Vintage Gillette Double Edge Razors

$1800 Fat Boy Bottom Dialer
1960 Red Dot ToggleFat Boy
This is NOT a red dot
I've been using Gillette safety razors for 50 years. I've spent the past two years googling dating information, perusing auctions, cleaning Gillettes for other people selling, and generally soaking up information. I'd like to share what I've learned to new buyers and sellers of Gillette razors. I don't know all there is to know, additions and corrections are welgee.The most informativewebsites are "Badger and Bade" for shaving forums and mr-razor dot ge for the photographs.Another "must read" is a 4 part history atbruceonshaving dot gethat defines the high-end 1920s razors.There isanother terrific articlewith showroom pictureson high dollar Gillettedouble edge razorsis atrazoremporium dot ge slash archive.
I hope I'm not guilty of plagarizing these gentlemen, I'm onlytrying to sort and collate theirmodel anddatinginformation into one place.Folks want to know what it is,how old is it, and what its worth. These gentlemen do have a certain eleganceof prose that I can't possibly approach.
We're in hard times now, I don't have to tell you money's tight. Spending $20 for an old adjustable on okay and using a 10- pack of double edged blades from Walmart for $3 makes more sense than spending the big bucks for a Fusion and replacement blades. Figure it out as a "cost per shave". Each double edged blade lasts around 5 shaves. Each blade costs 30 cents. That's 6 cents a shave. I have tender skin. I get just as close a shave with my 1968 adjustable set on "4" as I do with any hi-dollarmultiple edged Gillette razor. As I grew older, I came to appreciate the artistry andcraftmanship that went into making an old razor. I like thelook andfeel of a heavy metal razor, and Ireally likemylong-handled"Black Beauty" as I have a large hand. To each his own. Some guys swear by open geb razors.
Let's start with a glossary.
Safety razor - means a razor body that houses a single or double-edged razor blade, with a handle extending perpindicularly from the razor body. The scope of this discussion is AmericanGillette double edged safety razors.
3 piece - means the razor will break down into 3 pieces, allowing the blade to be changed. The handle unscrews from the top through the body, allowing the top to be lifted to expose the blade as it sits in the razor body. These are how your original safety razors were made. King Camp Gillette's patent drawing on Wikipedia shows a lamp-shaped handle. Three piece razors were madefrom the get-go in 1904. 3-piece "tech" razors were made from 1938-1975. I have a silverone in my hand that has a ball end, that Mr-razordotge says was made from 1946-1950, as the underneath slots are oblong instead of the earlier triangular shape. The diamond Gillette logo is etched into the face. Beautiful razor. Just as a confusion factor, razoremporium.ge's chart says the triangular slots lasted until 1952. So the date codes will tell the tale.
Open geb. On each side of the razor body, curled 3/8 in metal flanges 13 per side form a base on which the blade rests. I don't know when the blade bar razor was introduced. The last open geb was produced in 1940.See Footnote 1.
Travel razor. A short handled three piece razor. Sold in a metal orwooden velvet-lined case with a pack of blades. I just saw one today, tiny metal case, open geb, no mfg marking, extender handle inside the main handle, making this a 4-piece razor. Interesting. Rarely does a travel razor go for any more than $10, usually around $3-$5.
TTO - twist to open - Introduced in 1934 as "The Aristocrat". The twist-to-open mechanism is the separate bottom part of the handle that rotates counter-clockwise to open the butterfly doors to about a 135 degree angle, allowing the razor blade to be changed.
Tip - the part of the handle that rotates to open and close the doors of the razor body. They can be in different colors than the rest of the handle. From 1955 through 1959, Gillette used red and blue tips, to signify the closeness of the shave. In order of "aggressiveness", from least to most, the tips were blue, regular (or flare or black), and red. The red and blue tips were made obsolete by the introduction of the adjustable Fat Boy in 1958. The flare tip was introduced in 1954.
End caps - In 1946, on each side of the razor body, two end caps were introduced. Later on before 1950, they switched to a single end cap on each side. Before 1946, there were none, just two holes on each side. (English endcaps are pointed, American are blunt.)
Notched post - In 1948 thru 1966"Tech" razors gotround notch in each side of the post just below where it attaches to the center bar of the razor body.
Adjustable - First introduced 1958, last produced 1986. This means there is a nine position adjustment ring just underneath the razor body. The numbers 1-9 were inlayed black when new. The "clicker"just above the adjustment ring will be red or black.This adjustment allows any beard from peach fuzz (position 1) to bristle brush (position 9) to be shaved. If the razor does not have this adjustment ring, it is not adjustable. I find it incredible sellers are titleing their razors as adjustable when they are not, and buyers are bidding the razor as if it were adjustable when picture clearly shows it is not.
