Gillette Reflects UK Manufacturing

[onotoman]

When looking through a group of razors this morning, I couldn't help but think that these Gillettes sadly reflected the demise of British Manufacturing.

The beautiful 1930s and 1940s Rhodium Plated Aristocrats from a time when we built ships for just about every nation in the world, we'd sent the first TV pictures and discovered Penicillin - these razors were built with the utmost quality.

Then we have the lighter rocket from 1950s, still good quality but, well not as good as the earlier models. We were still making things then but not nearly as much.

Then we have that black handle Super Speed and the plastic handle monstrosity at the end, now we are into the 1980s and manufacturing is dead, the head is punched crudely from a thin piece of brass and the plating looks like it'll rub off if I polish it.

OK, these two razors provide a decent shave, but the quality is just not there. Everything seems to be geared around less cost and minimum quality.

Well, that's my moan over for today

 

[_MementoMori_]

Sad, but true. And it's not just UK manufacturing. It's the whole world.

Sure, there are still niche products that are made to the same high quality standards of yesteryear, but they're few and far between and they command a premium pricepoint.

 

[Sledgehammer39]

Very true statement!!

 

[Shave Cat]

Not just razors. Try finding a decent pair of shoes.

 

[JDTTO]

It's a global issue. Margins and marketing have beaten sound engineering and quality.

However, that blue plastic G1000 is what I call my first decent razor. (not suprising as it's my first DE after 15 years of carts and electrics)

 

[onotoman]

True, in comparison to the plastic rubbish hawked by Gillette now, that G1000 is like a piece of art

It's a global issue. Margins and marketing have beaten sound engineering and quality.

However, that blue plastic G1000 is what I call my first decent razor. (not suprising as it's my first DE after 15 years of carts and electrics)

 

[onotoman]

I did manage to get a decent pair of British hand-made shoes lately - a pair of Barker Shoes, snagged them brand new on Ebay for £60 and the usual price was £300!

John Lobb also make decent shoes, but are really expensive.

Not just razors. Try finding a decent pair of shoes.

 

[mos6502]

I think it's more that in general consumers were less willing to pay for quality, and we in general became a disposable culture. :\

 

[onotoman]

True indeed - apart from the cultured gentlemen that frequent this forum and appreciate quality and sophistication of course

I think it's more that in general consumers were less willing to pay for quality, and we in general became a disposable culture. :\

 

[JDTTO]

True, in comparison to the plastic rubbish hawked by Gillette now, that G1000 is like a piece of art

I do have a '78 (birth year and quarter) NOS super speed coming my way so I am climbing the lather the right way.

 

[shanman]

Sad but true. And you can basically line up the same row of USA made Gillette's and see the same degredation... the progression of the adjustables for example became a joke compared to the first marvels of "disposable" engineering.

 

[Gunney]

I think it's more that in general consumers were less willing to pay for quality, and we in general became a disposable culture. :\

Very true indeed. People now want things easy and cheap. People want fast paced, rather than to take things slow; rather unfortunate. I do believe quality has went the way of the gentleman's study (No this is not a euphemism for a strip club!!!)

I do have a '78 (birth year and quarter) NOS super speed coming my way so I am climbing the lather the right way.

Thats the sad part; I came about in '95 so my birth year razor would probably be a Sensor......

 

[alex2363]

The whole world is concerned with FAST everything, fast meals, fast cars, fast service, ect. The art of shaving and manufacturing declined as the world just didnt take the time to enjoy a great shave as our forefathers did. They would sit in a chair and get the greatest shave ever, or lather up themselves and shave. Today it is the fast paced world of 1 minute shaving w the latest turbo 10 blade razor.

 

[onotoman]

True alex - although the 'Fast Car' I can live with, so long as it's a nice Aston Martin or similar, now they are really well put together. The newer James Bond films just didn't cut it for me once the Aston and the Rolex were replaced.

I'm sure that there was a quotation made in the 1950s or sometime around there that in 40 or 50 years from whatever date the quote was made, that computers would be so sophisticated that they would do most mundane tasks, freeing up huge amounts of time for the average person. In reality, this hasn't really happened, and the time they have freed up we've just filled with other mundane stuff (other than contributing to B&B, browsing Ebay and online shaving stores of course)

I've noticed that when we go to our place in Turkey, people still have time for shaves in a barber shop, chatting and playing board games in a coffee house, eating with family, cooking on a real fire etc. Even in Istanbul which is probably one of the busiest cities in the world, people still seem to have time for each other and themselves.

The whole world is concerned with FAST everything, fast meals, fast cars, fast service, ect. The art of shaving and manufacturing declined as the world just didnt take the time to enjoy a great shave as our forefathers did. They would sit in a chair and get the greatest shave ever, or lather up themselves and shave. Today it is the fast paced world of 1 minute shaving w the latest turbo 10 blade razor.

 

[will78]

I think the constant reduction in product quality is not limited to British manufacturing. It always happens over time as companies grow and seek to make more profit.

Society between the 1940s to 1980s in general became more used to disposable products, and manufacturers increasingly made products that would not last a long time in order to ensure customers would buy again from them.

Manufacturers today in any country could make good quality products - they would just have to charge a high price for them and would make little profit. It was the inevitable process of consumers ever seeking cheaper goods that forced quality down and eventually resulted in much manufacturing being outsources overseas.

Incidentally I've just ordered one of those blue plastic handled G1000s on ebay!