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Gillette TechMatic: World's worst razor?

Now I wouldn't call myself in any way NASA qualified but...If the subject of shaving in space came up, especially during relatively short missions, I would say just don't shave. If maybe, I dunno, these astronauts insisted on shaving, or there was an insistence by top brass that they should return clean shaven, just for the photo opportunities like...well I would suggest a Schick injector with one blade pre loaded prior to launch.

Personally I would be surprised if these guys put anything on board that wasn't needed, or deemed necessary for emergencies. But I'm not NASA.

Well I was as wrong as can be. Just watched the movie 'Apollo 11' which is shot using all original footage. These guys did indeed shave during the mission. There was a piece of footage showing one of the crew shaving on the return journey using what would appear to be the TechMatic.
 
Tried one in the late 60s as a fairly new teenage shaver. Bloodbath every attempt worse razor ever made. I cringe every time I see one on the Bay.
It was my first razor.
Nothing I’d care to do again.
The Fat Handle Tech is much, much better.

Same deal, a Techmatic was the first razor I bought. Even as a punk teenager I was smart enough to dump it for a Schick injector (now called an L model).

The injector was a fine razor, only jumped ship to DE because I was given my granddad’s Old Type.

Does anyone know how the Techmatic got product placement on Apollo? One thing makes sense - it is a true one piece, no separate blade once the blade spool cartridge is mounted. No small parts floating around the craft. Just droplets of blood.
 
Same deal, a Techmatic was the first razor I bought. Even as a punk teenager I was smart enough to dump it for a Schick injector (now called an L model).

The injector was a fine razor, only jumped ship to DE because I was given my granddad’s Old Type.

Does anyone know how the Techmatic got product placement on Apollo? One thing makes sense - it is a true one piece, no separate blade once the blade spool cartridge is mounted. No small parts floating around the craft. Just droplets of blood.

You know, I wish I had a razor like Dad’s.
Dad had a Ranger Tech and a Super Speed.
Oh well, I’m enjoying the New SC and the Fat Handle Tech.
Life is good and it’s snowing in Denver.
 
You know, I wish I had a razor like Dad’s.
Dad had a Ranger Tech and a Super Speed.
Oh well, I’m enjoying the New SC and the Fat Handle Tech.
Life is good and it’s snowing in Denver.

You want a flair tip Superspeed? I have a couple that aren’t making it into my rotation (I’m keeping my birth year Superspeed). PM me and I’ll disinfect and mail you one.

Life is good and it’s balmy 60s in Portland - and yet it snowed briefly late last week.

Maybe I’ll even get to ski again this year in spite of the early spring and that pesky pandemic.
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
I bought a Techmatic off eBay and used it for some shaves with the Lunar landing anniversary last year. I was very surprised, my first Shave was not the best but when I advanced the blade it was pretty darn good. If they were back in production today I would buy one or three in a heartbeat.
 
You want a flair tip Superspeed? I have a couple that aren’t making it into my rotation (I’m keeping my birth year Superspeed). PM me and I’ll disinfect and mail you one.

Life is good and it’s balmy 60s in Portland - and yet it snowed briefly late last week.

Maybe I’ll even get to ski again this year in spite of the early spring and that pesky pandemic.

Thanks for your kind offer!
I was having a sentimental moment. Maybe PIF that Superspeed.
I enjoy reading your posts and was once an avid back country skier. A ruptured Achilles ended most of my athletics.
Please be careful. I lost two friends to avalanche.
Denver and the mountains had fresh snow yesterday and the backcountry risk is high.
More coming this afternoon and then a warming trend.
Shave Happy!

Ed
 
I owned one of the in the late 70s or early 80s, the shave was NOT good by any stretch of the imagination. At the time I was 'splurging' on one, as opposed to buying a pack of cheap Bic disposables. Hit the can after just a couple of shaves. That said, at the time I'd only been shaving a few years, but it absolutely left a lasting impression.

Id I'd known what I do today, I'd have really splurged on one of the Super Adjustables or a left over slim at the time, and not looked back. But then, hindsight is always better than foresight, especially when you're in your late teens and early 20s.
 
Same deal, a Techmatic was the first razor I bought. Even as a punk teenager I was smart enough to dump it for a Schick injector (now called an L model).

The injector was a fine razor, only jumped ship to DE because I was given my granddad’s Old Type.

