Super Speed Razors: The Post World War II Shaving Culture in America to 1955

[mgbbrown]

Thank you John! Good to hear from you Sir! I received an email today from Adam asking how I was doing and things at the Brown House. I have two Prewar Fat Handle nickel plated Techs at Chris Evatt's and a Y4 Super Speed, which will complete my razor-ing to sixteen early main stream production variants to 1955. I will post photographs once they are in, along with some in case user directions from 1955. My 1927 Gibson conversion Mastertone 5-string banjo has taken on a life of its own and the majority of my spare time outside of mowing three acres. Like razors, it enjoys a rather large following and many nuances to make playing one more enjoyable. It is now completely set-up and sounds fantastic, with extremely loud harmonics, a strong bass response, and good sustain. The coordinator rods were adjusted and the head tension uniformly set with a drum dial. I also changed the bridge to one made by a banjo bridge maker in Ashville, Tim Purcell. It too is a vintage effort of course, and as we know, the hunt is as much of the fun as anything else. Locating a set of prewar National Oval Eight finger picks along with a vintage national thumb pick for a reasonable price was indeed a challenge, and now things sound the part. Thankfully I have another banjo player at church, so that will not make learning a new instrument a vacuum. In the 1970's, there was no U-Tube, so I will not perpetuate my early bad habits. God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[MaineYooper]

In reading through this wonderfully informative thread, I decided to try a 40's Super-Speed. I received a 40s style Super-Speed on July 26th. It seemed more prone to nick than my others, and early shaves left my face feeling a little irritated. After one shave while visiting family, I decided it wasn't for me and made up my mind to sell it. This past weekend, I decided to give it another chance. I needed to treat it like the NEW and the Old Type, that is, ride the cap and be attentive during the shave. The first two shaves in this manner, yesterday's and today's, were much better and I am liking this (probably) 1949 Super-Speed. I think I made a mistake in treating it earlier like my '64 Super-Speed and Slim, and even the Techs, thinking I could just coast through the shave. No, it needed more care. Maybe not as much as the NEW short comb, but this old SS can bite if treated too loosely, especially around my chin and upper lip. Now I am liking it more, and it has moved back in with the rest!

 

[tankerjohn]

In reading through this wonderfully informative thread, I decided to try a 40's Super-Speed. I received a 40s style Super-Speed on July 26th. It seemed more prone to nick than my others, and early shaves left my face feeling a little irritated. After one shave while visiting family, I decided it wasn't for me and made up my mind to sell it. This past weekend, I decided to give it another chance. I needed to treat it like the NEW and the Old Type, that is, ride the cap and be attentive during the shave. The first two shaves in this manner, yesterday's and today's, were much better and I am liking this (probably) 1949 Super-Speed. I think I made a mistake in treating it earlier like my '64 Super-Speed and Slim, and even the Techs, thinking I could just coast through the shave. No, it needed more care. Maybe not as much as the NEW short comb, but this old SS can bite if treated too loosely, especially around my chin and upper lip. Now I am liking it more, and it has moved back in with the rest!

Great story Eric. You're totally right. The 40's style gives a great shave, but demands a little respect. I don't believe there is any way to tell the difference between the 1948 and 1949 no-date-code Superspeeds. Unless Tony knows of a way?

 

[tipster_621]

In reading through this wonderfully informative thread, I decided to try a 40's Super-Speed. I received a 40s style Super-Speed on July 26th. It seemed more prone to nick than my others, and early shaves left my face feeling a little irritated. After one shave while visiting family, I decided it wasn't for me and made up my mind to sell it. This past weekend, I decided to give it another chance. I needed to treat it like the NEW and the Old Type, that is, ride the cap and be attentive during the shave. The first two shaves in this manner, yesterday's and today's, were much better and I am liking this (probably) 1949 Super-Speed. I think I made a mistake in treating it earlier like my '64 Super-Speed and Slim, and even the Techs, thinking I could just coast through the shave. No, it needed more care. Maybe not as much as the NEW short comb, but this old SS can bite if treated too loosely, especially around my chin and upper lip. Now I am liking it more, and it has moved back in with the rest!

You may also want to try another 40's style SS. My first early '50 NDC was prone to giving me more rough shaves than not. A little while later, I picked up a Y4 '53 40s style SS, and it shaved like a dream. Then, a couple of months ago, I picked up another NDC SS. Once I got it home and cleaned up, I realized it was also an early '50 SS. Besides looking brand new, it's been nothing but smooth and comfortable.

Good Luck!!

 

[eustace28]

I would agree with trying another one my 1949 super speed shaves as smooth as can be. Then again YMMV.


