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Help me understand the Twist...

And no, not the dance.
I picked up a Gillette Slim Twist (I think). W-2 (1976) made in England. Ive seen the wedge/tappered handles.
The round tappered handles. Round tappered handles with a Chrome tip and others wrh black plastic tip.
Two different types of TTO knobs.
Black, blue and white coloered handles. Nade in usa and england.

So what makes one a twist and others a 1000 or 2000 or Knack?

And what one is mine?

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Here is I think the first English Gillette Slim Twist from 1964, sometimes known as the 'Beatles Razor' because they used them in the film "A Hard Day's Night"
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The earlier Slim Twists seem to be distinguished by the handle, a heavily ribbed and quite flat design, tapering at the end becoming thinner.

They seemed to have carried on in this design until 1974 when the 'Knack' came out. It seems to have been the same head but with a more pencil like, simpler handle with a metal capped base
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In the early 80's Gillette seems to have renamed them as the G2000. The TTO knob is getting smaller, notice, also.
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The G2000 type soldiered on until as late as 1998 (I should have bought one myself!) until it seems to have been renamed the G1000
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The Slim Twist family are actually an interesting group, staying around for at least 35 years. The last distinct TTO family of Gillettes ever made. As long as the Super Speeds almost.

I think the names were just rebrands, the main differences were in handle designs. The Slim Twists with the broader, flatter handles are a different type to the Knack, G2000 and G1000 which seemed to share a broadly similar handle design. The G2000 and G1000 seem to have a smaller TTO knob than the rest of the family.

The Feather Popular looks to be the closest current razor out there which seems similar in looks and design.

It looks like you have got a 76' Knack there Jerry @HazMat Shaver Nice one!

I should pick a Slim Twist up.
 
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ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
They are great razors, I do like them and they are on the milder side for me. Just like a Tech, pair it with a Feather and you may get a great shave like I do. Congratulations on the acquisition.
 
R

romsitsa

Knack is the US/Mexican version.
The US version has a bigger TTO knob, end connectors and a shorter plastic handle than the Mexican/UK Version.
The Mexican version is similar to the US version, with different markings, longer handle, some have end tabs others end connectors.
The first British version was the Slim twist (flat tapered handle) with a diamond shaped stamped base plate, this was later changed to the square stamped base plate.
The second version was the Super Slim Twist (blue cone shaped handle.
Then came a simplified version with a smaller TTO knob, then the bottom cap was deleted, then the TTO knob became smaller twice.
G1000 and G2000 are not razors but packages. G1000 is the simplyfied Super Slim Twist on cardboard, the G2000 came with a dispenser.
 
Thanks for explaining this. I had a feeling mine was a Knack, but... Guess I now need to find a Slim Twist so I have one of those too. The Beatles you say? Ha. Guess that's about the time of it.

So Adam, Would you say mine is the twist UK Version?
 
Acording to Adams explaination i have a UK Super Twist V-3. Square base, smaller knob, blue cone shape.

Any other opinions? Im not finding much detail on the web.
 
Acording to Adams explaination i have a UK Super Twist V-3. Square base, smaller knob, blue cone shape.

Any other opinions? Im not finding much detail on the web.
You have an English made Super Slim Twist there Jerry. Nice example too. Notice the term Super Slim Twist and Knack is sometimes used interchangably, much like Super Speed and Rocket often is. The Knack appears to be the US term when marketed there by Gillette. All European versions appear to have been English made.

Here is a 1974 English example
Vintage Shaving 1974 U2 Gillette TTO Super Slim Twist Safety Razor England Standard DE Blades Knack - https://www.retonthenet.co.uk/vintage-shaving-1974-u2-gillette--tto-super-slim-twist-safety-razor-england-standard-de-blades-knack-6641-p.asp

(Mods, I understand this type of link is ok if it is not an actively auctioning item. If not, please feel free to delete, and my apologies in advance :001_wub:)
 
Gotcha.
Thanks for the help in clearing this twist/knack thing up.
I still feel the need to find one of those other handled twists. So super slim twist. Got it.
 
I have two specimens, both NOS and both white. An English made Gillette Slim Twist from 1967 (Included blades are marked M-3) and the German counterpart made under the Rotbart brand. I never used the Rotbart but I loved the Slim Twist from the first shave. Smooth as silk and efficient enough. It shares the head, at least my version, with the later Gillette Rocket, the one with the "II" mark on the baseplate.

I'm on the hunt for the dark green fat tapered handle but it's an elusive rare bird.
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Thanks for explaining this. I had a feeling mine was a Knack, but... Guess I now need to find a Slim Twist so I have one of those too. The Beatles you say? Ha. Guess that's about the time of it.
Here is the scene from a "Hard Days Night" (1964) a comic day in the life of the Beatles film.

Shake (John Junkin) the Beatles road manager, is asking George Harrison to teach him how to use a DE. He has only ever used an electric. "It's not my fault, I come from a long line of electricians!" George shows him, sort of, using a Gillette Slim Twist. You can just see it. John Lennon is in the bath, re-enacting the Battle Of The Atlantic.
 
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