R.A.F. - Rocket Addiction Fraternity
- Thread starter Northstonehill
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #102
Which one?
- Thread starter
- #104
The US Rocket style Milord! - Very interesting, does it have the British style smoooth TTO action?
I know and own the others.
It opens and closes like a British Rocket. I don't know about or care about that smooth stuff with the door mechanism. Ultimately it is the shave that counts. More on that in due time.
Personally I know of 3 or 4 other ones besides the one I own. I am sure there are a few more out there but they don't seem to show up very often.
- Thread starter
- #106
Thanks for sharing!
HD 500 still holding a place in my 7 razor rotation (a favorite) dang near as smooth as the NEW SC.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
I also still like using my British Rocket, great shave with it usually DFS>bbs and no irritation and in my large # razor rotation.
What does the the "11" in a circle signify?
Is it actually "11", or could it be "I1" like a date code?
I've read that it signifies being "more aggressive" compared to the blue tip & less aggressive than the red tip.
Based on the red, regular flare and blue tip rockets they used I , II or III stamps on the base plates. How that relates to the British 40s style or HD / LD , French Monobloc or German Parat I don't know. All I can say for sure is that II marking doesn't show up on the British ones until 55 when they switched the base plate stamp from Pat Pending to Pat 694093. If someone has an example otherwise I'll adjust that date downwards.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
Great research Fellow rocket users. Learned something new each day makes the day less dull in winter here in Northern Alberta.
There is a good thread over on TSD in the sticky about Rockets.
The thing about the non flare tip rockets and the II stamp is some have them some don't for the same models made after 55. It is not a consistent unless they were producing 2 different types of heads for those razors. Only way to know is to examine 2 of the same model with the Pat 694093 one having the II and one not.
They also made some flare tips with an A or S stamp. I am pretty sure the S stamp probably is shorthand for something like small since it doesn't show up until the lower profile head flare tip rockets. I've never seen an A one so I wouldn't even venture a guess.
There also were a few flare tip rockets made with date codes stamped J 2. The date stamping is the same as the V 3 American Super Speeds.
Next up is the J2 dated coded rocket also not my razor or pictures but I've never seen another one except for this so far. It is possible these were made for the French or some other foreign market, I've seen some of the open comb 3pc techs with date codes on them and those were British made for the French market.
More info the A and S stampings. The S may not denote a smaller head profile but production base plate used. The A looks like they used the same base plate as the higher profile flare tip rockets with the new lower center bar and door lifter assembly. They also use the same end caps as the older Rockets. The S stamped ones have the newer style base plate and the end caps changed to the same style as the US Super Speeds.
It is hard to tell but in the above with the 2 profile heads look at the spacing between the center bar and look at the spacing on the A stamped Rocket in this thread.
My grandfather's Gillette Rocket - Date Code "A"
It is hard to tell but in the above with the 2 profile heads look at the spacing between the center bar and look at the spacing on the A stamped Rocket in this thread.
My grandfather's Gillette Rocket - Date Code "A"
i must admit that i also got hit by the rocket fever whenever i first saw them... for now i own a flare tip rocket which was my first proper vintage and a no. 59 set without the right case unfortunately. couple of day ago i had a shave with the no. 59 and an english wilkinson sword stainless and MAN(!) if it came down to only using one razor and blade for the rest of my life then those two would be my choice.
currently i'm on the hunt for my ultimate holy grail of razors, a british aristocrat. if i happen to acquire this one then my small collection of 4 razors is complete (one of them is a NEW long comb) and i'll be happy.
currently i'm on the hunt for my ultimate holy grail of razors, a british aristocrat. if i happen to acquire this one then my small collection of 4 razors is complete (one of them is a NEW long comb) and i'll be happy.
finally gentlemen, patience pays off big time... this is my application for the R.A.F. (exclude the gillette new lol)
although, as mentioned in my previous post, the no. 59 came in a case of the no. 58. So, i'm going to change that in the near future while looking for a home for the flare tip.
although, as mentioned in my previous post, the no. 59 came in a case of the no. 58. So, i'm going to change that in the near future while looking for a home for the flare tip.
Not a RAF member yet, soon I will. I do have a question: are British aristocrats, aristocrat junior, 70, 58, all to be considered “rocket”?
Is there a complete list of which razors qualify as rockets?
Thanks, Claudio
Is there a complete list of which razors qualify as rockets?
Thanks, Claudio
Rockets are really a set designation not a razor designation. With that said besides the standard Rocket sets the only one of those razors that would classify is the British 2nd gen Aristocrat Jr style razor that was also sold in Canada as a Rocket. From what I understand British made Gillettes for import to Canada had a k stamped on the base plate so if you had one of those without a case and it has that stamp then it should be classified as a Canadian Rocket.
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