The term "vest pocket" implied that a thing was compact for easy portability, such as for inclusion in a travel kit, in your car's glove compartment, or in a desk drawer at the office.
Vest Pocket Razor....Why?
- Thread starter Twelvefret
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Required kit if you want to be this cool...
- Thread starter
- #23
Yes, but what made this convenience necessary? Perhaps we have been equipment .
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Why does anyone want something to be smaller to carry or pack? Because it is convenient. You answer your own question.
I'll take one of each!Bingo.
The only ad that I could find with google that specifically shows a travel set is this one, dated December 10, 1958.
(What to get the guy that already has 89 aftershaves in novelty decanters.)
However, the razor itself does not seem to be any smaller than usual.
The adjustable in 1958 was probably the one we call the Fatboy, right? The gold-plated was the Aristocrat?
The "inc. P.T." referred to the then-current term for sales tax, I guess -- "Purchase Tax"?
Required kit if you want to be this cool...
Haha! He’d Definitely be a huckleberry for this kit!
- Thread starter
- #27
I doubt that’s the reason. The topic is vest pocket, not travel razor. I suspect men carried vest pocket razors to take touch up a poor shave .
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The term "vest pocket" was an advertising phrase meant to describe the size of the package - it could fit in a vest pocket. I doubt many men were literally carrying a safety razor around in their vest pocket. I think you are correct that they were marketed as a second razor to keep handy for touch-ups in cases where the owner may have worked all night or had an after-work engagement, or perhaps lived in a boarding house or hotel that did not feature en-suite bathrooms, but they would have resided in a desk drawer, briefcase, or dopp kit, not in a pocket. I'm pretty certain my father, uncles, and grandfathers didn't carry a safety razor on their person.
The Adjustable in the ad is a Toggle. The gold Fatboy is an Executive.
R
romsitsa
It was pure marketing. As Buick wrote, Gillette targeted men shaving at home. Then they developed an even smaller razor so men shaving at home could also shave during travel, vacation, etc.
Gillette always had to come up with something (seemingly) new and the vest pocket was the smallest that could be offered and was way cheaper to produce than pocket editions.
It's interesting that there were no vest pocket models with NEW or New improved heads, not counting the lady razors.
Adam
Gillette always had to come up with something (seemingly) new and the vest pocket was the smallest that could be offered and was way cheaper to produce than pocket editions.
It's interesting that there were no vest pocket models with NEW or New improved heads, not counting the lady razors.
Adam
- Thread starter
- #31
Very interesting thread. I was thinking about the traveling kits today and I guess that the marketing gimmick makes sense (to me). Logically, a complete traveling kit would have a small shave stick, a brush, and a small aftershave. I've seen some of these before but then, you are getting a small drop bag as your traveling kit... The length of the handle is out the window with these.
Then, there's dry shaving? Like Mac in Predator... He even cut himself...
Then, there's dry shaving? Like Mac in Predator... He even cut himself...
Let me add to that: The bloody shave was a premonition of his death through the Predator, through the shoulder mounted plasma weapon with the infamous three red dots.
I also shaved with my mind occupied and a bit angry and cut myself a bit today. But I thankfully haven't been killed by the predator or wife yet.
Thanks for bringing this scene to attention, I didn't even remember that. It shows how much Mac's mind was occupied with revenge and mourning for his friend Blain.
I also shaved with my mind occupied and a bit angry and cut myself a bit today. But I thankfully haven't been killed by the predator or wife yet.
Thanks for bringing this scene to attention, I didn't even remember that. It shows how much Mac's mind was occupied with revenge and mourning for his friend Blain.
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