Does anyone know how the Techmatic got product placement on Apollo? One thing makes sense - it is a true one piece, no separate blade once the blade spool cartridge is mounted. No small parts floating around the craft. Just droplets of blood.
Gillette was asked by NASA to design a razor for space flight.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
TechMatic shave videos exist. Seems that it's not the world's worst razor with comments like "BBS" and "I'm impressed."

It would have used Gillette's most cutting-edge (ha!) blade technology of the era, so if you could get the blade straight and taut, it would probably shave very well. The problem seems to be that it wasn't always possible to do that. Any blade that isn't straight and taut is going to let blood.
 
TechMatic shave videos exist. Seems that it's not the world's worst razor with comments like "BBS" and "I'm impressed."

Who ya gonna believe? Some random guy on YouTube with a 50 year old razor? Or me, a random guy on a razor forum with razor-sharp memories of his 50 year old teenaged shaves?

Besides, that YouTube guy, instead of buying penny stocks, has probably been hoarding cases of Techmatics he found in a dusty NASA warehouse. Pump and dump!*

While I’m promoting rumors and conspiracy theories, I should mention that Elon put a Techmatic in the glove box of the Tesla he launched.

*no, that’s not my lathering technique
 
Who ya gonna believe? Some random guy on YouTube with a 50 year old razor? Or me, a random guy on a razor forum with razor-sharp memories of his 50 year old teenaged shaves?

I'm going to trust you, naturally.

My relationship with the TechMatic was rubbish probably because I was a teenager with no technique and a know it all attitude.

Aggressive razors acquired in recent years behave so gently now that I've a few years of practice under my belt. Maybe I too could get a good shave from a TechMatic today. Then make a YouTube video of it.
 
seen so many of these gillette tecmatic razors on ebay uk, so glad i didnt get one after reading posts about it on here lol
 
seen so many of these gillette tecmatic razors on ebay uk, so glad i didnt get one after reading posts about it on here lol
I bought a Techmatic razor in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Looking back it was the worst razor I ever shaved with. Kind of like using the lid from a tin can to shave with. I didn't have great shaving techniques back then, but I don't think better techniques would have made any difference.
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
In my case anyway, memories were deceiving. I used one back when and found it lacking compared to my Schick Injector, and had a less than positive recollection of the Techmatic. Last year some gents here shaved for a month with the Techmatic & its Schick competition in remembrance of the moon mission (see Moon Mission Techmatic Tribute! - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/moon-mission-techmatic-tribute.568937/page-11) . Most, including myself, were pleasantly surprised, even with blades that were 50 years old.
R.I.P. Michael Collins - the Astronaut who famously wielded the TM in orbit ..


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BradWorld

Dances with Wolfs
Reading through that thread during the 2019 anniversary, I became intrigued by the Techmatic and went on a search for some to acquire. So I missed the big anniversary shave, but I did manage to find two NOS Techmatics sealed in their bubble cards, and about a dozen sealed NOS cartridges. Plus I got one used handle as well. All of it was very reasonably priced. I never did get the opportunity or the inclination to shave with one. But I kept looking for a reasonably priced, cased M-4 Techmatic to add to my birthday razor collection. Finally got one last week. Good shape M-4 razor in the black and silver case. So come December, I will break into one of my NOS carts and give the old girl a dance. I am already looking forward to it.
 
Just finished a shave with my Techmatic. No issues whatsoever, I really like the razor. I use the adjustable carts and as I have stated elsewhere, it is all about getting the angle right. Once you figure it out, its a great shaver. It will never replace my DEs or my Schick Injector, as they are foolproof and excellent shavers in their own right. But I think the Techmatic gets a bit of a bum wrap.
 

Whilliam

First Class Citizen
Just finished a shave with my Techmatic. No issues whatsoever, I really like the razor. I use the adjustable carts and as I have stated elsewhere, it is all about getting the angle right. Once you figure it out, its a great shaver. It will never replace my DEs or my Schick Injector, as they are foolproof and excellent shavers in their own right. But I think the Techmatic gets a bit of a bum wrap.
I am impressed at both your technique and your toughness.:thumbup1:
 
I am impressed at both your technique and your toughness.:thumbup1:
As I previously opined in a reply, my experience shaving with a Techmatic in the late 1960s was not good. However, my experiences shaving with a Gillette adjustable were not totally positive then either. In the 1960s, I'm sure my technique was bad (probably too much pressure) and I used either foamy stuff in a can or bar soap. In the ensuing decades, this old dog has learned many new shaving tricks.
 
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