Is this a 1941 Tech Ranger? Identification Help Requested

[The Dean]

A good friend of mine gave me this old razor that used to belong to his, long deceased, father. It isn't in particularly good shape (plating loss and such) but the TTO mechanism works perfectly. A very quick search leads me to believe this is a 1941 Tech Ranger--produced only that year--most of my results point to that. One shows a razor labeled "Superspeed" that looks like it as well.

I will do a quick cleanup tonight and perhaps shave with it tomorrow before leaving for vacation (I won't bring it with me on the trip). I don't really care that much about how it looks, but if I like the way it shaves and/or it makes sense, I would consider having it replated/restored.

Above the twist knob it reads "PAT. NOS. ON PKG." and under the base plate it reads "REG. U.S. PAT. OFF." and "Gillette MADE IN U.S.A."

Again, please forgive this pictures, it's the best I can do at the moment.








Anyway, thanks in advance for any info you have on this razor. I am leaving town for a week or so tomorrow morning. I will try to check in, from time to time, if/when I get an Internet connection. But please don't think I've posted and lost interest if I don't respond for a while.

 

[the beav]

Yes it is. It might have a nice patina to it once you clean it up. Good luck with it.

 

[The Dean]

Yes it is. It might have a nice patina to it once you clean it up. Good luck with it.

Thanks. Are these rare?

I just tried some scrubbing bubbles and an old toothbrush, and it cleaned up a little bit, but not much. I'm not a particularly good cleaner. Should I be trying something else? More bubbles? More time? It definitely has some plate loss, but I think most of it is just years of dirt.

 

[the beav]

They are not especially rare, but it's nice to have one. You might try cleaning it again, then polish it with MAAS of FLITZ. If you don't have any of that and/or don't want to mess with it, you can send it to me and I'll polish it for you. It's hard to tell how it will turn out as it looks a little rough.

 

[Dalejr]

You've got an early one, notice no endcaps and writing on the smooth band.

 

[The Dean]

They are not especially rare, but it's nice to have one. You might try cleaning it again, then polish it with MAAS of FLITZ. If you don't have any of that and/or don't want to mess with it, you can send it to me and I'll polish it for you. It's hard to tell how it will turn out as it looks a little rough.

Thanks for the offer. I am in the middle of trying to clean it again. I will use it in the morning. If I like it, and it is still needs work, I may take you up on your offer when I return from vacation. But I might try my hand with a little Maaz or Flitz, if I can find a bit locally.

I'd ask if it was a good shaver, but I guess I will find out for myself tomorrow.

 

[The Dean]

You've got an early one, notice no endcaps and writing on the smooth band.

Yes it seems these were the first, but are less rare than the ones made after the war (1946). Do endcaps have any practical use, or are they just decorative?

 

[the beav]

Thanks for the offer. I am in the middle of trying to clean it again. I will use it in the morning. If I like it, and it is still needs work, I may take you up on your offer when I return from vacation. But I might try my hand with a little Maaz or Flitz, if I can find a bit locally.

I'd ask if it was a good shaver, but I guess I will find out for myself tomorrow.

It pretty much shaves like a Super Speed. I think you'll enjoy it.

 

[The Dean]

It pretty much shaves like a Super Speed. I think you'll enjoy it.

Never used a Super Speed (or any TTO)--at least since the early 70's. I only have a pre-war Fat Handled Tech and a Merkur 42 (safety bar). From some quick reading, it seems like this might be just a tad more aggressive than my Tech (which according to some is a tad more aggressive than most other Techs). The Merkur is a tad more aggressive than my Tech, but is pretty mild, I think.

 

[GDCarrington]

Do endcaps have any practical use, or are they just decorative?

Yes.

They help to provide additional protection to the mechanism on the side (accidental dropping) and the are decorative as well. Gillette at the point was not adding items to just be decorative, that would increase costs needlessly.

 

[GDCarrington]

Here is a thread on the subject of the progression, including the Ranger Tech series.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/330224-Ranger-techs

 

[The Dean]

Here is a thread on the subject of the progression, including the Ranger Tech series.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/330224-Ranger-techs

Thanks Gary. Always there with the information.

 

[WoodfordReserve-Neat]

They are not especially rare

I beg to differ with you sir. WWII made them rare....IMO a fine case for it is even more rare....
With a year or Less production ? You can thank Pearl Harbor for that.......

 

[MacDaddy]

I beg to differ with you sir. WWII made them rare....IMO a fine case for it is even more rare....
With a year or Less production ? You can thank Pearl Harbor for that.......

