Can someone tell what type of Gillette razor this please its got a numbers around the base of the handle which are 1,3,1,6,6,2,5 why is it odd numbers Cant work out how you adjust it.The base of the razor unscrews and the head goes up and down but cant figure how you lock it also why all the odd weird numbers & not in sequence. Here are some photos
What Gillette
- Thread starter Eric62
- Start date
Looks like a Gillette single ring to me =]
- Thread starter
- #3
Do you how do adjust it cause when i do it it unscrews OK but that's it ! the blade go back to the minimum gap on the blade head
The reason you can't adjust it is because its not an adjustable like a slim,fatboy or super adjustable all you can do to increase the blade gap is slacken it half a turn once tight or take a used blade and cut off the cutting edge and use it as a shim...
Looks like a Big Fellow to me in the nice wood case, but the handle looks shorter than this Big Fellow that recently closed on eBay:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/300711122305
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/300711122305
Big fellow in Richwood case....this belongs in there
this is what the set looks like w the big Fellow in it
It's a standard Single Ring, not a Big Fellow. The stamping on this one is similar to another one I have from England, where the serial number is on the smooth band above the knob. (See below.) If you open it up you may find that the British patent number is inscribed around the top of the inner barrel, and you may also have the full diamond logo and motto on the bottom of the cap and/or the top of the guard plate.
Have a close look at that first "1" in the serial number and I'll bet that you'll find it's more likely a letter that's either been worn away or wasn't struck completely in the first place.
The case is a mismatch for that razor, but is a nice piece on its own. In the British market there were a couple of different razors that could have come in that case, but as far as we know all the cases themselves were made in the USA and shipped to the factory in England to be used with razors made there. Here's a recent thread on the subject.
Have a close look at that first "1" in the serial number and I'll bet that you'll find it's more likely a letter that's either been worn away or wasn't struck completely in the first place.
The case is a mismatch for that razor, but is a nice piece on its own. In the British market there were a couple of different razors that could have come in that case, but as far as we know all the cases themselves were made in the USA and shipped to the factory in England to be used with razors made there. Here's a recent thread on the subject.
The numbers are the serial number of the razor. But the code Gillette used reset back to 0000001 after 999999, incrementing the prefix letter code. Could your first "1" actually be an "I"? That would put it in 1918 according to the ShaveWiki. http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/US_Gillette_Dating_Information
Edit: Porter is way more informed about these than I. I didn't even think about the British razors.
Edit: Porter is way more informed about these than I. I didn't even think about the British razors.
I'm splitting hairs here, but those old single rings were billed as adjustable. For a closer shave, you back off the tension on the knob.
edit: oh, I guess I see you are saying pretty much the same thing. I focused on the first few words... sorry.
Very good Porter, I saw this post on my I-phone, not good size pics, now i see the difference, thanks for clarifying and correcting the razor ID. ( good link too, I remember posting on it last year)) I love learning stuff every day here!!!
As has been pointed out, the razor and the case are definitely a mismatch.
It's a beautiful razor. If you decide you don't want it let me know.
It's a beautiful razor. If you decide you don't want it let me know.
I thought i recognised the razor i was a bidder on it 1st time round but forgot to increase my bid's and missed it then the seller relisted it not sure why it but the ironic thing was they had the razor for the richwood in a single ring case up for sale as well i told them that the razors were in the wrong case's but they never changed them over by the looks of it...
Last edited:
Great razors 
Sweet Looking Razor!
- Thread starter
- #16
The serial no reading left to right the is i think Is E266131
- Thread starter
- #17
Also found this stamped around the inner tube inside the handle handle BR P.A.T. No 2876302 have looked on Mr Razor site by the serial no it could be dated from 1906 but the E number round the handle puts it 1916 ??? on the badger Gillette so what is the right one help please if ***
It sounds like you have been looking at USA serial numbers? But the English Gillette factory did not use the same serial numbers as the USA factory. Unfortunately I am not aware of any reliable dating by serial number for the English Gillettes. Sometimes razors are found with original blades or the original case, which can help.
As you mention, at http://mr-razor.com/Rasierer/Old Type/Old Type.htm Achim has two Made in England standard sets, both dated 1906-08. He probably used the case design and old advertising to date these sets. As it happens, one has a 'B' serial number and the other 'H'. So you could place your 'E' in between, and also date it to 1906-08. But I do not think you can be more specific about this piece.
As you mention, at http://mr-razor.com/Rasierer/Old Type/Old Type.htm Achim has two Made in England standard sets, both dated 1906-08. He probably used the case design and old advertising to date these sets. As it happens, one has a 'B' serial number and the other 'H'. So you could place your 'E' in between, and also date it to 1906-08. But I do not think you can be more specific about this piece.
- Thread starter
- #19
Thanks for that
I still had this auction listing and the other one from the same seller, where he almost certainly mixed the razors and cases from. These are the photos of the case that your razor almost certainly belongs with, the razor that's in the case is the type that would go in the Richwood case that you have:
Assuming that is its original case, the diamond logo would allow you to pin it to later than 1908, at least. But the fact that it's a stitched-in label instead of an actual imprint on the fabric of the headliner would probably imply that it's still fairly early. Also, the fact that it lists King Gillette as "President" on the printing that's on the bottom of the case gives you an additional "not earlier than" point, since when KCG first joined up with the corporation his title was "Vice President." Later he was given the title of "President" but John Joyce maintained most of the actual control of the company. I'd have to do some digging to try to put a date to that change, but I'm pretty sure that the diamond logo was later than that, anyway.
Assuming that is its original case, the diamond logo would allow you to pin it to later than 1908, at least. But the fact that it's a stitched-in label instead of an actual imprint on the fabric of the headliner would probably imply that it's still fairly early. Also, the fact that it lists King Gillette as "President" on the printing that's on the bottom of the case gives you an additional "not earlier than" point, since when KCG first joined up with the corporation his title was "Vice President." Later he was given the title of "President" but John Joyce maintained most of the actual control of the company. I'd have to do some digging to try to put a date to that change, but I'm pretty sure that the diamond logo was later than that, anyway.
