Schick injectors - A comprehensive guide

[Ron R]

Just recently purchased a Schick J3 golden 500 Hydro-magic injector and had a nice shave with it. If you like long handles (5 3/8 inches total length of razor) this razor is worth considering IMO. I find different razor handles take a shave or 2 to get familiarized to its feel and this razor is no exception. I got it at a reasonable price and it is built well and shaves well IMO for men & women. The golden color is fading slightly because of my cleaning and years of service but still a decent razor to consider.

Have some great shaves!

 

[mata_66]

Resurrecting an old thread.

Who followed my previous Gem model dating examination may have noticed it has been through many revisions as I dug deeper through the dust of time for more valuable information.

My tentative Schick injector dating table was never updated after V. 1 because many personal troubles arose in the meantime and I wasn't unable (against my will) to spend enough time studying the pile of vintage ads or the public libraries.

I'm happy and grateful to @BBS-1 for discovering so many other datas and I'll have to look after his other threads on the various shaving forums in order to update the table. As he said, Appleby probably hadn't access fifteen years ago to all the data available now and I'm sure the Schick dating and model system would need a complete overhaul but for peace of mind and to avoid to create more confusion i'll try to stick to the canonic "alphabet" identification system.

 

[mata_66]

Being the "Type L" one of the latest Injector models (1967-1984), it is strange that the old Appleby's classification only considered seven variants, from L1 to L7. I have already annotated 18 different variants and who knows how many more are out there!

About the Type L7 "Championship" model, there were actually two variants, both released in 1972 with different heads and a slightly different graphic on handle.

1972 Schick Injector ABC-TV Special "Championship" Razor (Made in USA)

1972 Schick Injector "with Travel Case" (Made in Holland)

I'm not sure the latter can be considered a "Championship" razor as it doesn't promote any Olympic event, it looks more like a promotional airline graphic.

 

[mata_66]

These are two more beautiful examples of previously unclassified "Type L" razor:

1972 Canadian "Type L" with Olive Green handle and "style 2 head" (smaller underlined Schick lettering logo)

1967-1972 (still unknown production date) "Type L1" with White handle and "style 1" head (Larger Schick lettering with a triangle under the word Schick)

The above razor with the white handle was also later produced with the "Style 2" head. @BBS-1 posted another picture with the different head. There is also a Orange handle version of the same razor.

 

[mata_66]

This is a rare previously unclassified "Type L":

Please welcome the "Long handle Type L Schick '500' injector" with hydro-magic lever. (1969-1972?)

Detail of the typical Type L back-ribbed handle and the hydro-magic lever:

Details of the different "Type J" and "Type L" '500' heads:

The "Type L" Schick '500' injector was also produced in two more variants, I suppose limited runs, with Green and a Purple (for women?) tie-dye handles.

The included blades could be a clue to date the razor more precisely (the range is 1967-1972). I have no idea when Schick started producing the "Ultra Platinium" with the nucleus logo.

 

[mata_66]

Some rambling thoughts. I don't know which criteria was used by Appleby to classify the entire Schick-Eversharp-Warner Lambert production.
Looking at the timetable i see three main classes of Injectors:

1) The Schick Repeating Razor (1926-1940). Apart from the fact that it uses injector blades I wouldn't even list it together with the later Schick injector razors even if it was the only designed by Jacob Schick himself.

2) Pre-post war Schick Injector razors (1934-1955). The one with the "art deco" head. Designed by Octavious V. Rodrigues.
Here Appleby made four distinct "types" (D-E-F-G) mainly based on the shape and the material of the handles.
Now, since 1939, how many zillions of different Gillette Techs have been made? Brass, bakelite, aluminum, plastic. Also so many different heads. But we just call them Techs, right?
In my opinion, the D-E-F-G distinction is too finicky.
There have been just a "Type D" razor. Same head as the early "Type E", it only differed for the scissor-like split metal handle. Only produced in 1934-1935. The same can be said about the "Type F". A special limited Christmas edition produced only for a few months. Same head geometry, same striations on the guard bar and same shave as a "Type E3/4/5".
Now with the "Types E" and "G" injector razors: the former had a bakelite handle and the latter a cheaper plastic one, pretty much the same razor except for some minor modifications through the years.

3) The "New" Schick Injector razors (1954-2001). Pretty much the same head for almost 50 years. Designed by Karl Leopold Kuhnl.
Here again Appleby made up six distinct "types" (Type I/J/K/L/N/O models) differentiating them by the shape of the handle. I would have rather differentiated them as:
1) Regular injector razors (same head for I/J/K/L/N/O models)
2) Hydro-magics (I/J/K/L "Types" includes at least a model with the hydro-magic lever)
3) Adjustables.

My two cents on the different efficiency of the Schick injectors through the years.
It has been said and proved that the "Type E" is the more efficient/aggressive of the injectors and the following models were milder and milder with the passing of time until they reached the bottom level of efficiency with the "Type N".
My speculation is, as the injector blades became better and sharper, they tuned the level of efficiency of the razors accordingly. The main selling point of the Schick marketing was "Shave your whiskers... not your face" and they were known to give a smoother and faster ("half the time") shave than the competition.
Imagine the poor every-day shaver in the 70's using a Krona or a Super-Platinium blade in a Schick razor as aggressive as a "Type E". Aaah, the blood!

 

[mata_66]

In the apparently never ending list of undocumented "Type L" injectors, the L1 was first introduced in 1965 in two variants, one with "Schick" (and a small triangle) and one with "Eversharp" (and a little eagle) engraved on the head, one of Eversharp's attempts to rebrand the line (they later stick with "Schick" as it was more popular").

