Schick Krona

Description:
There were several minor variations of this razor. All featured metal construction with a resin-coated handle, in black except for the Eversharp which was grey. The TTO knob was either metal or black plastic. The TTO doors were sometimes plain, or embossed with "Schick/Schick" "Schick/Krona", or "Schick/(blank)". Metal parts were finished in nickel or gold.

Notes of Interest:

The history of this razor is murky. It was also sold as a Schick Double Edge and an Eversharp, and in Japan as the Schick D-80[1]. Razors with instructions dated as early as 1964 have been reported[1], but the earliest known illustrations appeared in April 1966.[2] By October 1968 the razor was being advertised as a giveaway with Schick Krona-Chrome blades. Illustrations featured both black and metallic knobs.[3]

Before ca. 1967 the center bar and TTO mechanism was based on Gillette designs: the "two-ply" version. After ca. 1967 production adopted a patented single-ply center bar (see below for patents; see gallery for photo). Razors have been reported with "PATENTS PENDING" marks. These appear to refer to the 1967 patents, so would have been made 1967-68. The design revision was probably intended to reduce manufacturing costs, making "free razor" offers more economical.

Most razors feature various alphanumeric codes, but their meaning is not understood and probably does not correlate to production dates. All known examples have an "M", which may indicate the Schick plant in Milford or may have some other meaning. The order differs: some razors have "M-5" and others "6-M".

One way to look at the available evidence[4] is:

• ca. 1964-65: original design with short metal knob, two-ply center bar, labelled with code M-5 and "Made in U.S.A" plus either a "SCHICK" or a triangle logo, blank doors, approximate weight 55-g.
• ca. 1966: design revised with long metal knob, two-ply center bar, often labelled with code 6-M, "3-2" or "4-2", and "Made in U.S.A" plus either a "SCHICK" or a triangle logo, blank doors, approximate weight 50-g.
• ca. 1966: as above, but grey instead of black and branded EVERSHARP with eagle logo.
• ca. 1967-68: design revised for 1967 patents, plastic knob, one-ply center bar, often labelled with code 1-M, "PATENTS PENDING", doors stamped "Schick - Schick" or "Schick - Krona" or "Schick - (blank)", approximate weight 38-g.
• ca. 1968-76 or later: plastic knob, one-ply center bar, various codes, doors stamped "Schick - Schick" or "Schick - Krona" or "Schick - (blank)", approximate weight 38-g.

All known gold Kronas were of the 1964-65 style. This includes the special bicentennial "Executive Travel Case" sets, which were first marketed in 1965.[5]

Sold in Japan under the name Schick No. D80.

At least one NOS package has been found with bar codes, so the Krona was still in production ca. 1975.[6] This NOS packaging also included patent information:

• US3376637, filed 1967-02-27, issued 1968-04-09, covering the Krona center bar design.
• US3377701, filed 1967-03-09, issued 1968-04-16, covering the Krona knob design.
• US3378921, filed 1967-03-09, issued 1968-04-23, covering the Krona center bar and stem designs.

Schick also held patents showing an adjustable razor visually similar to the Krona. At least one example of this razor exists, but it may have been a prototype or from a very limited production run.[7] The known example is about the same height and weight as an early non-adjustable Krona: approximately 105-mm and 57-g. It appears to be based on the ca. 1966 design described above: a longer knob than the original design, but the same two-ply center bar. However, it is not a T.T.O (twist-to-open) as its knob needs to be pulled to close the doors and then set on the intermediate "Rinse" position, as described in the patent, to keep them closed. Photos appear in the gallery, below.

• US3302284: filed 1965-04-14, issued 1967-02-07. Bottom-dial adjuster, not used for the Krona.
• US3299508: filed 1965-04-26, issued 1967-01-24. TTO knob design to reduce variability of clamping force.
• US3293745: filed 1965-07-21, issued 1966-12-27. Adjustment mechanism using TTO knob, not used for the Krona.
• US3363313: filed 1965-12-20, issued 1968-01-16. Side wiper to remove lather, not used for the Krona.
• US3435521: filed 1966-03-08, issued 1969-04-01. Adjustable guard, instead of an adjustable plate.
• US3358368: filed 1966-03-08, issued 1967-12-19. Another adjustable guard design.
• US3358369: filed 1966-03-21, issued 1967-12-19. Another adjustable guard design.

Photos:

1. ^ a bB&B thread discussing this razor. One post shows an instruction sheet with printing code M-64-132. Another shows the Schick D-80.
2. ^Ebony, 1966-04, p87
3. ^LIFE Magazine, 1968-10-18, p23.
4. ^http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...15#post5448615
5. ^Vogue vol.146, p267.
6. ^B&B thread discussing NOS set ca. 1975, also pictured on this page.
7. ^http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...is-not-a-Krona