gillette tester

[72plymsatellite]

picked up this set from the bay a few couple weeks ago. it wasnt listed very well or i assume it would have sold for more. the only thing its missing is the 2nd test razor. i havent seen a set like this one so i had to get it. i was actually going to see if someone else wanted it but glad his phone was broken lol.

what i like about it is that even the original paper work from the company is still with the set and the original shipping box. another cool thing that they did to ensure that the tester couldnt mess with the data is they punched 2 holes in each razor to stop the tto from opening the razor (not sure if you can see them in the pics). it doesnt stop it completely but it does make it fairly difficult to open. i forgot to take pictures of the blades (i had to see what blades they tested thats how i know it was a little hard to open lol) the blades are wilkinson sword made in england. im not sure if gillette owns that brand or not but i would assume the test would be for their own gillette blades.

im not sure how im going to display this set. the paper work is also part of it and i would like the make every page seen but that takes up so much room. until then, enjoy the pictures i took. they arent great but they will have to do.

oh, and i asked the seller where he got them because he was in nevada and he said that he must have got them at a yard sale when he lived in san diego a long time ago. so he didnt know anything about it.

 

[72plymsatellite]

paper work

 

[72plymsatellite]

some holes for ya

 

[elmerwood]

picked up this set from the bay a few couple weeks ago. it wasnt listed very well or i assume it would have sold for more. the only thing its missing is the 2nd test razor. i havent seen a set like this one so i had to get it. i was actually going to see if someone else wanted it but glad his phone was broken lol.

Youre lucky my phone was broken! That's one cool set. Do they have different blade gaps? I wonder why the three phases. So now we have to watch for black SS with tiny holes in the handle....

 

[elmerwood]

Also this falls in the years my Gillette tester key chain was given. I wonder if my key chain or one similar would have came with a test set like this? I'll have to come over and inspect your new pieces soon.

 

[rxonmymind]

Very cool! Congrats. You might need a bigger cabinet soon

 

[3LeggdFox]

That is pretty cool. With the holes like that, makes mt think they probably pinned the Mechanism. Then when they received the razor back they would knock pin out and re-load with blade and send out again?

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

Yes, the holes by themselves would accomplish little. They had to have been pinned, and now the pins have been drifted back out. All that is left is a little drag from the burrs at the edges of the holes.

Stan

 

[nehpets4627]

Do they have different blade gaps?

I have a feeling these were razors used for testing different blades, not testing differences in the razor itself. Also, based on the letter, it looks like the test was being administered by a survey/rating agency and not Gillette, so they could have been doing an independent test of different blades.

 

[ERVARGASNY]

Pretty Kool is right, Thanks for sharing.

 

[bakerbarber]

I stopped bidding when I got the message that shipping wasn't free.

So glad someone here got it!!

It would have been lost on me. Really glad you posted better pictures too!!

 

[hutchster]

Awesome score, I really like reading these oddball history things you guys come across.

That's definitely something you should make room to display

 

[72plymsatellite]

Youre lucky my phone was broken! That's one cool set. Do they have different blade gaps? I wonder why the three phases. So now we have to watch for black SS with tiny holes in the handle....

yea im glad it was. netx time i come over i might accidently step on it lol

Also this falls in the years my Gillette tester key chain was given. I wonder if my key chain or one similar would have came with a test set like this? I'll have to come over and inspect your new pieces soon.

yea thats the reason i thought the set would be good for you since you have the key chain.

That is pretty cool. With the holes like that, makes mt think they probably pinned the Mechanism. Then when they received the razor back they would knock pin out and re-load with blade and send out again?

yea i figured they werent just holes but for some reason them ading pins didntdawn on me.

Hi,

Yes, the holes by themselves would accomplish little. They had to have been pinned, and now the pins have been drifted back out. All that is left is a little drag from the burrs at the edges of the holes.

Stan

+1

I have a feeling these were razors used for testing different blades, not testing differences in the razor itself. Also, based on the letter, it looks like the test was being administered by a survey/rating agency and not Gillette, so they could have been doing an independent test of different blades.

yea i believe the test is just for the blades. the gaps look the same on each razor. when i get home i am going to take a better look t make sure though cuz the blade gap test hadnt crossed my mind. i just assumed it was brand tests. ***-u-me

I stopped bidding when I got the message that shipping wasn't free.

So glad someone here got it!!

It would have been lost on me. Really glad you posted better pictures too!!

lol cheapo! it didnt go for much although. i was wondering why it showed free shipping then some how 5 bucks got added on? depending on how i was searching, bidding items or watched items, it would show one or the other still. i wanted it so i didnt bother http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Razors-Survey-Samples-1968-/261279302621?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=IhimXKzvMyX3UI%252BhLelXYW84sEY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Very cool! Congrats. You might need a bigger cabinet soon

i already have a 3rd display case i am going to move from the spare bedroom to the front room to start filling. i bought it before i needed it cuz it was cheap and i knew i was going to need it in the near future

Awesome score, I really like reading these oddball history things you guys come across.

That's definitely something you should make room to display

yea but its going to take up some real estate that could be used for other razors. i might frame the papers but not until i need the room on the shelf or just do it now since i know im going to do it eventualy anyway.

 

[72plymsatellite]

just had a thought, if i framed the paperwork, would it take away from its value or increase because of how you can display it. im not trying to get rid of it but there will be a time when we all get old and feel that some of the things we have arent necessary. personally, i like that its in the same state as it was when shipped but i also want everyone to see what the first person in 1968 read while opening the box. i dont want everyone putting their grubby hands on the papers either. that being said i dont think anyone but us would actually be interested in reading the whole thing lol. i just the im going to display them, but what would you guys do?

 

[Copierguy]

just had a thought, if i framed the paperwork, would it take away from its value or increase because of how you can display it. im not trying to get rid of it but there will be a time when we all get old and feel that some of the things we have arent necessary. personally, i like that its in the same state as it was when shipped but i also want everyone to see what the first person in 1968 read while opening the box. i dont want everyone putting their grubby hands on the papers either. that being said i dont think anyone but us would actually be interested in reading the whole thing lol. i just the im going to display them, but what would you guys do?

I would make xerographic copies to display and or handle, while storing the originals in a safe spot. Are the razors marked N date code?

 

[72plymsatellite]

I would make xerographic copies to display and or handle, while storing the originals in a safe spot. Are the razors marked N date code?

yea they are N4 which means they were brand new when they were shipped to this individual.

 

[Copierguy]

Three years earlier in 1965 the were doing tests in house. Found this in a Gillette publication from the mid 60s.

 

[72plymsatellite]

Three years earlier in 1965 the were doing tests in house. Found this in a Gillette publication from the mid 60s.

interesting. i wonder if they do something like this now? it would give gillette a reaosn to show off some of their other products and show them how they are designed to work

 

[Jeff_H]

interesting. i wonder if they do something like this now? it would give gillette a reaosn to show off some of their other products and show them how they are designed to work

If you've ever shaved with a Gillette Fusion you will understand that they have done absolutely NO product testing.

 

[72plymsatellite]

If you've ever shaved with a Gillette Fusion you will understand that they have done absolutely NO product testing.

lol true. heaven forbid that instead of making a bad product, but convince everyone that this is what a shave should feel like, that they actually try to make a good product by going back to their roots and talking to people like their grandparents did to get their 2 cents.

Gillette: the masses with like what we tell them to like
Masses: it hurts so much to shave with this razor, but this is what Gillette says it should be like