safety razor ID

[gaseousclay]

Hello all. Just got back from my honeymoon today. While I was away I hit up a couple of antique stores and bought some old safety razors -- 4 for roughly $20. They're all Gillettes but I don't know what kind they are or when they were made. Can any of you ID these Gillettes for me? I'm curious to know what I have on my hands.

this one came with a ratty old case and blades. It was badly tarnished but I gave it a good cleaning with some Brasso and it looks good as new. It's built similar to my Merkur 34c but with an open comb on both sides.

bought these 3 together and they're of the 'butterfly' variety. the tops all open from twisting the bottom counter-clockwise. the middle safety razor has a dial (1-9) and the last one i'm guessing is a lady gillette but I could be wrong. again, these were all pretty crusty but I gave them each a little TLC with a toothbrush and soap and they look like new.

 

[Luc]

First one is an Old type.

bottom picture, first is a flare tip superspeed, SuperAdjustable and a lady Gillette

Do you have the date codes? Usually a letter/number printed under the head or inside the head.

 

[Shave Cat]

The first razor is indeed an Old Type, specifically a Single Ring. They were either silver or gold plated. The earliest ones had a six or seven digit date code stamped on the female threaded piece that goes in the bottom of the handle. Later ones had the date code stamped on the top of the comb guard. Gillette stopped putting serial numbers on the Old Types in 1922.

-Clarke

 

[gaseousclay]

thanks for the info guys.

Here are the date codes, at least from what I can read:

Old Type: handle/PAT NOM15104. head/M351290

Flaretip Superspeed: L 2

Super Adjustable: 0 1

Lady Gillette: S 1

how does this tell me how old the razors are?

 

[garyg]

Nice deals - the dating information is in the Wiki http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/US_Gillette_Dating_Information

 

[Luc]

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/US_Gillette_Dating_Information

Old type: 1920
Flaretype: 1966 second quarter
SuperAdjustable: 1969 first quarter
Lady Gillette: 1972 first quarter

 

[gaseousclay]

thanks for the help everyone

 

[Shave Cat]

thanks for the info guys.

Here are the date codes, at least from what I can read:

Old Type: handle/PAT NOM15104. head/M351290

Flaretip Superspeed: L 2

Super Adjustable: 0 1

Lady Gillette: S 1

how does this tell me how old the razors are?

The stamping on the Single Ring handle should read PAT NOV 15 '04. It's the patent date for Gillette's original design. Please note that this is not the date of manufacture.

-Clarke

 

[bill mcdill]

Nice pick-ups. Your wife was OK with you shopping for razors during your honeymoon? If so, she's a keeper

 

[gaseousclay]

The stamping on the Single Ring handle should read PAT NOV 15 '04. It's the patent date for Gillette's original design. Please note that this is not the date of manufacture.

-Clarke

You're right. the stamping was pretty hard to read....NOV looked like NOM.

Nice pick-ups. Your wife was OK with you shopping for razors during your honeymoon? If so, she's a keeper

my acquisitions weren't intentional to be honest. I told myself I wasn't gonna turn into one of those obsessive/compulsive collectors with 20 safety razors in their collections, but the deals were too good to pass up. I found the Old Type in some antique store in Dorset, Minnesota. the lady said it was from the 50's but she was obviously way off -- only cost me $10. the other 3 were purchased in another antique store in Park Rapids, Minnesota for $10 total. but, they didn't come with cases and they were essentially sitting in a junk drawer with a bunch of other damaged razors. the 3 I purchased were the best of the bunch, they just needed a little cleaning, otherwise they work like new. the missus didn't seem to mind because I didn't spend a lot of money on them. besides, she spent plenty on herself so I looked at my razor purchases as a treat to myself.

 

[ctakim]

my acquisitions weren't intentional to be honest. I told myself I wasn't gonna turn into one of those obsessive/compulsive collectors with 20 safety razors in their collections, but the deals were too good to pass up.

Will Robinson! Danger! That is just what I said to myself at one time, many moons ago. And here I sit with over 100 razors at home!

 

[gaseousclay]

^^
hehe. I will definitely start checking antque stores for safety razors. not only are they a bargain but the idea of having a vintage safety razor in my collection that has passed through god knows how many hands is intiguing to me.