The Gillette Super-Speed”
This week I would like to take a look at and discuss the Gillette Super-Speed.
The Super-Speed One Piece hit the shaving scene in 1947. Like previous one- piece razors, this model at first had no "notched" positioning bar to hold the blade as it was pulled from the new dispenser. In early 1948, an Improved Super-Speed with a notched bar was brought out to aid in loading the razor by the new "improved" dispenser. Safety was stressed as the reason for these improvements; there was no longer need to touch the blade to load the razor.
These early Super-Speed models were put up in a cardboard case with a plastic "10" Blue Blade dispenser, all for only $1.00 These Super-Speeds were nickel-plated. The Super-Speed weighed in at 1.9 oz with a blade gap of .62mm
For 1949, the Super-Speed was put up for the first time in a Styrene "display" case. The bottom of the case was a solid color plastic, while the flip-top was clear. Gillette did not start date codes in these models until 1951 (W); models earlier than 1951 will not be date stamped.
The price was still $1.00. In an effort to further reduce production costs, Gillette, in 1951 manufactured many Super-Speeds with aluminum handles and black plastic TTO knobs. In 1952, these plastic TTO razor types featured a metal reinforcing washer placed at the "wear point" where the TTO met the metal handle.
Starting in 1954 Gillette presented the concept of controlled razor adjustments in its Super-Speed line. The Light Exposure Super-Speed: This razor featured a blue-colored, tapered TTO knob and was packed in a Styrene case that had a transparent lid and a light blue base. The Light Exposure Super-Speed weighed in at 42g with a blade gap of .58mm
The Regular Super-Speed: This razor featured an uncolored, tapered TTO knob and was packed in a Styrene case that had a transparent lid and a tan-colored base. The Regular Super-Speed weighed in at 58g with a blade gap of .58mm
The Heavy Super-Speed: This heavy was a larger razor that featured a maroon-colored, tapered TTO knob. The Styrene case had a transparent lid and maroon-colored base. The Heavy Super-Speed weighed in at 65g with a blade gap of .66mm
This three-razor concept acknowledged the perceived need for different blade exposures, and these razors are often termed "pre-adjustables". They did, in fact, survive as a product line until the Adjustable Gillette was introduced in 1958; after that introduction, the Light and Heavy Super-Speeds were dropped.
The Regular Super-Speed lived on until the mid-1970's, but starting in 1969 the handles were colored black. The black handle Super-Speed weighed in at 46g with a blade gap of .64mm
In 1958, a regular exposure Super-Speed was put up in a special red bottom Styrene case. This razor, the TV Super-Speed, featured a variant type of handle knurling and was a special edition offered at a time when Gillette was deeply involved in the televised Friday Night Fights and The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports. An earlier version of the “TV” Super-Speed razor set was put up in a blue-bottom styrene case with a 1954 Z3 date code. This earlier, blue bottom set is rare compared to the red version.
The British version of the TV Super-Speed was Rhodium plated.
Still another interesting version of the Super-Speed was the Milady, which was shortened for the ladies of the time.
Still more versions of the Super-Speed were produced outside of the USA, some of which are known as “The Rocket” and “The Parat”.
Here are a few more fine examples of the Gillette Super-Speed razor.
Here is my SOTD for today 11/2/2008
Information and pictures have been collected from various sources including the net, (mr razors page), Thank you Achim. The Complete Gillette Collectors Handbook, By Phillip L. Krumholz, The B&B Wiki and my personal thoughts and opinions (which may not be a reflection of the management).
Here are a couple links of interest:
Mr. Razors page of TTO’s HERE
The B&B Super-Speed Wiki page HERE
The B&B Reviews HERE
Any and all information about this razor is more than welcomed.
Back to Safety Razor of the Week.
Ray, alltimes great post. Thanks for your work. 
