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Help Me Pick Out my Birth Year Gillette

I’m a recent convert to wet shaving and the idea of having a birth year razor has become attractive to me.

I’ve only been exposed to this because I was given my fathers 1958 Executive Fatboy.

I recently picked up an early 60’s slim and a Super Speed Flare. I like them both.

I like Gillette and after doing some research I found that I’m a W-4 guy (1951 thank you very much).

I found that the Gillette lineup for that year included:

  • 3 piece Tech
  • 40s style Super Speed
  • Black tip Super Speed
  • Aristocrat
  • Milord


I’ve looked at the Black Tips and of course the Aristocrats


I have no experience with any of these models. The closest I have is the Flare.


I’m not partial to a TTO or 3 piece.


If you had one model to suggest, what would it be.

Thanks
Dirty
 
Thanks all,
I didn't really think there was a bad one in the bunch. I don't hear much about Milord. The Aristocrats are pricey of course and the 51's are not easy to find.

The W4's are not easy to find either. Is it just me but do the first 3 quarters of the year seem more common.
I can see it if they were geared towards Christmas time.

I'm leaning towards a nice Black tip.
Heck, they are ll new to me.

Dirty
 
I'd get them all. I did that with my birth year razors. Collected all 5. The blacktip is a mild razor. It's still a nice shaver. Just keep an eye out for all of them. After some time a few good-looking ones will come around. You just have to wait a bit.
Then after you have them all in your birth year its time to start collecting one of ever type of gillette. You can do it!
 
I would say the Aristocrat simply because, well, it's the Aristocrat. Myself, I have the 1940s style Super Speed for my birth year because I got it at a great price and a side note - it gives me a better shave than the newer Super Speeds.
 
My vote would be the Aristrocrat followed by the MiLord, as I have both, although not W4s and they are firmly in my rotation! The others are nothing to sneeze at either. As HazMat Shaver said get them all!!!

Tom
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
The 40's style Gillette Super Speed is a tank of a razor. Built like one, and mows down the whiskers like one. It's unstoppable.
None of the glitzy and gimmicky razor selections out there shave any better than a 40's Super Speed.
Its utilitarian design belies the absolutely amazing engineering that went into it.
 
1st Choice: 1951 Gillette Tech with bakelite handle. This is my favorite of the Gillette Tech series (I have about 6 different Gillette Techs plus many clones). The 1951 is easy to use, and a smooth efficient razor...and highly maneuverable. The head is brass with nickel coating, and will last forever. You can also get it re-plated if necessary. The 1951 Tech should be chosen only if you like a light weight razor.

2nd Choice:
1951 Gillette Aristocrat...if you like a heavier razor (not super heavy). Another fantastic razor from Gillette. All brass with several choices of coating, depending on where it was manufactured. I have a 1948 Gold Aristocrat which I had re-plated at Back Roads Gold, and is essentially in like new condition. My choice would be a gold one.
 
I see what you folks are doing:redface-new:.

Getting me to buy them all. It sounds like Gillette didn't make a bad razor during this time.

Lets see. 5 different razors and 4 quarters each year that's around 20 razors. Nice.

Dirty
 
I would also choose the Tech first, followed by the Aristocrat.
You can't go wrong with the Tech. It's fantastic, and it doesn't cost much, either. Start with the Tech. You may find that you don't need to go any further.
 
I'd get them all. I did that with my birth year razors. Collected all 5. The blacktip is a mild razor. It's still a nice shaver. Just keep an eye out for all of them. After some time a few good-looking ones will come around. You just have to wait a bit.
Then after you have them all in your birth year its time to start collecting one of ever type of gillette. You can do it!

+1! The classic B&B answer!! :thumbup1::thumbup1::thumbup1::thumbup1:
 
Well, I did it. I found a nice looking Black Tip on the line for what I though was a decent price and its on the way.

Something about having a razor that was only available for 2 or 3 years was attractive. Oh and its a W4 same as me.
I'll be reporting back soon.
Dirty
 
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