Can anyone tell me if they notice any difference between the way that they Shave.
And why did Gillette change the thickness of the caps
And why did Gillette change the thickness of the caps
Gillette Old Type- Thick or Thin
- Thread starter Graydog
- Start date
Agreed.
The thinner caps bent easily when dropped. Customers blamed the product, and the company responded by making them thicker.
Technically that is speculation, not history. But I think it is pretty well grounded in verifiable history, and it fits the pattern of development from Old to New Improved to NEW and beyond.
Technically that is speculation, not history. But I think it is pretty well grounded in verifiable history, and it fits the pattern of development from Old to New Improved to NEW and beyond.
I've known teeth on the baseplate to bend if a razor were to be dropped. But I've never seen a bent cap.
My theory is the cap was thickened to make the razor more mild. Gillette and Schick have an observable history of making their razors to be slightly milder over time. OTOH blades over time were made better and sharper. A milder razor with a sharper blade might mean a closer shave with fewer cuts and weepers??
I also believe the thicker cap allowed for more latitude for a correct shaving angle. The previous Old Type with the thin cap had a narrow shaving angle. It was hit or miss, and it was easy to miss. So a wider shaving angle would be more user friendly, especially for a novice.
But who knows why big corporations do things, though often profit is the motivator. Incidentally, the thicker cap would identify the razor as being a product of the 1920's without the work and expense of stamping a date code on the razor.
My theory is the cap was thickened to make the razor more mild. Gillette and Schick have an observable history of making their razors to be slightly milder over time. OTOH blades over time were made better and sharper. A milder razor with a sharper blade might mean a closer shave with fewer cuts and weepers??
I also believe the thicker cap allowed for more latitude for a correct shaving angle. The previous Old Type with the thin cap had a narrow shaving angle. It was hit or miss, and it was easy to miss. So a wider shaving angle would be more user friendly, especially for a novice.
But who knows why big corporations do things, though often profit is the motivator. Incidentally, the thicker cap would identify the razor as being a product of the 1920's without the work and expense of stamping a date code on the razor.
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No, the thin caps did bend when dropped. I have seen quite a few over the past
Most aggressive old type head is ABC with the thin cap and stubby teeth
To the OP, I must mention I like the camera work. 
I don't have experience with either razor, so I leave this to the others who have/will offer their excellent advice.
I don't have experience with either razor, so I leave this to the others who have/will offer their excellent advice.
Not to be needlessly argumentative, but it would seem to me that for a cap to bend on a dropped razor, the entire head (cap and baseplate) would have to bend.
That would be asking for a lot.
I'm now looking at an Old Type razor with a thin cap. I took off the cap and physically tried to bend it with my bare hands. It does not bend. I exerted much more pressure on it than if it had fallen 5 feet onto a ceramic tile floor.
Are we talking about the same thing? The teeth on the base plate of a razor that fell to the floor might bend but not the cap.
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No, I am talking baseplate and cap bent identically. I've seen quite a few on one corner bent that way. I've have about a thousand safety razors filter through over the years and it's not super common to see but it isn't rare either if you see a lot. Another thing you see is the top cap with the long stem and the corner folded over so it doesn't mate to the baseplate properly.
I don't necessarily think these were done through drops. It could have been weird storage during travel for all I know.
- Thread starter
- #14
I Wish
The 2 Razors in The Picture are .
On The Right is a 1920 Gillette Bulldog
and on The Left is a 1920s Gillette 102A: "Old Style" Thick cap/guard
The 2 Razors in The Picture are . On The Right is a 1920 Gillette Bulldog
and on The Left is a 1920s Gillette 102A: "Old Style" Thick cap/guard
Gorgeous handle on the Bulldog! (You showed more of it in your Fatboy picture!)I Wish
On The Right is a 1920 Gillette Bulldog
and on The Left is a 1920s Gillette 102A: "Old Style" Thick cap/guard
I guess I opened this can of worms. Maybe I can seal it back up by providing that verifiable history that I mentioned?
Click on the image for a zoomable version, which is easier to read. This May 1918 article comes from The Blade, the Gillette internal newsletter (both of you probably know this, but other gents may not). The author describes an incident in late 1917 where a gentleman complained about Gillette blades. However it turned out that the cap of his razor was bent, and the company replaced it. From the article it is clear that company representatives were familiar with the general problem, and often saw damage to both guards and caps, and that in this case it was the cap.
The rest of the article is a good read too. I doubt that the new customer service program lasted very long, but at least they were trying. My hypothesis is that the company soon realized that the caps could be made thicker, and that would be cheaper than replacing bent caps. They probably had the same thought about the guard plate, but for one reason or another that had to wait until the New Improved.
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OK...only sort-of related here...
How mild or aggressive is the shave of a 20's Old Type as compared to, say, a '40s Super Speed?
I just found a complete Old Type set with case and blade holder in really nice shape in a local antique shop for a very reasonable price. The owner of the shop was closing up as I was walking in, and as he was heading to visit family for the holiday week, he agreed to put the set in his safe and hold it for me until he got back from his visit, at which time I can go back and purchase it. He said he's had it for about 10 years and I'm the first person that has shown interest in it. Anyhow...
I'm definitely picking it up, because I like old stuff, and this is a really nice example for the collection that will be growing. But I really want to know how this razor shaves, and I'm too excited to wait until I have it in my possession. So if anyone could provide a basic comparison to either a '40s Super Speed or a Merkur 33c, I would LOVE to hear your input.
Sorry if this is too far off topic...
How mild or aggressive is the shave of a 20's Old Type as compared to, say, a '40s Super Speed?
I just found a complete Old Type set with case and blade holder in really nice shape in a local antique shop for a very reasonable price. The owner of the shop was closing up as I was walking in, and as he was heading to visit family for the holiday week, he agreed to put the set in his safe and hold it for me until he got back from his visit, at which time I can go back and purchase it. He said he's had it for about 10 years and I'm the first person that has shown interest in it. Anyhow...
I'm definitely picking it up, because I like old stuff, and this is a really nice example for the collection that will be growing. But I really want to know how this razor shaves, and I'm too excited to wait until I have it in my possession. So if anyone could provide a basic comparison to either a '40s Super Speed or a Merkur 33c, I would LOVE to hear your input.
Sorry if this is too far off topic...
- Thread starter
- #18
I also believe the thicker cap allowed for more latitude for a correct shaving angle. The previous Old Type with the thin cap had a narrow shaving angle. It was hit or miss, and it was easy to miss. So a wider shaving angle would be more user friendly, especially for a novice.
That is a quote by santamariasteve; Yesterday at 08:36 PM.
I have both thick and Thin and a Gillette 1940s SS ,and to me your 1940s super speed will have a more comfortable shave for you.
but remember everyone is different.
That is a quote by santamariasteve; Yesterday at 08:36 PM.
I have both thick and Thin and a Gillette 1940s SS ,and to me your 1940s super speed will have a more comfortable shave for you.
but remember everyone is different.
This sounds like a future Grudge Match!
Thank you for the input. As a new DE shaver, I intend to continue using the Super Speed as my primary razor to improve my technique. It just makes sense to use such a wonderfully mild and comfortable razor as my "learning tool".
I still intend to pick up the Old Type set. It's a fantastic little set, and I definitely want to add it to the collection, even if I only clean it up and shave with it on "special occasions"...