If you happen to find a gold plated "L1" and you want to date it don't despair!
It's either a 1972 "Golden" Schick Injector (Style 1 head, larger Schick lettering with a triangle) or a 1977-1978 "Golden" Schick Injector (Style 2 head, smaller underlined Schick lettering logo) like the one in the picture.

 

[Tanuki]

@mata_66 Thanks for updating this thread, and also thank you for examining/questioning the canonical designations. These are some great posts!

 

[Whiterook]

I think we all have razors that were not known to Appleby. I appreciate all the thought you have given this. How all agree on a classification?

 

[mata_66]

I think we all have razors that were not known to Appleby. I appreciate all the thought you have given this. How all agree on a classification?

I don't know... I think vintage injectors razor are not as appreciated as vintage DEs and come even after Gem/Ever-Ready SE when it comes to new wet-shaving enthusiasts that approach vintage razors. Maybe they look too modern or too similar to the first cartridge razors. Not vintage enough. But a type I or J predate the "Fatboy", leave alone the type "G" or "E"!
That said, the first and only dating system available is Appleby's. With the resurgence of wet-shaving both the shaving forums and all the sellers on the auction sites adopted that system and with time it became the bible as far as Schick razors.
As soon as somebody starts to collect injectors, he realizes there's a lot to discover beyond that table and also some incongruences. I've just discovered this Yellow 1977 L1 when I believed they came only in white and orange. Maybe next month I'll discover a blue or green one. By Appleby's chart they only existed in black.

 

[Whiterook]

My thoughts on that are that Schick used modern materials on their razors instead of more traditional brass and nickel. Bakelite was pretty advanced stuff in the 30s. Lots of jewelry and other items were made from it. I don't imagine it was viewed as cheap at the time. In the 1940s plastics were also a pretty new thing. I think some look upon injectors as being of lesser quality due to the use of plastics in the handles. My first injector, which I bought new, is over 45 years old. It shows wear from use and neglect, but has stood the test of time. If that wasn't a good grade of plastic in the handle it would have broken decades ago. The injectors suffer from false impression.

 

[mata_66]

In 1957 Eversharp launched the new Schick Injector razor either with the "New Classic" or the "New long 'barber'" handle. We know and call them as two different "Types", J1 and I1. They were the previously known "J3 Golden 500" and "I2" without the hidro-magic lever.

If you happen to own this Schick Injector in the peculiar black plastic case with rounded angles, congrats, you can safely identify your razor and date it as a 1949 G1 (short-run Gift Box).

From 1950 to 1954 the Schick Injector razor commonly know as "G1" came in this red styrene travel case with clear lid. Those where the last "G1". In 1955 Eversharp-Schick released the new "G8" with a slightly longer partially ribbed handle.

1950-1954 G1, aka the "98 razor kit".

1955-1957 98 razor kit with the "G8" injector (same razor as the "G1" with the new handle that mimics the lines and shape of the newly introduced "I2" with hydro-magic lever). In 1957 the "G8" will be eventually replaced with the "I1" as the entry-level Schick Injector razor.

 

[Ron R]

I don't know... I think vintage injectors razor are not as appreciated as vintage DEs and come even after Gem/Ever-Ready SE when it comes to new wet-shaving enthusiasts that approach vintage razors. Maybe they look too modern or too similar to the first cartridge razors. Not vintage enough. But a type I or J predate the "Fatboy", leave alone the type "G" or "E"!
That said, the first and only dating system available is Appleby's. With the resurgence of wet-shaving both the shaving forums and all the sellers on the auction sites adopted that system and with time it became the bible as far as Schick razors.
As soon as somebody starts to collect injectors, he realizes there's a lot to discover beyond that table and also some incongruences. I've just discovered this Yellow 1977 L1 when I believed they came only in white and orange. Maybe next month I'll discover a blue or green one. By Appleby's chart they only existed in black.

View attachment 1167666

Almost looks like a Easy rider L theme series with the yellow handle! Easyrider is a mild razor IMO.

 

[mata_66]

Almost looks like a Easy rider L theme series with the yellow handle! Easyrider is a mild razor IMO.

You are right Ron, that's a Easy Rider, I haven't thought of that one!

 

[Whiterook]

You are right Ron, that's a Easy Rider, I haven't thought of that one!

It should say Easy Rider on the head.

 

[mata_66]

It should say Easy Rider on the head.

Exactly, that's an unclassified "Type L" probably released in 1977

The Easy Rider model has "Easy Rider by Schick" and the male symbol*** engraved on the head.

It also has five "bumps" on guard (the reason for the name of the model because it's even less prone to weepers and cuts):

This yellow dropout has a different engraving and no bumps. This has a "Style 2" head (Smaller underlined Schick lettering logo) .

*** The male symbol on the Easy Rider could have been there for a reason, to differentiate it from the long handled yellow Lady Eversharp intended for women:

Because of the shape of the handle I would consider the above razor a Type "L", a variant of the Long handle Type L Schick '500' injector. Both the Easy Rider and the Type L '500' were introduced in 1971-1972.
Also the Yellow Lady Eversharp was produced from 1972 to 1975.

 

[Whiterook]

I've just accepted his judgement but I agree it looks more like an L. This does show a 1972 copyright date.

 

[mata_66]

I've just accepted his judgement but I agree it looks more like an L. This does show a 1972 copyright date.

And a production date, 1973 (at the bottom of the back of the blister)

 

[mata_66]

I've just accepted his judgement but I agree it looks more like an L. This does show a 1972 copyright date.

Type L "500". Same identical razor if you ask me, hydro-magic lever and all.

 

[Whiterook]

Type L "500". Same identical razor if you ask me, hydro-magic lever and all.
View attachment 1168048

I agree. On my own, I have listed the Golden Schick injector as L8.