Gold and Black Fat Handle Tech

[lancre]

I recently acquired a gold NDC Fat Handle Tech (see photo) with a black metal handle.

Between the fat handle, triangular slots and NDC, I assume it's vintage is 1938-1941. Do you guys agree with that?

But the thing I found striking was the handle. Up until now, any black handle I'd seen was bakelite. But this looked like any other Gold Fat Handle Tech except for the black coloring. Maybe i missed it, but I don't remember ever seeing this even on Mr. Razor. Has anyone here run into that before?

 

[rabidus]

 

[lancre]

OK, I missed that. Thanks.

 

[rabidus]

You're welcome, nice score!

 

[Komboloi]

I have one, but it's not as nice as yours. Congrats!

 

[TobyC]

Nice one! Go shave!

 

[mgbbrown]

Beautiful razor Lancre! I hope it shaves as well as it looks! God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[lancre]

Beautiful razor Lancre! I hope it shaves as well as it looks! God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

It does!

 

[cH3x]

What's the story with these? Just some color combo that blipped through?

 

[lancre]

What's the story with these? Just some color combo that blipped through?

No idea. But apparently enough were made for Achim to include it in his blog. It is a sharp color combo.

 

[TobyC]

Black is cheaper than gold, and they were doing other handles black during the war.

 

[lancre]

Black is cheaper than gold, and they were doing other handles black during the war.

Yeah, but see Rabidus reply (msg. #2) in this thread. Apparently they started doing that pre-war in 1938.

 

[TobyC]

Yeah, but see Rabidus reply (msg. #2) in this thread. Apparently they started doing that pre-war in 1938.

That's not what that means. There is no date code, so you can't date those any closer than '38~'45, so it's labeled that way.

 

[TobyC]

"War Production Board orders dedicated military production for all razors and most blades."

That was 1942.

US Gillette Dating Information



"Civilian models from before WWII show nickel plate."

Tech


.

 

[CamberwellCarrot]

That's got to be a fairly rare bird. I want one.

 

[tipster_621]

That looks sweet!

I have what looks like that same pre-war gold head, on a black Contract Tech handle, but the fat handle looks better in black, especially with the gold shoulder. ("gold shoulder" - surely there's a pun/joke there somewhere...)

Congrats!

 

[lancre]

"War Production Board orders dedicated military production for all razors and most blades."

That was 1942.

US Gillette Dating Information
"Civilian models from before WWII show nickel plate."

Tech.

I stand corrected. So mine is most likely 1942-1945 then?

 

[TobyC]

I stand corrected. So mine is most likely 1942-1945 then?

I believe that to be true.

 

[TobyC]

Probably closer to '42 because that handle is brass, probably something they already had on hand. Brass was not available during the war because of military needs, so Gillette started making things out of steel, aluminum/or other alloy, and Bakelite.

 

[cH3x]

That's got to be a fairly rare bird. I want one.

Well, I've seen several like that go very cheap this week on eBay. In the $10 range.