Safety Razor Of the Week, 11/2–11/8 The Gillette Super-Speed

[sol92258]

Wow, an absolutely splendid review, kudos!

 

[thirdeye]

What a great review, and indeed a great series: Thank you.

I am very surprised to learn that about the blade exposures: I looks like the black handle has more exposure than the red tip. To the extent that this correlates to aggressiveness, the newest black handle is more agggressive than the red tip followed by the 1947 - 48 original.

I now have to try my black handle to see how I fare with it.

Will the gap may be larger, there is one fact that I did not put in. The head style changes just a little so it has a lower profile than the earlier modles.
I tried to find a picture I had some time ago to show this but then forgot to even make mention of this fact.

The lower profile tamed the blade angle and bit making it less aggresive as well.

 

[Groundhog]

Nicely done Ray! Very well put together, especially all the info on the blade gaps.

 

[Dennis]

Sweet - I never even knew the Heavy SuperSpeed existed. Nice review!

 

[crankymoose]

very interesting review

 

[asurjc]

First class posts. Your weekly pieces are a firm staple of this community. This post is just in time too as I have a red tip from the bay in the mail to me at this very moment

 

[Haiku]

Will the gap may be larger, there is one fact that I did not put in. The head style changes just a little so it has a lower profile than the earlier modles.
I tried to find a picture I had some time ago to show this but then forgot to even make mention of this fact.

The lower profile tamed the blade angle and bit making it less aggresive as well.

Right, thanks! I should have thought of that. I generally get better shaves from the "tall" headed razors of the earlier years. (I generally have been unable to get great shaves from superspeeds, but that's a different matter entirely; the red tip seems to be the best)

I may be wrong, but I believe that the head style changed in 1959. The 1958 superspeed still had the "tall" head but interestingly, the screw used in the mechanism in previous year models was eliminated in favour of a clip. And so 1958 turns out to be a transition year in terms of the design of the superspeed and coincidentally, that was the year that the fatboy was introduced as well.

 

[schadowrider]

Nice review -- thanks! I think it's going to help me zero in on defining my target for a Birthday DE (Z4)...

 

[AsylumGuido]

Right, thanks! I should have thought of that. I generally get better shaves from the "tall" headed razors of the earlier years. (I generally have been unable to get great shaves from superspeeds, but that's a different matter entirely; the red tip seems to be the best)

I may be wrong, but I believe that the head style changed in 1959. The 1958 superspeed still had the "tall" head but interestingly, the screw used in the mechanism in previous year models was eliminated in favour of a clip. And so 1958 turns out to be a transition year in terms of the design of the superspeed and coincidentally, that was the year that the fatboy was introduced as well.

This was the period of transition from the 50's style SS to the 60's style SS. Note the difference in this thread:

Super Speed Identification

 

[wld87stang]

thanks awesome info...This is very new to me cause these razors are way before my time and trying to catch up with all vintage Gillette razors out there..sorry not try to offend anyones age...lol...again thanks and I LOVE THIS FORUM!!!!

 

[AsylumGuido]

thanks awesome info...This is very new to me cause these razors are way before my time and trying to catch up with all vintage Gillette razors out there..sorry not try to offend anyones age...lol...again thanks and I LOVE THIS FORUM!!!!

No problem. And although I am 51 every razor I regularly use is older than me - usually by a good bit!

 

[micway71]

This was the best of the best!!! Makes me want to go get every one made! Great work indeed!

 

[ctakim]

Man that is a labor of love, and such a valuable post for the rest of us. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

 

[GarageBoy]

Nice write up! Any better shots of the cases?

 

[whitebar]

Very nice article Ray. Long live the Super-Speed!

 

[nuovorecord]

Much appreciated. Thanks to this, I've picked up a pair of '56s, in red and blue. Can't decide which one to try first, though.

 

[MAK]

Very nice, indeed.

 

[VR6ofpain]

My late 60's Super-Speed came in a different package, with one of the white bottom cases (with the diamond shaped holes). I wish I had taken a photo of the dirty package (it was NOS before I opened it). I tossed the package because it was so dirty. Thankfully the razor case, razor, and blade pack were all undamaged.

 

[Whitmore]

Thanks for that lovely review! I just bought a 1969 super speed with the black handle, looking forward to trying this baby.

 

[Loner16]

Great tutorial from someone obviously well versed, and an all around great guy!
I'm very focused on the various Super Speeds of late, and this taught me alot..
I'm saving it as a reference material!

Great job!