Forgive me if I've overlooked the answer, but how does one date a safety razor?

[_MementoMori_]

As I typed that question, I imagined that one of you might say, "very carefully."

In all seriousness, though, I'm beginning to amass a collection of vintage DEs and I have no idea how to date them. I see that most of you do know how to date them, so I'm asking for a few pointers.

Thanks in advance.

 

[fidjit]

As I typed that question, I imagined that one of you might say, "very carefully."

In all seriousness, though, I'm beginning to amass a collection of vintage DEs and I have no idea how to date them. I see that most of you do know how to date them, so I'm asking for a few pointers.

Thanks in advance.

Many of your US produced ones will have a letter and number under the head which gives you a year and a quarter in which they were manufactured ( G 2 in the example below ):

You can reference the codes here : http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/US_Gillette_Dating_Information

Earlier US razors are also covered in the early part of the Wiki Entry

British manufactured razors don't have a code ( which is a real PITA ) and can only be judged by advertisements, blade packets that comes with them or by when their US counterparts were released.

 

[sparcotsi]

On alot of gillette's there will be a single number and single letter stamped under the head usually. 1-4 stand for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th quarter of the year, the letter stands for what year, I don't have the link but there are a few table's of the gillette letter dates floating around if you google it.

 

[amishmotorboat]

Gillettes are the easiest to date.

Schicks can be narrowed down pretty easily to within a few years.

Gems are tough, since they used popular designs for decades, so the nearest you can usually get is a rough approximation based their first and last appearance in advertisements.

Waits Compendium can also give you a good idea of start dates based on patent information.

 

[_MementoMori_]

Thanks gentlemen! With your help, I just dated my Flare Tip as a first quarter 1955 model.

My Tech has nothing under the head for identification, which seems to be in agreement with the link provided.

 

[ambuco]

You can also,always ask your Fellow Members,They are very knowledgable and always very helpful,in addition to being happy that a fellow member scored a nice Safety Razor...Thanks Again Guys,For All the help you have offered me ,I am also gaining knowledge and the collection is Getting Bigger,Weekly,sometimes daily(3 just today!!) !!

 

[pz93c]

Well, first I buy it dinner.....

 

[Sueto]

Keep your tongue out of the blade gap on the first date.

 

[Copierguy]

Here is a great resource for dating your tech.

 

[hypo_style]

Well, first I buy it dinner.....

 

[ghostofchucky]

How does one date a Gillette razor which has been stamped with two letters instead of a letter and a number? Does the first letter still correlate to year correctly?

 

[bythbook]

Keep your tongue out of the blade gap on the first date.

a hard-learned lesson, no doubt.

 

[Copierguy]

How does one date a Gillette razor which has been stamped with two letters instead of a letter and a number? Does the first letter still correlate to year correctly?

If possible, a close up photo of the stamping of said razor might prove helpful at this point. I for one have yet to encounter a razor marked the way you describe and would love to see it.

 

[ghostofchucky]

If possible, a close up photo of the stamping of said razor might prove helpful at this point. I for one have yet to encounter a razor marked the way you describe and would love to see it.

I don't have it in my possession to take a photo but have asked the person who does have it, an out of state friend, to take a photo. As he himself is a collector and a wet shaver, I won't doubt him but I'd still like to see it with my own eyes as well as I've been unable to uncover any mentioning on the Internet or searching these forums on such a date code scheme.

 

[DanInFla]

If possible, a close up photo of the stamping of said razor might prove helpful at this point. I for one have yet to encounter a razor marked the way you describe and would love to see it.

I sold a black adjustable that was stamped R R a few months back on BST. the two R's were clear as day, so it a misprint, as i am told

 

[ghostofchucky]

I sold a black adjustable that was stamped R R a few months back on BST. the two R's were clear as day, so it a misprint, as i am told

That's what his is. A black adjustable with two R's. Did such a misprint add to the value when you sold it?

 

[The Last Chimney]

Were the British manufactured Gillettes released at the same time as their U.S. counterparts?