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Who has one or has any info on vintage “No Blade” razor?

I came across an old Gillette ad from the 1960s if memory serves me right, about a Gillette razor that apparently had “no blade” instead it had a mechanism that you could turn the dial like “an old video camera” and would give you a fresh blade (oxymoron, I know). So it was a ribbon blade you could wind around. I’m a bit astonished and wanted to know if anyone has ever used one or has one.
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ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
Sounds to me like a Gillette Techmatic. Supposedly one of the worst razors ever produced. I have one but it remains untested here.
 
I had one when they were first introduced, and I tried the Schick version, too. Both of them were dreadful, with a lot of blade flex and chatter, and they didn't shave very well either. The Techmatic was actually sent to the moon on the Apollo missions, but I'll bet that when the astronauts returned, they didn't buy any for themselves. If you Google "band razor" you can find some hits that talk about band razors that were attempted decades before the Gillette and Schick models. None were ever successful.
 
Very cool gentlemen, I sincerely appreciate the info on it. I don’t know why I hadn’t heard of it until I came across that old commercial a few days ago. Kinda crazy contraption but I gotta give it to them for atleast trying to be revolutionary. The concept isn’t horrible, it’s just too bad it had so many issues I guess.
 
Strangely enough my father loved this razor because he could dry shave with it when out on military maneuvers. When he could no longer buy the blades at a reasonable price he switched to electric razors when he finally retired which is how I ended up being only taught how to shave with an electric razor.
 
That’s an awesome experience, I sincerely appreciate you sharing that. I’ve actually read other online stories of some people actually enjoying these razors. Which leads me to believe that the idea was in the right place but maybe a bit ahead of its time?
 
Sorry to be late on this thread. I loved the Techmatic razor and used it till they quit selling the cartridges for it. It was an adjustable razor and you could adjust it for closeness.
 
Gillette Techmatic & Trac II - side by side shave.


Thanks for posting the video that shows a Techmatic in action and the shaver's opinions. All those people who claim that the Techmatic was the worst razor probably never shaved with one :)
 
Thanks for posting the video that shows a Techmatic in action and the shaver's opinions. All those people who claim that the Techmatic was the worst razor probably never shaved with one :)

Of course, YMMV, but I shaved with the Techmatic as well as the Schick band razor when they both came out. I couldn't decide between them which was the worst, but neither was any good, so I threw both of them away. I felt sorry for the Astronauts who used them.
 
Of course, YMMV, but I shaved with the Techmatic as well as the Schick band razor when they both came out. I couldn't decide between them which was the worst, but neither was any good, so I threw both of them away. I felt sorry for the Astronauts who used them.
:001_smile:001_smile
 
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