Speedway: Gentle Shaver

[Shave Cat]

I recently picked up a Speedway razor, manufactured by International Safety Razor, along with its original tattered cardboard box. The box had an NRA (National Recovery Adminisrtation) merchant sticker affixed. The courts ruled the NRA to be unconstitutuional in 1935, so the razor should be no newer than that. IMHO, the razor is patterned after the Gillette old style with the blade sitting directly on the comb and having a hollow pressed together handle. The handle appears to be original, matching the picture on the box. And, yes, the handle is cracked (Kinda like a Gillette, huh?). Anyway, I've been shaving with it for a couple of weeks, enjoying every minute of it. It's very gentle, but paired with a sharp blade, can yield a very close shave, if I mind the various directions my beard grows. Does anyone have any additional info?

-Clarke

 

[tom myers]

According to information in the Waits Compendium, the razor was, as you already know, made by International Safety Razor Corp. of Bloomfield, NJ and International Safety Razor Co. of North Action, MA. The Speedway trademark was first used on May 20, 1924. The TM was filed on June 6, 1924. there is a picture of the Speedway razor in the L-W Price guide on page 7 and another of a cased specimen on page 110.

Regards,
Tom

 

[VR6ofpain]

No worries on the cracked handle. It happens to the best of them. I have a Merkur (actually J.A. Henckels) DE from years ago that has a big (1.5" long) crack in the handle. The top cap with the head pops out of the tube. Since it is a 2-piece, everything stays together when the top cap is tightened down.