Expert Razor advice needed

[Mark1966]

OK, so in a moment of rash weakness I purchased this off the bay - http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250657023104&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:AU:1123.

It is clearly described as 'MENS GROOMING KIT GILLETTE BRAND NEW CIRCA 1940 - 1950' Now it arrived today so I got to look at it in more detail.

There are NO markings whatsoever on the razor (zero, zip, none, nada) and to me it just doesn't 'feel' like a Gillette- the build quality doesn't seem the same. In fact apart from the Gillette blade there is nothing to suggest this is a Gillete product - I'm tending to think it isn't.

So I'm leaning towards contacting the seller and seeking a refund but would be helped if the experts here could confirm whether Gillette has every produced a razor without brands or markings. It is most definitely unused so it is not a case of a marking having worn off.

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

[Blondie]

That looks like a Gillette Travel Tech to me. Can you take some photos of the underside of the blade guard? The handle is definitely a travel tech.

 

[luvmysuper]

The photos are really bad, but it is a longer handle than a Travel Tech, like a regular Ball End Tech. The other pictures do look like a Ball End Tech Handle. Can't tell about the head.
Some pictures of the razor blade plate and cap from both sides would be helpful.

 

[Mark1966]

Gentlemen, sorry for the average pics

I will post better pics tonight when I'm at home.

The razor is certainly SHAPED like some sort of tech BUT the build quality is pretty average and there are NO markings on it is all, no Gillette brand, no date codes, no patent numbers. This is what has raised my suspicions.

Thanks for the comments

 

[krisvh]

Yeah i dont think that is a tech.... These sorts of kits come up fairly often and they tend to have ball end tech lookalikes in them..... i can t really see but im assuming that razor has two studs on the head as opposed to the typical tech style head.. (sorry if that doesnt make sense..) a thread was posted a few days ago but i cant locate it and there was a similar razor that was mistaken for a tech...
nice little kit however, i have a similar one but have just substituted in a superspeed ...

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155567 - here is that thread

 

[Mark1966]

Yeah i dont think that is a tech.... These sorts of kits come up fairly often and they tend to have ball end tech lookalikes in them..... i can t really see but im assuming that razor has two studs on the head as opposed to the typical tech style head.. (sorry if that doesnt make sense..) a thread was posted a few days ago but i cant locate it and there was a similar razor that was mistaken for a tech...
nice little kit however, i have a similar one but have just substituted in a superspeed ...

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155567 - here is that thread

I DO know what you mean about the studs and it is similar in the head (but a different handle) to the one in the thread you linked to. So not a Tech and not really a Gillette Travel Kit. Will be interesting to see how the seller responds

THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE RESPONDED (ESP KRISVH!) - MUCH APPRECIATED

 

[fidjit]

I've seen a few kits like that locally that appear to have Cillette Tech "knockoffs" in them.

I leave them and I'm waiting to find one with a decent ( not even butterscotch) brush in one of the tubes .

 

[Mark1966]

I've seen a few kits like that locally that appear to have Cillette Tech "knockoffs" in them.

I leave them and I'm waiting to find one with a decent ( not even butterscotch) brush in one of the tubes .

Yes Ian but I'm only a beginner and got overcome by a rush of blood. Will talk to seller about refund

 

[Go West Young Man]

I think you got what you paid for - a vintage travel kit. The seller likely isn't an obsessive B+Ber and wouldn't know a travel tech from any other razor, probably just assumed it was a Gillette razor due to the enclosed blade pack.

That's a beautiful kit in great shape, and you paid the equivalent of US$16 for it, I'd be very happy with the purchase.

 

[nEver-Ready]

I think you got what you paid for - a vintage travel kit. The seller likely isn't an obsessive B+Ber and wouldn't know a travel tech from any other razor, probably just assumed it was a Gillette razor due to the enclosed blade pack.

That's a beautiful kit in great shape, and you paid the equivalent of US$16 for it, I'd be very happy with the purchase.

Agree. If it isn't a Gillette ball-end tech, it sure looks like one, especially if the seller is not a collector. The kit for the price point seems very reasonable.

 

[soapbox]

I think you got what you paid for - a vintage travel kit. The seller likely isn't an obsessive B+Ber and wouldn't know a travel tech from any other razor, probably just assumed it was a Gillette razor due to the enclosed blade pack.

That's a beautiful kit in great shape, and you paid the equivalent of US$16 for it, I'd be very happy with the purchase.

+1; it appears to be a nice travel kit; I think you got a bargain, even if the razor is a knockoff.

 

[Mark1966]

It probably is a nice enough kit and the price was reasonable but the razor really is throw away quality, I wouldn't shave with it.

Fortunately the seller has agreed to a full refund so we are all good