Need help identifying Gillette DE Safety Razor please.

[sicboy13]

Good morning & good day all. I am curious if anyone can help me identify this Gillette razor pictured below. And possibly help me date the Red Tip Super Speed.

The all silver razor is diamond checkered all the way up, including right above the twist open knob, all the others seem to have a smooth ring. It has 2 rings below and one above the twist seam. No date code on the bottom of the blade tray, it reads: REG US then PAT OFF. Then it has the Gillette Diamond logo then Made in U.S.A. - Then on the inside of the blade tray it has PAT. NOS. ON then PACKAGE. I believe the blade bar is "notched".

I've used the very helpful resources throughout this site and cannot find anything exactly like this, although I suspect it is some form of Ranger Tech?

The Red Tip has a date code of A then 4. Would this truly translate to 1955, 4th quarter? It came complete with a red/maroon Bakelite case with clear top.

Anyway, just curious mostly about the first razor described and would greatly appreciate any info. Sorry for the low quality pics, that is not my strong suit. Thanks!

 

[majorharden]

That's not a Ranger Tech. It's just a 40's Superspeed. Can you take a picture of the head with the doors open? If the center bar is straight on the sides it's a 47. If its got notched sides it's a 48/49.

 

[majorharden]

Also check the MR Razor site for dating.

 

[sicboy13]

Yes, it has a notched bar. Thank you kindly for the info!

 

[JaxJim]

The Red Tip has a date code of A then 4. Would this truly translate to 1955, 4th quarter?

Yes, that's 4th quarter of 1955. Check the base plate for + signs on each side of the handle-- if so, you've got the Heavy Red Tip. Nice razor either way!

 

[majorharden]

I have both those razors. I could never get a good shave from the red tip. I use the superspeed daily.

 

[HerrHepcat]

Yes, that's 4th quarter of 1955. Check the base plate for + signs on each side of the handle-- if so, you've got the Heavy Red Tip. Nice razor either way!

I thought all Red Tips were 'Heavy'.

 

[cwnidog]

I thought all Red Tips were 'Heavy'.

Some are heavier than others.

 

[sicboy13]

No plus signs. Are all Red Tips considered "Super Speeds"?

 

[MacDaddy]

From that first photo I'd say it's probably a late '49 to early '50. The change from "PACKAGE" all spelled out to "PKG" abbreviated inside the head happened during 1950, so it's before that. And the collar around the central shaft where the handle is joined to the guard plate appears to have changed to the thinner, raised version that you have there sometime near the end of 1949, so it's after that.

Some are heavier than others.

I couldn't say definitively one way or the other, but having used both kinds of Red Tips (with and without the "+" markings) I'm not at all convinced that there's any real difference between them. Any perceived differences could be entirely psychological.

No plus signs. Are all Red Tips considered "Super Speeds"?

Yes, the Super Speed line up during this period included the "Heavy" (what we now call the Red Tip), the "Regular" (the standard Flare Tip), and the "Light" (the Blue Tip).

Here's a TV ad from the period that shows all three:

 

[sicboy13]

From that first photo I'd say it's probably a late '49 to early '50. The change from "PACKAGE" all spelled out to "PKG" abbreviated inside the head happened during 1950, so it's before that. And the collar around the central shaft where the handle is joined to the guard plate appears to have changed to the thinner, raised version that you have there sometime near the end of 1949, so it's after that.



I couldn't say definitively one way or the other, but having used both kinds of Red Tips (with and without the "+" markings) I'm not at all convinced that there's any real difference between them. Any perceived differences could be entirely psychological.



Yes, the Super Speed line up during this period included the "Heavy" (what we now call the Red Tip), the "Regular" (the standard Flare Tip), and the "Light" (the Blue Tip).

Here's a TV ad from the period that shows all three:

That video is great. "Pee wee, you do a lot of work with boys..." - can't say that today!

I wish I could go buy a few for a buck twenty-nine today!

 

[HerrHepcat]

Some are heavier than others.

I hope from the few I have I can test this out. I'm not trying to be contrary, but I just don't buy that.