Fat Boy -Gillette's first adjustable razor - madefrom 1958 thru 1961 (I know oftwo exceptions).This is an adjustable razor distinguished from allothers because it has a thicker handle, shorter and heavier (3oz) than the slim adjustables. Because razors get dropped, and because fat boys are heavy, fat boys' TTO mechanismsget damagedand razor doors and end caps get bent.
There are a number ofFat Boy variations:1) Most Fat Boys were sold for $1.95, making them known as the "195 special". These have the adjustment ring underneath the razor body with a red or black plastic clicker just above the adjustment ring.2)In 1960, there were also sold with a bottom dial adjuster.....a)Five position dialer. According to the latest information (Dec 2011), this is an engineering model that existed on drawings only.....b)Nine postion dialer.The spot magnifier will be on the opposite end of the box from the normal production fat boy. Very rare. I posted the auction results link from Nov 2011, which has smokedtwo more out of the woodwork, the first top bid north of $1100 didn't meet the auction reserve(!), the second is up to $300 . The second seller says the razor will fit in an ordinary case, which is contrary toother blogger's information. However, you can see by this gentleman's photograph, that the razor tip extendspast the case's white border by one-eighth of an inch, and the lid will bare close. I know I'm nit-picking, but I'd say the standard production case does not fit the bottom dialer razor. When we're talking this kind of money, we have to be exact in our descriptions.3) In 1960 only, a toggle switch at the bottom of the razor handle was used toopen and closethe butterfly doors. Scarce.4)"Red dot" -Instead of the plastic clickerjust above the adjustment dialthat tells you what position 1-9 the razor isin, there is ared dot. in its place.Razor connoisseurs consider this the finest adjustable Gilletteever made, as the whole adjustment and TTO mechanism is different, beefier, and more secure.According to razoremporium dot ge slash archive'swonderful article, this razor weighs 3ounces asopposed to 2.7ounces for the production model, and is 1/8" longer. Thecase has a deeper curve to it instead of the shallower production case. Please go look at his pictures to see what a red dotrazorlooks like.The heavies all say this is a prototype razor.5)Mr-razordotge shows a beautiful togglegold-plated fatboy 1-9 adjustable red dot with a date code of B1, which makes it 1956. Another one with a date code of C-1 sold for $350 two years ago. These kinds of prices are reserved for unused razors in absolute mint condition, no scratches on the case, with shaving instructions.
Now, today, 12/12. I see half a dozen slim adjustables and red tip super speeds listed as fat boys. Incredible. I'm sure that you boys reading this know the difference between a fat boy and any other razor.Then Isawsome average shape fat boys are reserved at $100 or better. They won't sell. The average uncased fatboy should be worth around $40-$60.Here's the deal: The more people that look for the red dots, toggles, and bottom dialers, the more will turn up, the more get put on auction, and the price will gee down.
Slim Adjustable - an adjustable razor thinner than the Fat Boy, introduced in 1960, and produced through 1968. Uncased slim adjustables in decent shape are very popular, and aregoing for about $25-$30.
In 1966, Gillette addedtwo black handled resin coatedvariations to the slim adjustable line, one, anormal length handle; the other, the so-called "Black Beauty", which has an extra half inch longer handle, making the total razor length of the Black Beauty four inches long,. Gillette produced these black handled razors until 1976. Because I have a large hand, I really like my Black Beauty. I notice the prices on ones in good shape are in the $35-$45 range.
Gold tone - the razor has been plated with a very thin layer of gold. Using metal polish willremove the gold plate, polishing the underlying copper coat, giving the razor a reddish copper appearance, destroying its value. Clean it, but don't polish it. These can be re-plated for around $50, as I understand it from internet forums. The 1969 Black Beauty was the last gold plated razor Gillette made. I notice (Dec 2011)three re-plated gold fat boy stylerazors didn't get any bids. Interesting.
DATING: 1904-1929 Serial numbers - copied and pasted from Badger and Blade.
