Is there such a thing as a vintage Wilkinson Sword double edge razor?

[BRITD]

I recently asked my U.K. born and raised father what his first shaver was and he insists it was a Wilkinson Sword double edge razor? He would have been 18 years old in 1961. I recently picked up a pristine condition and immaculately cased, Made in England, Gillette rocket to give him next Christmas thinking that it was probably his first DE razor. Naturally I am bummed if it is not. Is he mistaken about a made in England Wilkinson Sword DE razor being his first razor?

 

[Scott0079]

Could have been a Wilkinson Sword "Sticky", they are fairly rare and the only vintage double edge Wilkinson Sword I know of.

 

[BRITD]

Thanks for input. I doubt he was sophisticated enough to first shave with a rare razor. Speaking with him, it sounded like he used a typical DE razor widely available at that time period. I am thinking that where he grew up in industrial NW England, maybe locally, Gillette rockets with possibly Wilkinson sword blades where just call Wilkinson Sword razors and blades? Is there any UK northerners that can share their thoughts?

 

[dcobranchi]

Thanks for input. I doubt he was sophisticated enough to first shave with a rare razor. Speaking with him, it sounded like he used a typical DE razor widely available at that time period. I am thinking that where he grew up in industrial NW England, maybe locally, Gillette rockets with possibly Wilkinson sword blades where just call Wilkinson Sword razors and blades? Is there any UK northerners that can share their thoughts?

They're rare, now, because Wilkinson just didn't sell very many (compared to Gillette) and they were only in production for a few years. They weren't a high-end item way back when.

Why don't you show him a pic of the Sticky to see if that's the one?

And, JIC: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wilkinson...=UK_Health_HairRemoval_RL&hash=item4d0dbbf046

 

[tacchini]

the only wilkinson de i know of is the sticky, a lot of old de shavers would call any razor a gillette or wilkinson sword or whatever, i dont think a lot of the old boys were into the colecting game, they just shaved with whatever was there, i got a razor from an old guy who told me the razor was an ever ready, it was a gillette tech.

 

[onotoman]

The WS 'Sticky' is indeed a very nice razor - long handle for good control and a mix of good quality plastics, Stainless Steel (lower part of the handle) and brass with nickel plating.

I have one in my collection and use it regularly.

 

[BRITD]

That is a sleek, unique looking razor.

 

[TheEye]

i really like my sticky and the handle is very unique with a lot of grip

 

[jpakstis]

If its from 1961, I don't think its the Sticky. The "Sticky" was patented in 1970. In fact, according to Wikipedia, its difficult to tell whether they were making DE razors in 1961, because they weren't selling razor blades until 1965...although if you go to their UK site, it looks like they introduced a safety razor in 1898 and probably were making blades back then.

So I'm not sure what your friend was using, but I'm fairly certain it wasn't a "Sticky."