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[KeenDogg]

I would agree with trying another one my 1949 super speed shaves as smooth as can be. Then again YMMV.


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Just broke out a Superspeed the other day. It was a great shave.

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[Storch4]

To add further, the new medium of television added a vehicle to reach broader audiences. The Cavalcade of Sports and Gillettes's sponsorship of other programming allowed them to expand their market share of blades and razors. Couple this with disposable income, the GI of WW2 and Korea could buy more blades, razors and other shaving ancillaries and pass the culture to the next generation. My Grandfathers shaved everyday. One shaved twice a day. Not military but gentleman. My Father and Uncles were military. An unshaven face was the face of a bum. That was not happening. Seeing them shave everyday with a SS or Slims, I did too. And still do. I have girls but they see my stuff. Nice posts too

 

[Storch4]

I cannot stand when my colleagues come to work unshaven. Oh, it irritates me when I shave. BS! You use the wrong tools and lack some skill! I will convert them. Oh I will! I love my 57 SS!

 

[Storch4]

Gillette’s response to the demands of post-war shavers was to resume commercial manufacturing of the one-piece Super Speed safety razor in 1947, renewing civilian production that was funneled to the US military from 1942. The initial design was superseded in 1948 by a notched blade loading bar, a feature which made blade insertion from their Speed Pak dispenser much easier and safer. Previously, Gillette had introduced the first ever blade dispenser in 1946, to save consumers from having to unwrap their now famous individual Blue Blades. In a bold marketing move by Gillette’s president, Joseph P. Spang Jr., aimed at invigorating the company, Gillette sponsored baseball’sWorld Series for $100,000 in 1939. Razors and Blue Blades sold four times better than they had expected, beginning a lifelong partnership of Gillette with all sports venues. In 1942-on to a good thing, they became the primary advertising partner to the already popular radio sports show, THE CAVACADE OF SPORTS, changing the name to THE GILLETTE CAVACADE OF SPORTS. The show's theme music was the "Look Sharp, Be Sharp March" by Mahlon Merrick, published sometime between 1953 and 1956. View attachment 615673View attachment 615678

View attachment 615681View attachment 615682 God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

Mahlon Merrick was Musical Director for Jack Benny as well as Burns and Allen.

 

[Owen Bawn]

I've spent the past 2 hours reading this thread. One of the most informative & entertaining bits I've read in a long time. Happy I stumbled across it.

 

[mgbbrown]

Owen; I am both honored and humbled by your kind words. As the author of this thread; I have had to walk away from the world of early Gillette SuperSpeed razors through a series of good yet consuming life events, culminating in my wife and my retirement and moving away to build our house in the small Sandhills North Carolina town of Siler City. I have in the meantime, completed my collection of early 1947-1955 SuperSpeeds with the acquisition of an exceptional 1954 Baseball Special. Acquiring excellent daily shavers within this model range and collecting vintage shaving restaurant ware mugs remains my foothold in the hobby. My daily rotation consists of a Flare Tip; Blue Tip; and Red Tip- I welcome finding an early Post-War style SuperSpeed in the wild to make my joy complete. The area around Asheboro, where we have our RV during construction, is a haven for antiques and has yielded several nice razors- noteworthy being a virtually unused 1959 Fat Boy and an exceptional 1966 Slim I found in Badin for a dollar apiece. These are destined for eBay. I have two double-edge converts under my belt here at the campground, and that was indeed exciting to share my enthusiasm with others first hand, once again!

 

[mgbbrown]

Owen; I am both honored and humbled by your kind words. As the author of this thread; I have had to walk away from the world of early Gillette SuperSpeed razors through a series of good yet consuming life events, culminating in my wife and my retirement and moving away to build our house in the small Sandhills North Carolina town of Siler City. I have in the meantime, completed my collection of early 1947-1955 SuperSpeeds with the acquisition of an exceptional 1954 Baseball Special. Acquiring excellent daily shavers within this model range and collecting vintage shaving restaurant ware mugs remains my foothold in the hobby. My daily rotation consists of a Flare Tip; Blue Tip; and Red Tip- I welcome finding an early Post-War style SuperSpeed in the wild to make my joy complete. The area around Asheboro, where we have our RV during construction, is a haven for antiques and has yielded several nice razors- noteworthy being a virtually unused 1959 Fat Boy and an exceptional 1966 Slim I found in Badin for a dollar apiece. These are destined for eBay. I have two double-edge converts under my belt here at the campground, and that was indeed exciting to share my enthusiasm with others first hand, once again!

