Arabic language:

English-only version:

Also, at the Atra's introduction there was a plastic handle version, with a plastic/metal head like the latter versions.

It seems in US, at least initially, it was just to get the customer to try out the Atra system. Called "Trial", or "Invitation":

But here called Gillette Contour Deluxe:

Gillette Contour Plus Sport:

Gillette Atra Plus Sport, 1990's, made in Mexico. Spanish on package.

And I think this style continued for longer under the Slalom name, before changing to rubber/platic handle:

 

[Jopo]

It may never have been launched in countries other than Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea.

The Vector and Vector3 are aimed at markets like India, Indonesia, Vietnam etc. They have large populations. However, the majority are not affluent. India only now has a middle class that is a target of the West. Import restrictions and poverty prevented this in 1990 when the Sensor was launched.

Not certain of the timing but it seems that concurrent with the switch from metal handle Sensor to plastic, the Sensor was realeased in Thailand/SEA. "Cartridge Made in Poland, Handle Made in China, Assembled in Vietnam". Front of package includes English and Thai language. Back includes English, Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian language.

The same model is sold in Western Europe, made in Poland:

 

[Sabre]

English: "Non-slip Grip"
French: "Manche Antidérapante"

And here we have the corresponding Contour packaging with English, French, Turkic and Arabic language:

View attachment 1051283

English-only version:
View attachment 1051284

Also, at the Atra's introduction there was a plastic handle version, with a plastic/metal head like the latter versions.

It seems in US, at least initially, it was just to get the customer to try out the Atra system. Called "Trial", or "Invitation":

View attachment 1051287
View attachment 1051299

But here called Gillette Contour Deluxe:
View attachment 1051297

Gillette Contour Plus Sport:
View attachment 1051289

Gillette Atra Plus Sport, 1990's, made in Mexico. Spanish on package.
View attachment 1051288


And I think this style continued for longer under the Slalom name, before changing to rubber/platic handle:

View attachment 1051291


View attachment 1051290

Sorry, but you are just grabbing ad hoc photos off the internet to fit your own narrative based on your own assumptions.

 

[Jopo]

Sorry, but you are just grabbing ad hoc photos off the internet to fit your own narrative based on your own assumptions.

Not sure what you mean by my "narrative"? I posted some photos that I thought would be informative. By assumptions, you mean my comments about the US "trial" razor and Russian Slalom handle? I said it seems that they were to entice the buyer to try the Atra system. A reasonable assumption considering the names "trial" and "invitation" and the fact that the handle was also included for free with a packs of blades. As for the Russian handle, I said I think it continued on longer, based on the more modern packaging and what I had seen available online last decade. What is it specifically that you take issue with?