Ok all I promise this will be the last one in a while as I have to break this RAD quickly as I have acquired 13 razors this month and for the most part I was able to date code them but the last one to come in which happens to be a black beauty is also presenting a bit of a mystery to me. I was sold it via auction as a 1977 "or so" vintage model. I can tell you this much and provide pictures for the rest and this is odd to me. The handle is definitely metal covered by black paint and is not plastic like some of the 80's models but, the under part of the head where the adjustment knob meets the head it is most definitely plastic. Is this indeed a 1977 and was a transitional piece between 1970's version to the 80's all plastic version ? while we are at it any thoughts on this specific model any cleaning tips ie. no scrubbing bubbles, no alcohol , no barbacide, I would automatically assume no boiling water. So for the info I can provide that is not in the pics inside the TTO it says PAT NOS on PKG ....... the handle is metal the TTO is metal but the under carriage is a thicker plastic matte finish. here are some pictures .... sprrry for so many I figured the more I could provide the easier the identification would be.
help identifying a black beauty date ?
- Thread starter Aschecte
- Start date
the plastic bottom Super-Adjustable has the date code inside the head
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- #3
Also there are no date codes on this except for a upside down # 2 below the PAT.OFF symbol though if you look by both sides of the barrel where it meets the head it looks like to big " O" though I'm not sure that's meant to be a "o" ....
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- #4
Like on the metal inside .... ie.... open up the TTO and it's there ? if that is what you mean there is nothing there either...... or do you mean I need to disassemble the unit to look underneath the plastic portion ?
The handle is covered in black resin, it was never plastic.
1977 was the 1st year of the under side plastic adjuster tang.... What 80's All plastic version? The Super Adjustable never had a plastic base plate, but did receive a plastic adjuster tang . http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...-Adjustable-Black-Short-Handle-vs-Long-Handle
Hot water not boiling, and gentle scrub with scrub bubbles and tooth brush.
Pat NOS on PKG means that the patent rights are on the box/package.
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from Brad: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...-Adjustable-Black-Short-Handle-vs-Long-Handle
When they switched to the plastic tang, the date code (which used to be on the bottom of the metal tang) was moved inside the razor to the top side of the baseplate.
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- #7
that's the problem Alex there is no date code there either and nothing is scratched etc.... so everything is very visible... I'm truly at a loss the seller believed this was from 1977 but was not sure and that was his best guesstimate.
I am sure that with Gillette's known mysteries that they have omitted the date stamp. Rendering your razor another oddity. I cant recall the date stamp omitted from this series.
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- #9
take a look there is nothing there at least that I can see I even held a magnifying glass to it and cleaned and polished it to be sure.
I already posted this over in Aschecte's other thread, but we have seen them show up without any date code at all before. We've also seen two different date codes on the same razor.
I know, i remembered your thread after i posted this..... i agree with your Finger quote 'error' theory too.
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- #12
what is a finger quote error theory ? also is it possible to disassemble the razor ? could the code be under the hood so to speak ? otherwise basically I have another razor I cannot put a date on correct ?
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- #13
ok let me ask this question as I think I have a way to narrow it down at least it looks like based on our WIKI here that the black plastic lifter was introduced in 1977. ok that said based on the pictures I posted above does my specific SA BB have the diamond pattern that they are talking about or are those the vertical knurled lines ? I honestly cannot tell as weird as that sounds as I don't know what they consider a diamond pattern. I ask this because if it is a knurled vertical pattern that would put it between 1977 and 1982 if that is a diamond pattern it would be between mid 1982 and 1988. I would at least have a range if nothing else. thanks !!! and sorry for running two separate threads I just thought it might be easier for others to find as well as get different but not necessarily better input.
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It was from Maccdaddy's post, we were just having fun when he stated : http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/315379-Super-adjustable-with-two-date-codes
"I would think that they're not very common at all -- I've certainly only heard of a small number of examples, but I can't honestly say I've been looking for them either -- but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'd be hugely more valuable than a standard Super Adjustable. Personally, I'd think a small premium as a curiosity would be reasonable, but unless you were able to find two people who were into collecting "error" models to bid against each other I wouldn't think you'd be talking about much more than that."
