Gillette D1 1958 TV Special

[mgbbrown]

Gillette offered in 1958, in conjunction with their sponsored television series, Gillette's Cavalcade of Sports, a re-design of the originally introduced 1954 Flare Tip Super Speed razor- the 1958 TV Special. Featured as a mail-in promotional beginning in the first production quarter of that year- the TV Special razor flaunted straight knurled ridges down the length of the handle. This special Super Speed razor differed from the workhorse Flare Tip's handle knurling, which was segmented by 10 bands milled transversely down the length of the handle, ending in a milled band and knurled tail, acting as a pedestal to the fluted and banded twist-to-open knob. Overall, this made the handle length to appear longer on the TV Special razor, and the pedestal following the wider milled band near the base of the handle was much shorter than the one found on the Flare Tip. The TTO knob was the same on both models, and on the TV Special, the knob was now held in place by a circlip. Each weighed approximately 57 grams, and because of the knurling, was easily held and maneuvered in use. Previously, Gillette had designed in 1954, a case with a blue base and clear styrene hinged lid uniquely for their first television promotional razor, and the 1958 version utilized the same molds, but with a red base. The case was considerably smaller than the regular production Super Speed styrene cases for mailing, but still held the razor and a six blade, Blue Blade dispenser positioned under the razor. Pictured is a date coded D1 example for the 1958 TV Special, and a Z1 date coded Flare Tip Super Speed and case for comparison. God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[kingfisher]

gorgeous razors! are those restored, or NOS?

 

[mgbbrown]

Thank you so much Kingfisher! They we both restored by me, as were the cases. The Gillette 1958 TV special belonged to a man in Marina del Ray, California- when he passed away, his razor remained in its case, in a drawer, untouched for over forty years. When I purchased them from the original owner's daughter, the case had an early white Gillette "The Spoiler" stainless steel razor blade dispenser, so he used the razor to at least when they became available in the early 1960's. It was remarkably well-kept, but required an antiseptic cleaning and a thorough polishing to bring it back to life. The case has only a small 2mm long stress fracture at the front lid catch, so judging by the way he cared for things- this could have easily occurred from new when shipped by Gillette. It is a wonderful razor to use-well balanced and mild as one would expect. The Flare Tip Super Speed is a first quarter 1954 production in the first year offered. It came with its red-based styrene case and a crazed clear lid, which I replaced using a flawless lid from a 1956 Flare Tip Super Speed case, of which I gifted the base, along with the razor, to another Badger and Blade member who was instrumental in my early days of Super Speed shaving. Both the 1954 and 1956 Flare Tip Super Speeds had been well cared for, and the 1956 even had its "Medium" beard tag. This is my sixth early Super Speed razor and the latest production date of the bunch. I have my eyes peeled for a 1954 TV Special and a nice 1955 Blue Tip Super Speed to round out the brood. As for razors- I have no further plans beyond acquiring those two Super Speeds. I have another Z1 1954 Flare Tip in equally as fine a condition that I also restored, as it is to become my daily driver if you will-my father would roll over in his grave to know that I had six razors and looking at having eight or nine! My interests are also directed in accurately restoring an Art Deco style Ever-Ready combination badger hair and boar bristle brush to use with my Super Speeds. Virginia Sheng has agreed to make an exact copy of the original knot. I am currently smoothing out the inside interior wall after carefully removing the knot remains, using a Dremel tool I have owned since I was ten or eleven (I turn sixty in November)-it pays to take good care of what makes your work easier. I took it down 7mm, and will remove more of the original shelf once the replacement knot is in hand and I can judge its backbone and adjust the depth accordingly. I have always said-"If you take care of your tools-they will take care of you." The same certainly goes for Super Speed razors... God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[Copierguy]

Those are fine looking sets. Congrats!!

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Great looking razors! I have a '58 TV Special that's definitely user grade and a '65 Flair Tip Super Speed in great condition (no cases for either). I don't use the TV Special as much as I should, but after seeing yours, I might have to give it a whirl tomorrow.

 

[BSAGuy]

Gorgeous. Stunning. Congrats and thanks for the info.

