Otto Roth date?

[imatabor]

I have a NEW that is marked as "Otto Roth" and "Made in the USA" . I have been reading all I can about this razor but I'm trying to figure somethings out.

I know that this razor is from the 30's. I also know that there was a time when this mark was crossed out and and Gillette was stamped on.

What I'm trying to do is narrow the dating. Roth was bought out in 1927-1928. The NEW was produced fro 1929-1940. It seems that the progression would be "Otto Roth" stamped and then "Otto Roth" crossed out with "Gillette" and finally just "Gillette". Can anyone guesstimate on the time line?

Also are the "Otto Roth" sort of rare? Are they identical to the regular Gillettes?

 

[Jeff_H]

Well, I can answer some of the questions, but not all. I do have an Otto Roth that I bought replated by Krona Kruiser. Everything I have read and heard says the Otto Roth is identical to the Gillette LC NEW in every way. I would also think that your time line of Otto Roth, then crossed out then Gillette would be accurate as well, but I am less sure on this.

I am unsure about narrowing down the date range. I also don't believe the Otto Roth is extremely rare. Less common than a Gillette New? Probably. What I am very sure of is it's a damn fine shaver. You have to respect it, use a shallow angle and mind the pressure until you get the hang of it.

Someone else will be along to answer the rest of the questions.

 

[imatabor]

What I am very sure of is it's a damn fine shaver. You have to respect it, use a shallow angle and mind the pressure until you get the hang of it.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to try it tomorrow. I have been using the 40's super speed and really like how mild they are for us noobs. I thought these NEWs were as mild as the super speeds.

Without your warning I could have been a hurting unit. SO the key is a shallow angle. Is this good advice for going to any more aggressive razor?

 

[alex2363]

I have a NEW that is marked as "Otto Roth" and "Made in the USA" . I have been reading all I can about this razor but I'm trying to figure somethings out.

I know that this razor is from the 30's. I also know that there was a time when this mark was crossed out and and Gillette was stamped on.

What I'm trying to do is narrow the dating. Roth was bought out in 1927-1928. The NEW was produced fro 1929-1940. It seems that the progression would be "Otto Roth" stamped and then "Otto Roth" crossed out with "Gillette" and finally just "Gillette". Can anyone guesstimate on the time line?

Also are the "Otto Roth" sort of rare? Are they identical to the regular Gillettes?

No , they are the same as Gillette. Here is a chart made by B&B Xillion:

 

[alex2363]

I have a NEW that is marked as "Otto Roth" and "Made in the USA" . I have been reading all I can about this razor but I'm trying to figure somethings out.

I know that this razor is from the 30's. I also know that there was a time when this mark was crossed out and and Gillette was stamped on.

What I'm trying to do is narrow the dating. Roth was bought out in 1927-1928. The NEW was produced fro 1929-1940. It seems that the progression would be "Otto Roth" stamped and then "Otto Roth" crossed out with "Gillette" and finally just "Gillette". Can anyone guesstimate on the time line?

Also are the "Otto Roth" sort of rare? Are they identical to the regular Gillettes?

As part of Gillette's way of getting rid of competition razor makers, they would just buy them out and make them Gillette subsidiaries. In 1926 Gllette VP Fahey went to Berlin and bought a controlling interest in Roth Buchner a long time Gllette competitor. This merger also included New Jersey based Otto Roth.

In 1930 Gillette was taken over by Auto Strop owner Gaisman after a court battle and several other legal matters. Gaisman got rid of all Gillette top directors. He brought in 5 new VP's that had thier hands full with trying to get rid of Gillettes older razor/blade making machines. Auto strop had newer faster machines and he wanted them in his new Gillette company.

This updating of the machines took a while as the new Gillette owners had to settle in and also make new razors and better quality blades at the same time using the older machines . The organizing of this nature most likely extended a few years into the mid 1930's where i guess that the stamping of the Otto name must have stopped. Gaisman would most likely have updated the Gillette USA subsidiaries such as Otto Roth in NJ. Gaiman already had his newer machines in Rio De Janiero Brazil years before taking over Gillette.


[Cutting Edge/Mckibben]p24

 

[imatabor]

So would it be safe to say that the "Otto" only heads were produced around 1929 to 1935?

 

[elmerwood]

I started a thread some time back about a Otto Roth set I had, and some really good information was posted in it. We have some very informative members on here thanks goodness.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...or-and-Shawmut-razor-blade-package?highlight=

 

[imatabor]

Thanks for the link. I had read that prior and I understand the history. I'm just trying to get a time frame on it all. For instance:
Did Gillette stop using Otto name by 1936? 1937? 1934?
How many years did it take to use up the re-stamped heads? One year or two?

It seems that if one could piece these things together you could narrow down the time frame of when this head was made.

 

[mblakele]

It might help to look for patent marks too. If a Made in USA NEW-style razor has the typical three patent marks, it is likely 1932 or later. The patents were not ready until mid-1932. Without those marks it is likely 1929-32.

 

[imatabor]

That is great info. Thanks

 

[alex2363]

So would it be safe to say that the "Otto" only heads were produced around 1929 to 1935?

It might help to look for patent marks too. If a Made in USA NEW-style razor has the typical three patent marks, it is likely 1932 or later. The patents were not ready until mid-1932. Without those marks it is likely 1929-32.

Well, with Mikes great info the date is 1929 to 32 and most likely no later than mid 30's after Gillette updated new machines and used up all the spare razor parts.