Date This Khaki Set Razor?

[sandmountainslim]

I picked up a Khaki Set thanks to a good B&B member and it arrived today

The serial number appears to be either J391464 or T391464 It is hard to make out whether it is T or J. Any info on the year of mfg appreciate.
Wp

 

[Oldguy]

The serial number is from 1919. The J numbers were all assigned to the military. If the razor is an open comb Old Type ball end, it can't have a T number.

Len

 

[sandmountainslim]

The serial number is from 1919. The J numbers were all assigned to the military. If the razor is an open comb Old Type ball end, it can't have a T number.

Len

Thanks for the quick answer It is an Old Type ball end so I guess the letter is J
Wp

 

[sandmountainslim]

The lid of the razor case pulls out by a string but there is nothing on the back of the lining. Am I right in assuming there was once a mirror glued to the back of the lining?
Wp

 

[Oldguy]

The lid of the razor case pulls out by a string but there is nothing on the back of the lining. Am I right in assuming there was once a mirror glued to the back of the lining?
Wp

The lining of the case should be glued to the metal case. The mirror then had a duplicate lining glued to the mirror. There was a looped ribbon on one end. The mirror was then stored against the inner lining showing the duplicate lining. The mirror was then removed by pulling on the looped ribbon.

Len

 

[Oldguy]

The mirror stores like this:

View attachment 71678

Sorry for the narrow DOF.

Len

 

[sandmountainslim]

Mine has the duplicate lining with a loop on it but no mirror on the reverse side. I suppose it fell off over the years. Were they made of metal?
Wp

 

[Oldguy]

Yes they were metal. It was supposed to last a lifetime. Too bad the glue didn't. Most of the sets I see have the mirror missing. Too bad.

Len

 

[SteelCity]

Yo Guy, sweet Khaki Set!

The Old Type's are great razors, enjoy.

 

[sandmountainslim]

Had my first shave with the Khaki Set razor today.

While I have been shaving with a Post-1921 Old Type this razor seemed a little more aggressive I don't know if it is just me or if there really is a slight difference in the razors.
The one thing I noticed most was the handle feels different from what I am used to with the other Old Type, the ball end on the Khaki Set just seemed really light and it is almost an inch shorter than the Mystery Handle on my other razor. Whether that affected the aggressivness or not I have no idea.

Good razor and a fine shave but I believe I will be putting it back in it's case rather than use it as a shaver since it has a very slight crack at the ball end side of the handle. It is just a slight crack that you really have to look for but I reckon usage over time would make it grow ever larger.
Wp

 

[AndyL]

1929 change in thickness possibly account for the "more aggressive" feel?

Read of people using paperclips etc - to accomodate the differing thickness of our current blades vs the pre '29.

Nice Kit Love the khaki's myself!

 

[sandmountainslim]

Nice Kit Love the khaki's myself!

Thank you much. Of all the razors I own this is the one that always catches my friends attention when I show them. Something about it being military issue from so long ago just gets their curiousity up
Wp

 

[Oldguy]

1929 change in thickness possibly account for the "more aggressive" feel?

Read of people using paperclips etc - to accomodate the differing thickness of our current blades vs the pre '29.

Nice Kit Love the khaki's myself!

The Old Type cap changed thickness in 1921. I suppose there may be a difference in the shave between a pre and post 1921 razor but I don't notice it. And whatever you do don't start putting paper clips in your razor.

Len

 

[sandmountainslim]

whatever you do don't start putting paper clips in your razor.

Len

Both of my Old Types shave just fine without shims of any kind in them
Wp

 

[sandmountainslim]

After closer examination with a good magnifying glass it is neither and J nor a T in the serial number but rather it reads

F391464

So I read this as 1918 and could be military and could be civilian???
Wp

 

[amishmotorboat]

I could be wrong on this, but I believe the military issue ones say "Property US Army" above the diamond on both the mirror fabric and the inner lid.
I have my grandfather's WWI khaki set, and in addition to this, on the bottom of the head where you would normally find the logo and 'made in USA', it again says, "Property US Army"

 

[mr-razor]

i could be wrong on this, but i believe the military issue ones say "property us army" above the diamond on both the mirror fabric and the inner lid.
I have my grandfather's wwi khaki set, and in addition to this, on the bottom of the head where you would normally find the logo and 'made in usa', it again says, "property us army"

+1

 

[Oldguy]

I have four Khaki Set razors. The two with J serial numbers are marked Property U.S. Army. The other two, an E and F serial number are not.

Len

 

[sandmountainslim]

I have four Khaki Set razors. The two with J serial numbers are marked Property U.S. Army. The other two, an E and F serial number are not.

Len

E and F would both be 1918 production correct?
Wp

 

[amishmotorboat]

I have four Khaki Set razors. The two with J serial numbers are marked Property U.S. Army. The other two, an E and F serial number are not.

Len

Cool.
Mine is missing the original blade box. Could you tell me, are the original blade holders also marked property us army?

I also just noticed that the quote feature seems to disregard some capital letters, turning WWI into wwi, like I'm a dislexic referring to my grandfather's nintendo - while it leaves other capital letters alone. Strange.