The Tech heads are the same during the period when the razor was made. Try the fat handle. These handles are still somewhat short, but average length for that period. A modern stainless steel handle will feel a bit too heavy and unbalanced, but fun as a change of pace.
Prewar vs. Postwar Tech
- Thread starter Crazy Chester
- Start date
Not a dumb question. All postwar tech heads are the same geometry. Personally I’d go with a tech that has a regular sized handle. Both the fat handle and ball end are good handles. If you do get a travel tech and have other 3 piece DEs try swapping out the handles to see what you like before buying a separate handle
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
I did a head-to-head trial a few years ago, back when I was into that sort of thing, and posted my results here. As I recall, the Prewar definitely had more blade feel and felt more aggressive, but didn't really shave any closer. I ended up getting a BBS with three passes with both. Since then, I don't use either Tech much anymore, nor do I try for BBS anymore. So go figure.
I do think its interesting that the Prewar Tech is essentially the same as a New (or NEW, if you prefer); Gillette just replaced the New's open comb with a safety bar. News and Techs were sold side-by-side for several years. Of course, Gillette sold the Tech as this great advancement, but really the closed comb was mostly cheaper to manufacture. Post-war, the Tech got a redesign along with the Ranger Tech, which became the Super Speed, to make both less aggressive. I guess whiskers got less coarse during the war. Er, something. Incidentally, on the TTO side of things, Gillette introduced more aggressive options later on, first with the Red Tip, then with the adjustable razors. But they never did sell a more aggressive version of the Tech, maybe because Techs were mostly marketed to teenagers and young men who presumably didn't have super tough beards. Fun stuff.
I do think its interesting that the Prewar Tech is essentially the same as a New (or NEW, if you prefer); Gillette just replaced the New's open comb with a safety bar. News and Techs were sold side-by-side for several years. Of course, Gillette sold the Tech as this great advancement, but really the closed comb was mostly cheaper to manufacture. Post-war, the Tech got a redesign along with the Ranger Tech, which became the Super Speed, to make both less aggressive. I guess whiskers got less coarse during the war. Er, something. Incidentally, on the TTO side of things, Gillette introduced more aggressive options later on, first with the Red Tip, then with the adjustable razors. But they never did sell a more aggressive version of the Tech, maybe because Techs were mostly marketed to teenagers and young men who presumably didn't have super tough beards. Fun stuff.
- Thread starter
- #24
Yes it's the same head. You can swap the handle with another tech or buy one.
I prefer New, thank you
. Essentially perhaps but to quibble slightly, the New/Tech Hybrid as forum people call it, is indeed a New Long Comb with a safety bar. The Pre-War Tech, while obviously an evolution of the Long Comb with a safety bar and stamped baseplate does have slightly different geometry with the fulcrum point moved out slightly from its location on the New, at least that how it looks to eyeball it. Your eyeballs may vary, as always.
I'm not aware of Techs and New razors being sold side by side in the US "for several years", more like a year (38-39), perhaps elsewhere but they weren't called Techs at that point in the UK and didn't share its essential characteristics ((the diamond stamped sheet metal) until later.
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tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
I read about that a long time ago, so don't remember my source exactly. Razor Emporium says '39-'41 Gillette Date Codes - https://www.razoremporium.com/gillette-date-codes-serial-numbers/, which sounds about right to me.
Ok, I don't find ads after 39 but three years it be, no reason to dispute Matt's listing (even though he errs in not listing Tech in late 38).
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I keep an H2 Travel Tech in a backup Dopp kit and have found the very short handle ok once in a while but have added an orphan common bar handle which gets most of the time that Tech is used. I have also used an orphan Bakelite Handle from a prewar Tech not was beyond hope when I got it. (It had a black coating that peeled and partially crumbled.)
