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

[mgbbrown]

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

Tanuki; This is a New Old Stock (NOS) B-1 or first quarter 1956 Gillette Red Tip SuperSpeed. I have a soft spot for this razor, as my father shaved with a B-2 Red Tip until the advent of the Trac ll in 1972-3. The demonstration six blade, Blue Blade dispenser pack with its blade bank on the underside is still wrapped in it’s cellophane wrapper with Gillette’s user instruction brochure. It is absolutely correct for this razor in every respect. The styrene, burgandy based case with it’s clear display cover is pristine and also correct. For me- this is the SuperSpeed find of a lifetime! I am glad you purchased it, as what you have found is an absolute time capsule. Do carefully shave with it! Recently I found an unused I-2 Flare Tip in the same condition for a friend here at the campground. By 1966- Gillette had reduced the count on the demonstration blade dispensers to two. Thank you so much for posting this- I truly miss the West and my days in northern New Mexico. God Bless! Tony, mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

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

On it’s day- the twenty blade, Blue Blade dispenser was quite the hoard! God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

Gillette introduced the Super Speed razor in 1947. To be certain, it was a proclamation of widespread cultural change for men and unparalleled prosperity. Americans in 1947 were able to purchase the first new cars manufactured since the beginning of World War Two. Over one million veterans enrolled in college through GI Bill benefits. Long full skirts became the rage for female fashion, partially because clothing was more affordable and fabric was no longer channeled to the military. Most importantly, the military male stereotype of the immediate Post-War period in the United States promoted the regimen of daily shaving- a man should look his best; set an example for his family; and promote himself successfully through his work. With Gillette supporting America’s continued love affair for baseball- what better time to introduce a new razor to the shaving public.

 

[mgbbrown]

Gillette too was well aware that GI’s and other servicemen returning home from the war were simply tired of shaving with their contract razors and demanded something better. Tony mgbbrown

 

[Saxonbowman]

Great to see you back, Tony @mgbbrown!

 

[mgbbrown]

Saxon Bowman; It is good to be back! It will be a somewhat limited effort, only because my wife and I are living small in our RV outside of Asheboro waiting for approvals for construction to begin on our house. I found a virtually unused 1956 Gillette Blue Tip Super Speed in an antique store in Badin, along with a circa 1933 New and a 1938 fat handled tech, which will be permanent to the RV for camping gear. The New was gifted to a camper here; I found a Bauer Pottery shaving bowl for him and a Rubberset badger hair brush to round out his kit, all roughly of the same age and all Pre-War. And in exceptional condition.

I am the campsite Double Edge Shaving Ambassador if you will, as he was my second enthusiastic convert. A very nice Z-1 Flare Tip compliments the Blue Tip, and my daily Super Speed trio will be rounded out by a beautiful Red Tip that is also unused. Unrestrained me would have acquired a full selection of early Super Speed types, but there is only so much room in a Grand Design 22RBE. My interests also include my 1927 Gibson Mastertone conversion, as thankfully I have recovered enough from joint destruction side effects of the Moderna Covid vaccine to play again. That has been a slow and painful journey. I too have mentioned my MGB rally car restoration, and it went to the paint shop last Monday. It is a good, albeit expensive place to be! God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

 

[Saxonbowman]

@mgbbrown You can’t go wrong with that shaving kit. I’ve been shaving with those same razors these past couple of weeks though my red tip is far from pristine. Good on you to pass some wet shaving equipment along.

Was the Mastertone a plectrum or tenor banjo before conversion? I’m a plectrum fan myself though lately I’m playing a tenor guitar in plectrum tuning.

 

[mgbbrown]

Saxonbowman; Mine was a tenor TB-3 Mastertone prior to conversion. It was played, but well-cared for. Also it was complete with its Geib and Schaffer MasterKraft case, Joseph Rogers hide head, and Star Brass Works archtop tone ring. In mid 1927, Gibson upgraded the Grover tuners to their Grover Patent planetary tuners, and this one is duly fitted with that type. I was fortunate to find an orphaned plectrum neck from the 200 banjo earlier, 1927 FON 404, which was a special order. This neck as you know, has the same scale length as the five string, and the plectrum neck is being converted to a five string using the original plectrum nut and inlays, and the upper frets will be utilized in the conversion. Bone cutlery from 1927 was used to turn the fifth string nut or pip. The widened neck at the fifth fret uses 1927 tenor neck wood from two parted-out tenor banjos whose necks were utterly unsalvageable. The goal here is to build a conversion neck as close to an actual RB five-string neck. Since Gibson made around 120 five string Mastertone banjos during their Pre-War production, necks are worth a house down payment, so this is my poor man’s RB neck. My luthier even located a Brazilian rosewood board from a piano made in 1890. I have found an excellent Patent Presto five-string tailpiece from the period and a Gibson Number 50 five-string bridge from around 1927. It even has a 1927 Geib and Schaffer five string case which I restored. Once I have it back- well worth a trip from Virginia to play it! God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