I'd go with "uncommon" but I wouldn't call them "rare." The '46 Ranger Tech would probably qualify as "rare," but I come across '41s pretty frequently. Maybe a little less frequently than Toggles

 

[WoodfordReserve-Neat]

I'd go with "uncommon" but I wouldn't call them "rare." The '46 Ranger Tech would probably qualify as "rare," but I come across '41s pretty frequently. Maybe a little less frequently than Toggles

I suppose that I am looking at rareness due to short production numbers of the razor type. And of course not all of them survived.. thus even less of them would exist today. I would imagine this to be the same for the 1941 Gold plated Milord Tech. The Milord Tech did have a limited 1940 test release. So, possibly there were more of the Milord Tech(s) produced ? I think after Pearl Harbor was attacked that, although it ended the production of these razors, there were plenty of new ones still on store shelves that were never purchased as the Military was issued the "contract" Tech razors. To me, this could explain why the Ranger Tech razors showing up are often times in near mint condition ? I have not read anywhere that the ones left on store shelves were recycled for war material shortages, but guess that could be a possibility ? Funny, the 1940-41 Milord Tech does not seem to show up as often as the 1941 Ranger Tech razors that I have seen ? I wish there was a way to tell the 1940 test market Milord Tech from the 1941 Milord Tech. If anyone knows how, please share the info.
To me a 1941 Ranger Tech, 1940 Regent Tech and the 1940-1941 Milord Tech razors would look really fine beside each other in someones collection. If someone is lucky enough to get these sets in NOS condition...wowser !
Scarce may be a better term. But often times, scarcity lends itself to rarity..
Great thread, BTW.

 

[The Dean]

Quick report from an Orlando Airport bar (with several double Woodfords under my belt). I never got it clean enough for my liking, and will try the metal polish when I get back. But I gave it a go with a new Astra blade this morning. The first pass was as good as any first pass I've had. The shave was a bit rushed this morning and I only did two passes with some extensive touch up/buffing.

I think, once it is cleaned up and/or re-plated if need be, it will shave a bit more smoothly. But my first impression is a good one.

 

[MacDaddy]

I suppose that I am looking at rareness due to short production numbers of the razor type. And of course not all of them survived.. thus even less of them would exist today. I would imagine this to be the same for the 1941 Gold plated Milord Tech. The Milord Tech did have a limited 1940 test release. So, possibly there were more of the Milord Tech(s) produced ? I think after Pearl Harbor was attacked that, although it ended the production of these razors, there were plenty of new ones still on store shelves that were never purchased as the Military was issued the "contract" Tech razors. To me, this could explain why the Ranger Tech razors showing up are often times in near mint condition ? I have not read anywhere that the ones left on store shelves were recycled for war material shortages, but guess that could be a possibility ? Funny, the 1940-41 Milord Tech does not seem to show up as often as the 1941 Ranger Tech razors that I have seen ? I wish there was a way to tell the 1940 test market Milord Tech from the 1941 Milord Tech. If anyone knows how, please share the info.
To me a 1941 Ranger Tech, 1940 Regent Tech and the 1940-1941 Milord Tech razors would look really fine beside each other in someones collection. If someone is lucky enough to get these sets in NOS condition...wowser !
Scarce may be a better term. But often times, scarcity lends itself to rarity..
Great thread, BTW.

The thing is, while we know that America's entry into WWII was clearly a disruption to their production, we're not exactly sure what the production figures for the Ranger's initial runs looked like at all. But before we get to the Ranger, let me step back to the Milord (and Milady) Tech for a quick second.

1940 wasn't a test marketing year for the Milord and Milady Techs, that was a full national release. They were in the Christmas season advertising for 1940, like this one that Achim's got posted:

It was very common for Gillette to release new models mid-year followed up with a promotional push at the end of the year for the Christmas shopping season. The Ranger Tech, in fact, was announced in May of 1941, and they would likely have been into steady production even before that in order to accommodate orders from retailers upon the announcement. (The fact that it was really just a plating change on the Milord Tech had to help there.)

Below is a clipping from Hardware Age that talks about Gillette sponsoring the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 1941, and using that broadcast to announce their new "Ranger Model" Tech razor:

All that aside, what we're really talking about is how likely you are to run into one today, and based on the fact that I see somewhere on the order of 5-10 a month I just can't justify calling them "rare."

I would definitely agree with you that the Milord and Milady Techs seem to be much less common than the Ranger. The only thing I can figure is that they must've ultimately sold more of the Ranger even though it wasn't in production as long.

 

[The Dean]

Can we just agree they aren't common? I'm seeing fairly high prices for something called a "Tech".

But, more importantly, my flight has been delayed, necessitating another double Woodford. How in the world to they expect me to fly this aircraft?

 

[The Dean]

Another delay--3 hours if this one sticks. Had to move to beer--Dos Equis Amber--dumb bartender put a lime in it. Does she think it's Corona? I may have to shave again before my flight leaves.

 

[MacDaddy]