 

[brandaves]

Beautiful razors...I'll have to check my collection, I may have a Flare Tip laying around I mistook for a Super Speed that is actually a TV Special. The knurling appears to be a dead give away on it.

 

[mgbbrown]

Thank you Copier Guy! Thank you Claudel Xerxes! Thank you BSA Guy! Thank you too Brandaves, as you are all too kind! My original intent was to focus on the early, mainstream Super Speeds that Gillette offered post-war-a 1949 NDC, but the first year a styrene case was offered; a 1951 Black Tip, steel handle and aluminum handle-the first year for this model and the introduction of the superseding styrene case style; a 1954 Flare Tip, the precursor to the medium beard designation for 1955 and the first year of production; and a 1955 Red Tip Super Speed-my birthday year and the year of introduction; and a 1955 Blue Tip Super Speed-again looking for a nice first-year one. The 1954 TV Special has proven to be the hardest to find, in part due to their limited availability from Gillette as a promotional razor. I had earlier not considered adding a 1958 TV Special, as it is much later than the others, and a more modern era razor-the same vintage as the initial Fat Boy offerings. However- it still represents a unique part of the early Super Speed history, and perhaps the last of the earlier style Super Speeds prior to Gillette's introduction of their 195 adjustable razor. In my trying to hunt down these razors, I have found that locating nice cases often comes in advance of the razor itself. I also am interested in vintage Art Deco style shaving brushes and mugs from that era, so I have chosen to limit my acquisitions to produce a window into the shaving culture that was post-war 1950's. It has been extremely interesting, and I am laying down the framework for an article on just that. The trouble is that I keep learning more about shaving in that era, and it becomes harder to stop! Thanks again guys for your encouragement! God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[mc57]

I have a 1958 TV Super Speed, Rhodium plated handle, Pat. 694.893 II made in England.
It was my father's razor

 

[mgbbrown]

Mc57; Your father certainly had good taste! I am sure you are quite proud of it! perhaps you could show us a photograph of your father's razor? I for one am very interested in seeing it! God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[Useless shaver]

Gorgeous. Stunning. Congrats and thanks for the info.

+100!

 

[mgbbrown]

Thank you Juan Manuel! My efforts here go beyond the razors themselves, to items which supported their use and were statements of the American post-war culture. in 1949, Art Deco styling was still prominent, as the four Fuller and Stanhome shaving brushes illustrate. Super Speeds themselves are transitionary in their design to the more modern and space-race queues that were evolving by the time of the 1958 TV Special. Cars became flashier, and so did razors. My wife has relegated me to a drawer in the vanity, but it does illustrate what was happening. The blue Kordite container in the left front holds vintage mug soap bars and various popular razor blades, including Fuller, as well as a razor hone. Fuller Brush and Stanley Home Products were well-made and readily available grooming gear, and the collection emphasizes brushes and combs from these companies. Burma-Shave of course was an institution, made popular during the War by their contract use, as was Lifebuoy bar soap. My now daily Flare Tip is housed in a WW II Navy watch cup for swirling lather. My daily shaving mug is a green striped diner coffee mug. Other Super Speeds are housed in a SeaForth and Hull Old Spice mug. Three popular razor blade banks can also be seen. Inside the period Tupperware bread container are travel or Dopp kit items from the same time frame. The after shave bottle was available through Stanley Home Products door-to-door sales force. Once the Ever-Ready 250 shaving brush is restored, I do have my eyes on another Ever-Ready of the same design. Some items in the drawer will remain unused, but as for the razors and brushes- they were meant to be used. Thanks for the compliment! God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrownView attachment 603612

 

[dionesius3]

Tony,

Great pictures and great information. As always you deliver. I will look through my stash of Super Speed razors I believe that I have more than one 54 TV special and may be able to forward one to you.
I will look tonight when I get home.
The 1954 was really only distinguished by the date code, otherwise it was just your standard 1940's style Super Speed. Although I have come across some that the top section of the handle is Aluminum rather than brass.

 

[nb1234]

Wow - great, great example!

