Guide to American Button Company Pocket Edition Sets: Part One - Razors

[DaltonGang]

Very nice looking ABC.

 

[Roderick]

Very good pickup. I really enjoy the simplistic beauty of the fluted handle ABC sets.

 

[Nmen]

Could a Shell with one ring have the serial number G063079?

I was just cruisin' on that popular bay site and saw one with that marking.

 

[MacDaddy]

Could a Shell with one ring have the serial number G063079?

I was just cruisin' on that popular bay site and saw one with that marking.

Not if it was from the normal serial run, since that would put it past the point where Gillette was no longer contracting out to ABC. But we've seen a couple of examples that appear to have come from the British market, like the one below, that use "G" series numbers but are assumed not to follow Gillette Boston's normal series.

 

[SirBarnes]

Hi All,

I realize this is a longshot, but I am in a bit of a pinch to pick up one of these if anyone would be willing to part with one.

I am getting married a week from Friday and have managed to get 3 ABC sets in great condition as groomsman gifts, but I am scrambling to find a 4th.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,
Jeff

 

[Nmen]

Thank you for your reply. Since it's in Portugal, I'm guessing it came from England. It's just the razor, no case and a hefty sum for it. Not worthy.

I have a specimen from 1908. Best shaver I got.

 

[romsitsa]

Hello,

I just won this razor on ebay and I'd like to ask for your help as there is something odd.
Handle and top cap are proper ABC items imho, the combed plate looks off, but it looks to be a matching item based on wear marks.

The combed plate looks like a non ABC Gillette as the center ring is machined not pressed and it has no markings at all.

There are ABC sets with this kind of plate (although these had date codes) and there was another ABC set (floral with matching case) on the bay with the rounded teeth plate and this also didn't have any markings.
So were there undated ABC razors?

On closer inspection the corner teeth on mine have different width, a feature I never saw on any Gillette. It looks like the milling machine was out of alignment as teeth spacing is correct.

My razor:


Plate close-up, arrows showing the corner differences:


The other undated/unmarked ABC set:


Disc.: pictures show the original listings on ebay, are not made by me.

Thank you for you input

Adam

 

[romsitsa]

Hello,

my pocket razor arrived today. I don't know what is going on so made a few photos.
From Bottom to top:
new silver plated double ring ABC
1909 gold ABC
1917 ball end (thin cap)

The new razors top cap and handle are ABC items the double ring handle bing a bit shorter than the golden one. The combed plate is almost identical to the thin cap ball end, being 0,5 mm narrower (both thicker than the gold ABC). As you can see the width of the comb is only offset approx. from the middle of the comb and the depth of the comb is also irregular, made a photo with a blade loaded.
There are no date codes or logos, so is this a factory reject that passed quality control?

There is a further mistery, as something rattles inside the double ring handle, although it looks to be a one piece casting and the thread is only approx. 2 cm deep.







thanks

Adam

 

[TobyC]

Bump.

 

[Morman Bridge]

Hello,

my pocket razor arrived today. I don't know what is going on so made a few photos.
From Bottom to top:
new silver plated double ring ABC
1909 gold ABC
1917 ball end (thin cap)

The new razors top cap and handle are ABC items the double ring handle bing a bit shorter than the golden one. The combed plate is almost identical to the thin cap ball end, being 0,5 mm narrower (both thicker than the gold ABC). As you can see the width of the comb is only offset approx. from the middle of the comb and the depth of the comb is also irregular, made a photo with a blade loaded.
There are no date codes or logos, so is this a factory reject that passed quality control?

There is a further mistery, as something rattles inside the double ring handle, although it looks to be a one piece casting and the thread is only approx. 2 cm deep.

View attachment 651464

View attachment 651465

View attachment 651466

thanks

Adam

Hello, I just noticed this post, but I can tell the baseplate in question, is not a Gillette part, nor is it an ABC part. Sorry to bring you bad news. I suspect it is a European clone baseplate.

 

[romsitsa]

Hello,

not bad news at all. Why do you think it's not a Gillette comb?

Adam

 

[Morman Bridge]

Hello,

not bad news at all. Why do you think it's not a Gillette comb?

Adam

The baseplate has too many irregularities. And the corner teeth are not symmetrical, as well as the length of the teeth. It all adds up to a non-Gillette part. Gillette would never allow a part so far out of specification.

 

[romsitsa]

I don't think any maker would have tried to sell such a bad piece, this is why I suspect it slipped inspection.
The comb has proper Gillette dimensions (shape and depth of teeth, general shape of comb) and I don't know any exact replica, fo eg. the British clones have shorter teeth.

Adam

 

[Morman Bridge]

I don't think any maker would have tried to sell such a bad piece, this is why I suspect it slipped inspection.
The comb has proper Gillette dimensions (shape and depth of teeth, general shape of comb) and I don't know any exact replica, fo eg. the British clones have shorter teeth.

Adam

Perhaps you are correct. I respect your opinion sir.

 

[romsitsa]

Hey Morman,

I don't know what it really is, it just looks like a messed up unmarked Gillette comb. The other set that went on ebay (posted a pic on 04. 02. 2016. here) had rounded teeth and also no markings.
A huge number of pocket editions were produced and without detailed documentation on manufacture there is a good chance that unknown examples can pop-up from time to time.

Adam

 

[Mlee]

My wife picked this up for me a couple of weeks ago at a local flea market. It's a 1909 ABC set. I noticed that the handle is a little different than the ones on the first page. Is it considered a double ring shell set or a single ring or something else?

 

[romsitsa]

Hello,

photos are a bit blurry, I'd say it is a variation of the singel ring shell. Could you take a photo of the comb? End of the teeth looks straight inner corners curved, looks interesting.
Very nice set.

Adam

 

[Mlee]

Hello,

photos are a bit blurry, I'd say it is a variation of the singel ring shell. Could you take a photo of the comb? End of the teeth looks straight inner corners curved, looks interesting.
Very nice set.

Adam

Hello Adam,
Sorry about the picture quality. Here are a few more, I hope this is what you wanted.

 

[romsitsa]

Hello and thank you. I'm not an ABC pocket specialist, just a fan, but your razors comb looks like a new variation to me. The whole set looks so mint, beautiful. The handle looks similar to my British set, but there is an "extention" below the ring.

Adam

 

[GBinOZ]

I have an ABC razor with the same handle as Mlee. Serial is A942154 and it came from Wales in the UK. The baseplate has the inner curves like Mlee's but the points are not square but are pointed. The ring configuration is not dissimilar the one shown in the centre of Adam's first photo in post #228.

Cheers, George