How do these shave? I have a 1953 Super speed that I absolutely love. Curious how it compares to it.
Gillette Flare Tip
- Thread starter BBS Kirk
- Start date
Is Flare Tip a separate razor? I though my Super Speed was a Flare Tip. Or am I mistaken?
I have a '53 and '50 Super Speed, also a '60 Flare Tip.
I find the Flare Tip slightly milder than the early Super Speeds.
I find the Flare Tip slightly milder than the early Super Speeds.
Flare Tips are Super Speeds, but not all Super Speeds are Flare Tips.
I believe that the UK Flare Tips also had different colour tto knobs denoting the level of aggression. Red, silver, blue and the black handled. All very mild, with the exception of the Red Tip. Not sure about the US razors, because the UK Flare Tips are often referred to as Rockets and not Superspeeds.
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Thank you.
Arroz by any other name
would still smell like rice.
would still smell like rice.
They are great razors. Just get one, you won’t regret it.
I find the Flare tips to be on the milder side - especially so for the mid 70s versions. In fact those are so mild (mid 70s versions), I cannot shave with them without going over the same spots multiple times and getting irritation.
The sweet spot for me is something from the late 50s early 60s. They are inexpensive enough to get one or two and try them out.
The sweet spot for me is something from the late 50s early 60s. They are inexpensive enough to get one or two and try them out.
You had the 40's Super Speed then enters the Super Speed Trio Light, Medium and Heavy Super Speed. After the introduction of the Slim, the Trio was fazed-out but you still had the aluminium handle Super Speed. The term 'flair tip' is a hobbyist word.
You had the 40's style Super Speed, then came the Trio Light, Medium and Heavy Super Speed, superseded by the Slim. Gillette did continue the aluminum handle Super Speed. The, "Flare Tip" term is a hobbyist wording.
The medium version of the trio above is what’s usually referred to as a flare tip. The TTO knob flares out. The blue and red tip versions only lasted a couple of years but the nickel plated brass version was produced until the late 60s.
I have the Super Speed Z-1 which is 1954 first quarter. I also have a Super Speed with flair tip handle Z-4 which is 1954 last quarter. They shave the same to me .
I used a '55 "Flare Tip" yesterday, and I'll use either a 1972 Knack (I last used the Knack over a year ago and it was not good) or Black Handle Super Speed tomorrow (same head dimensions), so I'm interested to see if there's a noticeable difference. But comparing the '55 Flare Tip Super Speed to a late 40's Super Speed and a 1970s era Super Speed, the head dimensions of the 40s-50s to early 60s Super Speeds look much the same (comparable to my 46 Ambassador and Fat Boys), but the late 60-70s-80s Super Speed head dimensions are much slimmer, and maybe (to the naked eye) be closer to a Slim Adjustable/Super Adjustable. The TTO mechs also seem to get much more sloppy/loose/"rattlely" (all technical terms)...
Revisited the 1974 Gillette "Knack" (a U4, by the chart, the last year/quarter produced) which features the Super Speed Head with the TTO knob at the top of the handle, just under the shaving head (either turn the metal collar, or hold the collar and spin the handle to open) and a long, thin tapered plastic handle. It's the lightest Gillette I own (might be Gillette's lightest--others might know). I got a DFS with it, but not a fan of the long tapered handle/light weight/low profile head of the later Super Speeds. This one is in nice shape, but I'd like to find one of these with a broken handle where the head could be removed and put on either a custom wood or metal handle to change it's weight/handle characteristics.
As noted above you have a first Gen Super Speed. The first Gen last year was 1954 with the TV Special ad's and the 2nd Gen (Flair Tip) was also introduced in 1954. The 2nd Gen 54 in the Red case is a real beauty. The TV Special was only sold in the Blue case the 3rd and 4th quarter (Z-3 and Z-4) of 1954. Nothing special with the razor only the case and markings denote the TV Special designation so the Blue case is somewhat uncommon and hard to find. IMV the first Gen is more nimble because of the smaller handle but they both give great (similar) shaves
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If you want a Flare Tip get the Rocket version. In the value-for-money department Gillette never did better than that, not before, nor after 
Flare tip actually means different razors. The first ones from 1954 to 1962 are a bit milder than the ones made from 1948 to 1953 (non-flare tip). But in 1962 they changed the head to a new lower profile and increased the blade exposure, so from then on, all flare tips (including the black handled Super-Speeds 1966-1988) are more aggressive.
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