Thank you Farmer Tan! I will post pictures of my findings as they occur. I did find a circa 1933 New for a fellow camper here at Holly Bluff who requested a Pre-War Gillette double edge razor, and he loves it! I also found an unused Bauer Pottery from Los Angeles shaving bowl for him too- an obvious military contract piece. Tepco was also in the LA area and was a large contractor during WWll, but this one appears much earlier and is quite heavy for its size. I did find a New Old Stock, I-2 Flare Tip for a camper church member here, still cased with its instructions and two demo blades cellophane wrapped. One of the lesser-known finds was a Roseville Pottery mug, again from WWll. It is an injection molded piece, quite different than it’s slip-turned counterparts. It has no signs of use whatsoever. The Finger Lakes region, upheld by the Victor Insulator Company, was also pressed into contract service. A tan mug was also found, with tan being a common civilian use glaze color during the Art Deco period. These were generally a six ounce mug rather than a larger eight ounce restaurant ware mug. Not particularly useful as a shaving mug, but will hold a SuperSpeed well. God Bless! Tony Brown, mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

One noteworthy find was a virtually unused B-1 1956 Blue tip SuperSpeed, discovered at Coy and Jean’s Antiques in Badin, North Carolina in the heart of the Uhwarrie Mountains. There was no paint loss to the twist-to-open knob whatsoever. This will become a daily shaver, coupled with a Z-1, 1954 Flare tip found at the Liberty Antique Festival last Spring, following our February arrival to the campground. The plan was to locate an equally nice Red Tip SuperSpeed to round out the flared tip variants as everyday users, but that goal has been illusive. A military contract mug with a 1929 back stamp or hallmark that was manufactured by the Alliance Vitrified China Company of Alliance, Ohio, was found in an Asheville antique mall, and is noteworthy for its exceptional condition. This one is a definite keeper to expand the collection. God Bless! Tony Brown, mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

There were several SuperSpeed razor prototypes which made temporary testing production short runs during the early period. Perhaps the most famous was the 1950 V-3 date coded SuperSpeed. Two Korean War prototypes also were trialed during the Black Tip SuperSpeed's duration. One was a design prototype in nickel plated brass. This was followed by a Bakelite and aluminum handle prototype featuring a white Catalin TTO knob in the W-3 production run, which finalized a black Bakelite twist-to-open knob until the end of hostilities, and the wartime brass demand waned enough for that particular design to be discontinued. God Bless! Tony Brown, mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

Thank you for the thumb’s-up Big-T! I may sport a beard in my old age- but it is meticulously groomed with the SuperSpeeds relegated to border control!

 

[mgbbrown]

Perhaps one of the more interesting WWll era pieces found in the Asheboro area has been an injection molded or jiggered ironstone slip ware mug. It has a USA back-stamp, indicating manufacture by either Shawnee Pottery of Zanesville, Ohio, or McCoy Pottery of Roseville, Ohio. The clay from which this mug was fired consists of a high grade Kittanning clay mixed with Tionesta clay, producing a buff white iron ware with few impurities and characteristic of wares produced by these two potteries. God Bless! Tony Brown

 

[ShaverAZ]

Today, with many members here owning blades by the hundreds, we may find the idea of buying just 20 blades laughable.

 

[mgbbrown]

Thanks for posting this Shaver AZ! When the Blue Blade dispenser became available as demonstration blades on the 1947-1949 SuperSpeed razors- the blade casing was white Catalin. Appropriately- Gillette changed its packaging to blue, and that became a painted blue dispenser and blade bank by the early 1950’s. God Bless! Tony

 

[ShaverAZ]

I cannot stand when my colleagues come to work unshaven. Oh, it irritates me when I shave. BS! You use the wrong tools and lack some skill! I will convert them. Oh I will! I love my 57 SS!

They're called "Hobos" or "Gutter Bums".

 

[Tanuki]

The plan was to locate an equally nice Red Tip SuperSpeed to round out the flared tip variants as everyday users, but that goal has been illusive.

This popped up unexpectedly as I was passing through Deer Lodge near the historic Montana state prison.

I don't know if the blades match the razor, but the case spring still lifts the lid and the slight crazing in the transparent plastic is probably just the passage of time. The dust on the periphery of the case did not penetrate to the inner tray or the contents. I think this whole outfit just sat on a shelf until it went off to the vintage store where it startled me. The thrill of the hunt!

The doors show a little haze, but to me no sign of use.

Two sides of the knob. I can't see any sign of wear. Having seen plenty of used Red Tips in my vintage store browsing, I was surprised by the creamy texture of a fresh Red Tip's paint job.

If this is an assembled kit or a loving restoration, especially at the price that was asked, I would be shocked. I am not a big Gillette TTO fan. I have not even done anything to clean off the dust. I just pull it out and admire it once in a while. I am not the guy to love and appreciate it enough to give it its first shave.