 

[mgbbrown]

Dionesius; My heart is pounding in my soon to be sixty year-old chest this November! I have an excellent lid now just waiting- not perfect, but very minor crazing only on the rear or hinge section. Otherwise it is as nice as can be. Should this come to pass, I will eventually need to locate the blue case base for a complete 1954 TV Special! I will email you via the site. You will find no more an enthusiastic Super Speed Shaver than I! I will certainly do my restoration thing on it, and use it and cherish it. Funny how things all work for good- I cut my teeth restoring vintage British iron, now I am restoring razors of all things! I learned the ins-and outs of styrene restoration by working on vintage slot cars, so I am now certainly equipped for the task. Before this is all over, you will have a Blue Tip Brother I assure you as well! I have shaved twice now with the 1958 TV Special, once with Williams and the second time with Neutrogena shaving cream, both not too removed from how our forebears would have done. I'll fire it up tonight as well. I know my father would chuckle if he were still alive. He thought that to teach my twin and I to shave with a double edge razor would be an unparalleled bloodletting, so maybe I am making him proud. I still think he is chuckling though, with all this fuss over razors. All he saw in them was a means to rid himself of a day's growth as easy as possible and still look like a new penny! God Bless and thank you so much! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

Thank you Nb1234! The key is to be both purposeful and focused- that is why I chose such a narrow but rich time slot in American shaving history. As for Super Speed razors and their more general production (exclusive of say, the less common TV Specials, or V date code examples); Gillette made untold and vast numbers of each model Super Speed, so finding useable examples is a realistic goal, but it is, when one wants their peripherals too, quite a bit more complicated-and that is what makes it all the more interesting. Purposeful and focused fits my wife's imposed budget for such as this, as long as it remains under control in her eyes. Believe me-that is the best thing about this vintage Super Speed shaving disease... Thanks again and God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

In response to Dionesius3's generosity, and per his suggestion of providing a traditional Badger and Blade Pass It Forward to one of our members-I have pieced together what seems in my eyes a PIF worthy of the kindness that he has shown me. I will perhaps more formally launch the PIF, but part of the fun is to see just who might be viewing this post and respond to it. I am qualifying the recipient of this PIF as a Badger and Blade site member who is currently in financial hardship and cannot afford vintage shaving accoutrements. He must truly demonstrate privately his qualifications, and he will remain nameless. His need must be genuine at the opening of the PIF, and the items passed forward must be used daily, and appreciated by him being a good steward of what will be given to him. Should his future brighten, or if he no longer desires to use that which was PIF'ed, he must in turn, pass it forward to another member who also can, like him, demonstrate privately the same need, and like the initial recipient, must also show his thankfulness by both caring well of this gift and desiring that someone less fortunate also benefit as did he. Included is a collector grade, 1951 W2 Black Tip Super Speed-one of my favorites, and certainly historically significant as Gillette's response to the Korean War. A dispenser of Crystal blades and a package of Gillette 7 O'clock blades are included. A cake of Williams Shaving mug soap and an excellent original Rubberset 89 brush are also included, as is a period 1950's striped diner mug, which will soon be on it's way to the Brown house. The razor functions well and is cosmetically an excellent example of that model Super Speed. The brush and razor were only lightly used in period, and I restored them initially for myself, but now for someone else. Three years ago our house was nearly destroyed by a leaking hot water heater. My wife and I were away on what turned out to be a three year absence, taking care of my elderly mom who had broken her hip. Unfortunately, our home owner's insurance paid only three thousand dollars in repairs before dropping us, so we have been slowly rebuilding the house as we can afford. I too know what is like to be in need, but what a joy it is to be able to give. God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[imatabor]

mgbbrown, well played sir, well played!

 

[mgbbrown]

Thank you John! However; What you do makes the Badger and Blade the excellent quality that it is. My wife and I do not have children, but I would not hesitate to show them around the site, and that is the way it should be. We must, after all, pass it down to the next generation. That sir, is a very nice PIF indeed...God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[Haiku]

This has become one of my favourite threads. And yes, that's the Canadian spelling of favourite.

1958 is my birth year (last quarter of 1958) and my daily shaver is a well worn D4 1958 Fatboy. I also have a like-new one in a drawer that I keep telling myself I should use. For the longest time I've thought about trying to acquire a 1958 TV Special.

I'm just delighted with this thread. Thank you Mr. Brown.