 

[Saxonbowman]

Saxonbowman; Mine was a tenor TB-3 Mastertone prior to conversion. It was played, but well-cared for. Also it was complete with its Geib and Schaffer MasterKraft case, Joseph Rogers hide head, and Star Brass Works archtop tone ring. In mid 1927, Gibson upgraded the Grover tuners to their Grover Patent planetary tuners, and this one is duly fitted with that type. I was fortunate to find an orphaned plectrum neck from the 200 banjo earlier, 1927 FON 404, which was a special order. This neck as you know, has the same scale length as the five string, and the plectrum neck is being converted to a five string using the original plectrum nut and inlays, and the upper frets will be utilized in the conversion. Bone cutlery from 1927 was used to turn the fifth string nut or pip. The widened neck at the fifth fret uses 1927 tenor neck wood from two parted-out tenor banjos whose necks were utterly unsalvageable. The goal here is to build a conversion neck as close to an actual RB five-string neck. Since Gibson made around 120 five string Mastertone banjos during their Pre-War production, necks are worth a house down payment, so this is my poor man’s RB neck. My luthier even located a Brazilian rosewood board from a piano made in 1890. I have found an excellent Patent Presto five-string tailpiece from the period and a Gibson Number 50 five-string bridge from around 1927. It even has a 1927 Geib and Schaffer five string case which I restored. Once I have it back- well worth a trip from Virginia to play it! God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

Wow, that sounds like an incredible project! I had no idea that you could use original neck parts to craft a new one though it makes sense the way you explained it. It should be quite an instrument once you are finished. I'd love to hear it though I have no idea what to do with a five-string banjo.

 

[Alum Ladd]

Saxon Bowman; It is good to be back! It will be a somewhat limited effort, only because my wife and I are living small in our RV outside of Asheboro waiting for approvals for construction to begin on our house. I found a virtually unused 1956 Gillette Blue Tip Super Speed in an antique store in Badin, along with a circa 1933 New and a 1938 fat handled tech, which will be permanent to the RV for camping gear. The New was gifted to a camper here; I found a Bauer Pottery shaving bowl for him and a Rubberset badger hair brush to round out his kit, all roughly of the same age and all Pre-War. And in exceptional condition.

I am the campsite Double Edge Shaving Ambassador if you will, as he was my second enthusiastic convert. A very nice Z-1 Flare Tip compliments the Blue Tip, and my daily Super Speed trio will be rounded out by a beautiful Red Tip that is also unused. Unrestrained me would have acquired a full selection of early Super Speed types, but there is only so much room in a Grand Design 22RBE. My interests also include my 1927 Gibson Mastertone conversion, as thankfully I have recovered enough from joint destruction side effects of the Moderna Covid vaccine to play again. That has been a slow and painful journey. I too have mentioned my MGB rally car restoration, and it went to the paint shop last Monday. It is a good, albeit expensive place to be! God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

Hello there @mgbbrown! Great to meet you. I really enjoyed your great thread even before I joined, and I'm really glad that you are back to continue it's life!

 

[mgbbrown]

Hello there @mgbbrown! Great to meet you. I really enjoyed your great thread even before I joined, and I'm really glad that you are back to continue it's life!

Wow, that sounds like an incredible project! I had no idea that you could use original neck parts to craft a new one though it makes sense the way you explained it. It should be quite an instrument once you are finished. I'd love to hear it though I have no idea what to do with a five-string banjo.

Saxonbowman; it was actually quite common to make this conversion during the 1950’s and 1960’s, as old Pre-War Gibson plectrum necks were quite common and plentiful. Unfortunately, the mineral spirit gloss coat to the neck and headstock had deteriorated, but this will be resprayed with the same finish and not acrylic lacquer. Earlier PB-3 Mastertone banjos were fitted with Grover two-tab tuners, but these will be upgraded to those found with my banjo later in 1927 and the holes filled.

Thank you so much Alum Lad! I owe my renewed interest to hunting down vintage Gillette razors for the two converts here at Holly Bluff. The Uhwarrie Mountains is a fascinating area- rich in history and with an abundance of wonderful antique stores. My wife and I also collect Vernon Ware from the same period as my Super Speed collection, as it was my parents’ first everyday china.

