De Luxe Razor and KRO-MAN blades

[shaved_*****]

So I was happy to find this cute little darling this weekend:

The razor set is excellent: beautiful gold plating and never used. The handle has a Patent Pending mark (as the picture shows above) and I was really happy to discover the contents of the blade bank:

... 8 unused KRO-MAN blades

KRO-MAN blades are very rare because they were defective and Gillette recalled them after being on the market for only a few months. I believe they were introduces at the beginning of 1930 and recalled sometime during the second quarter of 1930. Well I have always wondered what these blades actually looked like (beyond the wrapper) so here you go:

 

[Fnord5]

Nice score
A local shop has one just like it, but in a cream colored case, not the pinkish you have, and only about 60-70% of the plating is intact, and no blades.

 

[highball]

Wow. what a score, congratulations on that one

 

[TSWebster]

Amazing razor!

I have an ad for the Gillette Deluxe and Kroman blades, I am still looking for some myself to put with the ad I'll find some one day.

 

[The Real McCoy]

great info- thanks for sharing.

 

[mr-razor]

Great catch and great pictures!

 

[cutting_edge]

Beautiful!... I am speechless, and turning greener by the looking at it again and again... the Kro-man blades just place the icing on the cake! Great photography too!

 

[shaved_*****]

Beautiful!... I am speechless, and turning greener by the looking at it again and again... the Kro-man blades just place the icing on the cake! Great photography too!

yeah they were the icing for me and really the only reason I didn't pass up the set.

 

[RocketMan]

Very nice! Thanx for the wonderful pictures!

 

[MrGuy]

Forgive me if I'm a little slow here, any info on exactly what the defect in the blades was?
Very nice set, even if you did get defective blades

 

[shaved_*****]

Forgive me if I'm a little slow here, any info on exactly what the defect in the blades was?
Very nice set, even if you did get defective blades

no its a good question... and I am not too sure that the answer is. Not completely sure, but I think I once heard that they were snapping because the steel was too brittle.

 

[shaved_*****]

no its a good question... and I am not too sure that the answer is. Not completely sure, but I think I once heard that they were snapping because the steel was too brittle.

Also, these blades were Gillette's first attempts of going from the three hole blades to the big slot right down the middle. They say rust resistant (pre stainless steel). Can anyone dig up the patent documents on these blades?

 

[rodd]

That is awesome. Congratulations!

 

[shaved_*****]

this is close but doesn't mention special treatment of steel:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=kM...&rview=1&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0_0#PPA1,M1

 

[MrGuy]

Very cool info! Thanks!

 

[Luc]

Great looking razor in a great shape!

 

[Darjeeling Express]

That is absolutely gorgeous.

 

[Stubblefield]

Wow. I never thought I would see one of those blades, ever.

 

[jakespoppy]

Great find, great pics, and thank you very much for opening a blade package and letting us all have a look. Very considerate of you.

 

[ctakim]

Wonderful, thanks for sharing!