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South African military (SADF) razors and foams

Hi all,

I'm mostly a SADF (and US WWII) militaria collector but recently I have been trying to reconstruct the toiletry kit a SADF "Troepie" would have carried in the 1970s-1980s, and from there I got a bit into the rabbit-hole of shaving kit. While it seems for the majority, recruits and NSMs (National Servicemen) were required to bring their own razor and obtain their foam or soap from commercial sources (and thus they mostly bought what was available at the SAWI, the equivalent of the American "PX" military store) - more on this later - these pictures of a "free" SADF-issued Gillette razor came up and I thought I'd post them for interest.
SADF issue razor Gillette 1.jpg

SADF issue razor Gillette 2.jpg

SADF issue razor Gillette 3.jpg


I'll post the private-purchase Gillette Tech P2 I have as alternative, and pictures of the possible foams used in the period later. Any contributions are welcome, however...
 
In those days the Gillette blades, aerosol shave foam and tubed shave cream were made in the Gillette factory in Springs on the East Rand.
Scouser, thank you this info is gold! I was in fact strongly wondering if Gillette stuff was still stock from before the embargo or locally made, and strongly suspected that labels must have been in Afrikaans or, at least, bilingual. This is almost certainly the case if there was a factory in SA making these. I have been looking for quite some time for a vintage spray can of Gillete Foamy as made in SA (with writing in Afrikaans/English, price in local currency etc) but can only find US-made or, at most, UK-made stuff.

Certainly using shaving soap, brush, and a shaving bowl was an option. There was even an issued bowl (in Afrikaans "Spoeg bak"):
SADF Army, Shaving Bowl Spoeg Bak .jpg

However, from what I have seen, Gillette Foamy (in 11 oz or 325 ml spray cans with white caps) seems to have been the most popular because less "messy".
Here is a picture from a locker:
Troepie dresser during inpection - boots, tekkies, shaving foam, razor.jpg

And here is a picture of the Gillette Foamy in use in the field (probably South West Africa / Namibia in the mid-1980s):
Troepies shaving and washing - shaving foam Gillette Foamy.png

Of course no shaving would have happened while "on patrol" along the border or into Angola, or during operations in Angola. Apparently, SWAPO/PLAN militants (the guerrilla movement that was fighting against the SADF and the SWATF) were exceptional at picking up any scent, thereby precluding the use of shaving foam/cream, toothpaste, deodorant and the like.
 
Scouser, thank you this info is gold! I was in fact strongly wondering if Gillette stuff was still stock from before the embargo or locally made, and strongly suspected that labels must have been in Afrikaans or, at least, bilingual. This is almost certainly the case if there was a factory in SA making these. I have been looking for quite some time for a vintage spray can of Gillete Foamy as made in SA (with writing in Afrikaans/English, price in local currency etc) but can only find US-made or, at most, UK-made stuff.

Glad you found it useful. I was with Gillette, based in UK, from 1976 to 2006, being predominantly responsible for toiletries manufacturing support in international markets. I worked at the South African factory in Springs from 1982 - 1984, living in nearby Benoni. The East Rand in those days was very different to how it is today. Benoni then was often described as "the Jewel of the Rand". The Springs factory had opened many years before I joined Gillette - I can't remember exactly when. At first it only manufactured toiletries; blades followed a few years later. I think only double edged blades were ever made there. (Interestingly, Gillette also made Jiffy bags there). I don't recall exactly when the Springs factory closed (but it must have been around 1990); when it did all blades were subsequently imported. Manufacture of aerosol shave foam continued locally near Johannesburg using third party contractors. I recall one such company - CTL in Ferndale - also making Jovialle perfume for Gillette. Tubed shave cream manufacture was moved to SAD Self-Medication in East London. Gillette kept a large office complex in Johannesburg - I think it was in Bedfordview - but I believe that is now gone. When I was there Gillette refused to have any apartheid in the factory. I suppose this was somewhat against the law but, like many other muti-national companies based in South Africa, that was the stance they took.
 
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