However; I am most grateful to my audience here within the Badger and Blade. My collection of seventeen Super Speed razors is small in comparison to others here, but it does include all of the variants and production prototypes made from their advent in 1947 through my 1955 birth year. I have been more than blessed I assure you. My eventual next door neighbor mows his rather expansive yard with a restored Cub Cadet- and mark my word- vintage mowing is not as fun as vintage shaving! God Bless! Tony mgbbrown m

 

[mgbbrown]

I have alluded to helping a camper here obtain a Pre-War shaving kit. He is thoroughly enjoying his early 1930’s Gillette New razor with Poraso White shaving cream. I was able to locate a virtually unused Rubberset 504 badger brush with Catalin handle to properly apply warm lather to his face. This brush was nothing more hampered than being coated with nicotine in a copious fashion- a proper cleaning and polishing has returned the brush to its original state. God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

Gillette in 1948 lured prospective customers to their recently introduced Blue Blade dispenser by offering a 1948 Super Speed and demonstration blades for a dollar. That is $12.13 in today’s economy, illustrating that their Super Speed razors were relatively expensive in their day, warranting a paper display box to defray overall costs. God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

 

[mio_cuggino]

I cannot express how happy I am at the revival of this thread and seeing posts by @mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

I cannot express how happy I am at the revival of this thread and seeing posts by @mgbbrown

Thank you so much Mio Cuggino! I am honored! We are in vintage razor and mug land here in the area surrounding Asheville. The newest acquisition is a virtually unused Bauer China cereal bowl made for the US Navy during WWll in their Atlanta pottery plant. Only mugs and bowls were made under contract by Bauer. It is almost an inch thick and weighs about a pound- the reason many survived and perhaps found their way into sea bags for a second life as a shaving bowl! God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

I was quite suprised to locate an Avco China of Alliance, Ohio,
vitrified mug in museum quality in a well-known antique store in Asheville, hiding among a bevy of WWll Victor mugs. The back stamp on the base is dated ‘29 for 1929. This could easily be a military piece, but most likely early restaurant ware. Either way, they were often ferried secretly back home to be religated to shaving mug duties. Wares such as this were common in Civil Conservation Corps cafeterias throughout the United States during the Great Depression. God Bless! Tony mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

I am happy to report that the Holly Bluff Family Campground has gained a very enthusiastic vintage Gillette shaver- so much so that he asked that I find his now son-in-law a Super Speed that he could gift him for the wedding or shortly afterwards. I was fortunate to piece for him a collector grade Y-2 Super Speed, complete with case and a demo Blue Blade dispenser. Two of the six blades were used, with one still in the razor bed, and the other blade properly disposed of in the dispenser blade bank on the underside. The razor itself was pristine- one of the nicest early style Super Speeds I have come across in some time. It should welcome him to the family with style and help to foster the appearance of a well-groomed gentleman. Tony mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

Before selling our house this past February; I had the opportunity to restore almost forty sets of Pre-War Grover banjo tuners for a Gibson enthusiast in Oregon. Part of the payment for my services involved trading a set of Craftsman cabinet doors and glass panels. The doors were successfully made into a cabinet to house my mug and Super Speed collection. It is very heavy I assure you- perhaps necessary to support the weight of this two-pound McNicol China US Navy contract mug acquired today, made to withstand the most severe North Atlantic storm. Tony mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

Jackson China, of Falls Creek, Pennsylvania had a rather colorful history, beginning in 1916 when Harry William Jackson left Warwick China (Warwick was known for its portrait glazed containers featuring prostitutes who posed for them and reputedly were from the Charleston, West Virginia brothels) to establish a pottery using natural gas in the firing process of vitrified china. In 1924, Jackson was murdered over payments for glaze pattern designs, and the company was purchased in 1946 by Phillip Distillator, later to become well known for their line of translucent fine pottery. In 1985, all operations ceased due to lead contamination found in the plant’s sludge pits, and the fifteen acre site would become an EPA Superfund site due to the scope of environmental damage. Perhaps one of the more desirable and less common shaving mugs from the early Super Speed era. Tony mgbbrown

 

[mgbbrown]

Perhaps the Holy Grail of early Super Speed period mugs was a heavy and thick style, C-handled mug, made of green milk glass by Anchor Hocking known as Jadite. These were branded as Fire King Oven-proof, and enjoyed a wide popularity as inexpensive kitchen and household ware. Although the Fire King Jadite line was immensely popular in the United States- few mugs were produced in comparison to other Fire King pieces, making them quite desirable among collectors today. Anchor Hocking first produced this style mug in 1945.