To Tech, Or Not To Tech.....How Do The Best Techs Stack Up?

[Swingboy8]

Both the exposure and the gap matter. 0.09 is not a big exposure. But I wonder how did you measure it is 0.09.

I didn't, @ShavingByTheNumbers did it several years ago. There are all the measures --> HERE

Just in case check if on the top side of your bottom plate there is a country of manufacture. Both my black handled Techs don't have anything there.

Nothing stamped either on the bottom plate.

T2 means 1973.
(...) But I doubt they are made in Germany if there is no stated country of manufacture. Not sure they kept making Techs in Germany in the 70s. Lots of English manufactured Techs and TTOs without the country mentioned on the head.

Ok, but i thought that Gillette England never used date codes... That's why i concluded it was a German made.

Plus, the zamac head of this 70s Tech : a material which was used very often by Gillette Germany. And by many other german manufacturers, like Merkur for instance...

 

[ivan_101]

I didn't, @ShavingByTheNumbers did it several years ago. There are all the measures --> HERE



Nothing stamped either on the bottom plate.



Ok, but i thought that Gillette England never used date codes... That's why i concluded it was a German made.

Plus, the zamac head of this 70s Tech : a material which was used very often by Gillette Germany. And by many other german manufacturers, like Merkur for instance...

Gillette England used date codes starting 1970 until 1998 when they stopped making razors. Gillette Germany started using codes around 1960.

The ZAMAK Tech head with the faceted cap has been introduced in 1961 (not 1962 like some users claim). In all countries. I have a German made Tech for sale in France that has a G code.

 

[Swingboy8]

Gillette England used date codes starting 1970 until 1998 when they stopped making razors. Gillette Germany started using codes around 1960.

The ZAMAK Tech head with the faceted cap has been introduced in 1961 (not 1962 like some users claim). In all countries. I have a German made Tech for sale in France that has a G code.

Ok, so that's quite clear : it is impossible to determine precisely where my 70s Tech was made...

You said you can reach the BBS with this 70s Tech, so i deduce that it has a larger gap & a bigger blade exposure than the 50s one... Do you know the measures ?

 

[ivan_101]

Ok, so that's quite clear : it is impossible to determine precisely where my 70s Tech was made...

You said you can reach the BBS with this 70s Tech, so i deduce that it has a larger gap & a bigger blade exposure than the 50s one... Do you know the measures ?

Just grabbed one of my 70s Techs. English made T-4 (1973). Measured with feeler gauge. The 0.60mm can be freely inserted in the gap. The 0.65 with some difficulty. So my guess is around 0.62mm. But I think it has a tiny bit more exposure. Have no way to measure it. Also the post 1961 design doesn't have that much clamping as the 50s. It relies mostly on bending.

 

[Swingboy8]

(...) Also the post 1961 design doesn't have that much clamping as the 50s. It relies mostly on bending.

And that's precisely what i appreciate the most about this post-war tech : the sandwich clamping , thanks to its baseplate geometry & the 3 pieces locking system.

Believe me or not, but the higher the gap is the less close shave i get... My sensitive skin does not like & does not allow me to use 'agressive' razors.
The 0,62 mm gap of the 70s Tech is ok. The Merkur HD has 0,71 mm and it's slighty too much for me on a short beard. (24-48 hours)

On the other hand, the more blade exposure the razor has the better it is...

By the way, since you own 89 Techs (), what do you think about the famous english flat bottom ? I've never had the luck to find one for a cheap price for now and since we have almost the same type of beard, it's interesting to know your opinion...

 

[ivan_101]

And that's precisely what i appreciate the most about this post-war tech : the sandwich clamping , thanks to its baseplate geometry & the 3 pieces locking system.
View attachment 1832248

Believe me or not, but the higher the gap is the less close shave i get... My sensitive skin does not like & does not allow me to use 'agressive' razors.
The 0,62 mm gap of the 70s Tech is ok. The Merkur HD has 0,71 mm and it's slighty too much for me on a short beard. (24-48 hours)

On the other hand, the more blade exposure the razor has the better it is...

By the way, since you own 89 Techs (), what do you think about the famous english flat bottom ? I've never had the luck to find one for a cheap price for now and since we have almost the same type of beard, it's interesting to know your opinion...

Strong clamping is not my thing. Gap is only one of the characteristics of a razor head(4 or 5 depending on how you count them). In some designs with bigger gap you are bound to have less exposure except if you don't compensate for it in the design.

Regarding the flat bottom Tech. It is a good one. But I definitely think it is overhyped a bit. Not sure we have the same beards. Let's not forget skin also does matter

 

[Swingboy8]

So my personal rating of Techs would be :

1. UK post-war #24 full brass head + aluminium handle
2. german #34
3. UK post-war #52 (aluminium)
4. 60s/70s zamak head + heavy brass ball-end handle
5. US pre-war

As i said before, i need to test this pre-war more.

But it is still not an unbiased list enough, since i've never had the english flat bottom & also the canadian pre-war... But i will correct that, gentlemen !
And i will not even bother to talk about the hybrid #40 because... well, you know.

By the way @never-stop-learning : has your top tier evolved since your 1st post of this thread ?

 

[never-stop-learning]

So my personal rating of Techs would be :

1. UK post-war #24 full brass head + aluminium handle
2. german #34
3. UK post-war #52 (aluminium)
4. 60s/70s zamak head + heavy brass ball-end handle
5. US pre-war

As i said before, i need to test this pre-war more.

But it is still not an unbiased list enough, since i've never had the english flat bottom & also the canadian pre-war... But i will correct that, gentlemen !
And i will not even bother to talk about the hybrid #40 because... well, you know.

By the way @never-stop-learning : has your top tier evolved since your 1st post of this thread ?

The UK #24 is very close to my Top 5. I thoroughly enjoy my shaves with the #24 and probably should have made my Top 5 the Top 6.

My rankings of the Top 5 listed in my first post remain the same. The handles have evolved to one of the late Rosseforp 25g handles - either the GTC or the GTS. I prefer the balance and control with Doug’s GTx handles.

I find that, when I reach for a Tech, I usually grab the Canadian Pre-War Tech, a Rosseforp 25g GTx handle and either a Feather or Kai blade.

A Top Tier shaving instrument!