1904 1-454241905 45425-3704241906 370425-7704241907 770425-A1954241908 A195425-A6758571909 A675858-B2222201910 B222221-B6976001911 B222221-B6976001912 C80509-C2602381913 C260239-C4078061914 C407807-C5783601915 C578361-C9118061916 C911807-D5164741917 D516475-E4492071918 E449208-J73441919 J7345-K9272161920 K927217-N4598871921 N459887-P6797771A-863912A1922 863913A-336676B1923 336677B-391575B1924 391576B-485927B1925 485928B-602049B1926 602050B-770070B1927 770071B-902611B * From Oct 18 1927 to Aug 27 1928, there were no serial numbers used.*1928 1C-94800C1929 94801C-241755C
1930-through secondquarter 1950- No serial numbers, nodate codes. There is a TTO Aristocrat (12-21-11)in beautiful shapeup for auction where the seller states that the razor was manufactured in 1932. The only way he could possibly know that is if he has the original sales slip.
DATE CODES:Two variations:1. Flat bottom adjustables: Viewing the underside of the razor vertically so that all lettering reads from left to right, onthe top leftside of the post where the post attaches to the body, there will be a letter stamped into the body. On the right side of the post, there will be a number stamped into the body. The letter corresponds to the year manufactured, the number corresponds to the quarter of the year manufactured.2.All others:Viewing the razor horizontally so that REG US PAT OFF is visible just below the oblong slots, between that lettering and the top side of the diamond, extreme left and right you will see the letter on one side, number on the opposite side stamped into the body.
Third quarter 1950-1986 (last produced)
1950-V, 1951-W, 1952-X, 1953-Y, 1954-Z, 1955-A, 1956-B, 1957-C, 1958-D, 1959-E1960-F, 1961-G, 1962-H, 1963-I, 1964-J, 1965-K, 1966-L, 1967-M, 1968-N, 1969-O1970-P, 1971-R*, 1972-S, 1973-T, 1974-U, 1975-V, 1976-W, 1977-X, 1978-Y, 1979-Z1980-A, 1981-B, 1982-C, 1983-D, 1984-F, 1985-G, 1986-H
*1971 1st Quarter = Q-1, 2nd-3rd-4th Quarter = R-2, 3, and 4.
From a financial standpoint, date codes are important because there are collectors out there who must have a razor for every year, every quarter. So then they have to have place holders in their collection, a beater just to remind themselves they need a good one for that slot. It's just like coin collecting.They'realways upgrading.
Footnote1 from an intenet forum, anonymous poster on Mantic59 blogspot:"The open geb Gillette razors are called the Old, the New Improved, the New, the Goodwill and an open geb twist-to-open." He goes on to say, "The original blades were thicker than the tissue-paper thin blades we have today. If you put a modern blade on an open geb razor it will lay flat. If you put a vintage, three hole blade on a open geb razor it stands up off the teeth at just the right angle to give a good shave. I found this out by testing it on my double-ring, a WW1 ball handle and a New (the twist-to-open doesn't accept three hole blades and I don't yet have a New Improved or Goodwill)."
As an afterthought, the website reocities dot ge has an interesting article on the Gillette Techmatic, a band cartridgerazor that tried and failedto bridge the gap between the double-edge and the double-bladed Trac llcartridge. It's a museum piece that is not real collectable, and from experience, gives aterrible shave. I'm assuming that the date codes remain the same as the double edge, as I see them listed sometimesas a late 60s early 70s date. Even the collectors are listing R2,3, and 4as 1972. Faked me out, too, for a while.
Cleaning:
Boys, clean upyour razors.A large portionof the DE razors up for auction here have 0 bids, because your razors are cruddy, corroded and rusted, withone blurry photo,with reserves set for a razor in mint condition. You'd think you're at the flea market. Get real. Bright and shiny sells. High definition sells.More than one photo sells.
Virtually everyone uses a soaking solution ofsoap and bleach in hot water; and a toothbrush toscrub the dirt and crudfromtheir razors.Light rust and corrosion can be removed with a soft brush and WD-40. However, I'vechanged my mind on the cleaning process.. Get one of those$25 Chinese ultrasonic jewelry cleaners,throw in some hot water, liquid dishwashing soap, and a splash of ammonia, and after two cycles through, you will be amazed at how good your razor looks..It will knockmost of the light blue copper oxidationright off.Ishine up my better razors with Maas metal polishing gepound using cotton swabs and paper towels. I have gotten in razors so dull they wouldn't reflect light.Using a grinding wheelpad withSears Craftsman polishing gepound bars will shine the razorsdoors like almost new. Easy does it, and don't use this method on a good razor,as you'll leave scratches in the doors thatwill take an hour to polish out. For antiseptic purposes, I follow up all cleaning with a scrubbing bath of Clorox Cleanup.
Good luck and Merry Christmas!