Gillette Rocket

[balesofhay91]

This is probably my best razor I own. It works really well for me, no matter what blade I use. Since I've been off of the reservation for a few years, I haven't kept up with razor prices, trends or anything like that concerning razors. I bought it from a guy in Canada who was in the military. All I know is that they are really expensive now and I'm lucky I got mine for a steal in 2013, just before I moved to Texas from Illinois (now I live in Florida.) It was a Christmas present to myself.

This isn't my picture, but this is the razor I have.

 

[MVD1]

Agreed, these never let me down. Nice score!

 

[balesofhay91]

Agreed, these never let me down. Nice score!

I breathe a sigh of relief when I see that I paid a third of what people are asking for these days for them. But give me a razor like that and some Personna Lab or Med Prep blades and we're in business.

 

[dmshaver]

Yep, it’s a great razor!

 

[Kelvin0683]

Looks like a great razor.

 

[ajkel64]

They are a good razor.

 

[CaerMooman]

I have the HD Rocket. Similar to a Red Tip. Often on eBay for £20

 

[Ricksplace]

My daughter found one in an antique shop and bought it for me. Superlative fit and finish.

 

[BigJ]

Great razor!!

 

[Jim99]

I find the Gillette Rocket HD 1940's style to be more like a high quality US made Super Speed and slightly more aggressive. The TTO mechanism is silky smooth and everything seems to have been built to tighter tolerances.

They're great razors! Enjoy!

 

[Northstonehill]

Congrats! - I totally agree with you - I love all my 10 Rockets but the regular 1949 like yours to me is the best of the bunch!

 

[preidy]

Ditto on the Rocket luv. I have about 15 or so and consider the HD 500 and the Red Tip the best of the bunch; but there are no slouches in rest of my herd either...

 

[Haiku]

I became addicted to English Rockets after finding an Aristocrat Jr. in an antique store. That led to a Rocket 500 HD, a Rocket 500 MD another HD, another Aristocrat Jr. and one great shave after another.

 

[beer nuts]

What is difference between 500 HD and MD?

 

[Jim99]

I have one rocket that I believe to be a 500 HD and it weighs in at 72 grams, and another that weighs in at 54 grams. The second is not an HD and does not appear to be an aluminum hands. Both rockets are the early style design.

Perhaps my 54 gram rocket is the MD?

 

[ajc347]

I have one rocket that I believe to be a 500 HD and it weighs in at 72 grams, and another that weighs in at 54 grams. The second is not an HD and does not appear to be an aluminum hands. Both rockets are the early style design.

Perhaps my 54 gram rocket is the MD?

The aluminium Rocket comes in at 35g, do it would make sense that the 54g version be classified as an MD. [emoji106]

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[beer nuts]

there is a brass handle and aluminum handle, I have both.

Is the ‘HD’ heavy duty and ‘MD’ meduim duty?

 

[Haiku]

there is a brass handle and aluminum handle, I have both.

Is the ‘HD’ heavy duty and ‘MD’ meduim duty?

Yes, exactly. The HD 500 or the "Double Ring" Rocket has a brass handle and weighs in at about 71 grams, the MD has an aluminum handle and is something like 55 grams or so and there was an "LD" which I understand was almost all aluminum (I understand that the post side plates and silo doors were brass) and weighs 35 grams or so. This one is known as the "Paperclip".

The English line of Rockets have wide diameter handles. All are superb shavers, all are beautifully engineered.

There is excellent historical information available on another forum, I won't link to it here, but if anyone's interested, send me a PM and I'll send you the link.

 

[Haiku]

The aluminium Rocket comes in at 35g, do it would make sense that the 54g version be classified as an MD. [emoji106]

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A beautiful Paperclip. Congrats!

 

[Jim99]

Here are my two rockets. The one on the left is 72 grams and the right is 54 grams.