In reference to Copierguys fun poke:
Originally Posted by Copierguy
"But I am troubled that MacDaddy would label this razor as an "error"...
I would rather call it an "indicator" razor. Just look at what that combination of parts communicated to you, the story of that transition.
I actually look for that type of combination and enjoy the process of figuring out the "razors story."
Macdaddy answered:
"Those were finger quotes I put around "error" for just that reason.
On the plus side, it looks like showle just needs to find one more "freak" to get his bidding war going.
"That it is a finger quote theory, the ERROR razor, hence the Air Finger quotes around error from Macdaddy theory. Its all just fun thats all.
I think that many of these designs were not as easy to disassemble as the older adjustable. I tried a few times but i dont recommend others to try. I can afford to break up a razor, other members may have sentimental attachments to the razors and may be disappointed at the end results if they are not favorable. here is a link
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/151721-Gillette-Super-Adjustable-repair
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/351933-Help!-Broken-Super-Adjustable
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- #15
It was from Maccdaddy's post, we were just having fun when he stated : http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/315379-Super-adjustable-with-two-date-codes
"I would think that they're not very common at all -- I've certainly only heard of a small number of examples, but I can't honestly say I've been looking for them either -- but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'd be hugely more valuable than a standard Super Adjustable. Personally, I'd think a small premium as a curiosity would be reasonable, but unless you were able to find two people who were into collecting "error" models to bid against each other I wouldn't think you'd be talking about much more than that."
In reference to Copierguys fun poke:
Originally Posted by Copierguy
I would rather call it an "indicator" razor. Just look at what that combination of parts communicated to you, the story of that transition.
I actually look for that type of combination and enjoy the process of figuring out the "razors story."
Macdaddy answered:
"Those were finger quotes I put around "error" for just that reason.
On the plus side, it looks like showle just needs to find one more "freak" to get his bidding war going.
That it is a finger quote theory, the ERROR razor, hence the Air Finger quotes around error from Macdaddy theory. Its all just fun thats all.
I think that many of these designs were not as easy to disassemble as the older adjustable. I tried a few times but i dont recommend others to try. I can afford to break up a razor, other members may have sentimental attachments to the razors and may be disappointed at the end results if they are not favorable. here is a link
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/151721-Gillette-Super-Adjustable-repair
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/351933-Help!-Broken-Super-Adjustable
Ok now I get it, it was a inside joke type of thing........ as far as being worth more for being a "error" model I don't want to sell it ever I just want to know what darn year I have !!!!!! plain and simple I wanted a razor besides my Atra from 1977 a "X" - 2 preferably but I'd take a X anything to be honest and that's what I thought I was buying. as to my question with diamond vs knurled lines which do I have ? I'd like to at least narrow it down a drop if you could take a look at the photo's and let me know as I really don't know what they consider the diamond pattern introduced in 1982.
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- #16
OMG !!!!! I think I may have figured something out with this razor !!!!! I can't believe it !!! it's been hours of searching but this is the closest I can come up with so far tell me what you think am I on the right track possibly...... now I realize its got a bit of soap scum hard water built up on it but as you can clearly see on the plastic riser there is a number 2 clearly stamped on the left side of the frame. Now if you pull down onthis riser while the TTO is open and look up inside the riser on the upper right side above where it says Gillette and where it connects on those four locking mechanisms there is a number 8 at first I thought it was a E or a S but I scrubbed it with some more scrubbing bubbles than some rubbing alcohol and I'm pretty sure that's a 8 which would fall in line with the last year before the diamond pattern and after 77' when the plastic riser base was introduced..... still doesn't excuse why it's not stamped but this may be the year the riser as mfg'd and it also may be why some razors don't get stamped as they have the year on the riser plate. just a thought here's a picture what does everyone think ? is this possible ?
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See the difference
P-3 (1970) on the left and D-1 (1983) on the r---diamond pattern XXXXXX
XXXXXX
P-3 (1970) on the left and D-1 (1983) on the r---diamond pattern XXXXXX
XXXXXX
All I see is a blurry dark pic
this? 
