I posted this a couple years ago but was going through my collection and thought perhaps newer members might like to have a look. No logo, patent or trademark stamps. Only a tiny hand engraved number 228 that I almost missed. I believe it was part of Gillette's in-house review of proposed new products. Perhaps Gillette signed them out to marketing employees to examine and test prior to the initial public product offering. Employees were probably required to turn them back in to be destroyed but someone kept this one.
A rehash of one of my rarest finds: A pre-release Executive Fatboy.
- Thread starter HDSledge
- Start date
That is really amazing.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
Now that makes sense, they would of tested those razors to make sure every thing was good to the customer. I notice that even today big or small Mfg's of razors still test new products to make sure they did not over look a issue.
I think they still are testing products even today with out robots.
Have some great shaves!
Here's an November 1968 letter with 3 Gillette Slim Adjustables for testing.
Apparently this survey compagny send these per mail to testers.
(not mine unfortunately...)
Apparently this survey compagny send these per mail to testers.
(not mine unfortunately...)
Great piece!! Thanks for sharing (again)!! 
Very cool. Thanks
Great story and score!
Interesting that the test razors couldn't be opened, or I assume, adjusted.
I posted this elsewhere and someone pointed me here. I thought i would add.
I bought this Executive for $5 because apparently someone took a vice or pliers to it. The adjustment is seized up but while cleaning the grime off and taking it apart i noticed the blank bottom plate and then the scribed number.
I bought this Executive for $5 because apparently someone took a vice or pliers to it. The adjustment is seized up but while cleaning the grime off and taking it apart i noticed the blank bottom plate and then the scribed number.
- Thread starter
- #11
That is cool! So there are at least 2 that were not turned back in after prototype reviews. Numbers were engraved in the same spot. Maybe more exist but I'm sure they were to be collected and destroyed, not to be released. Thankfully no one mangled this one.
Is yours locked on a specific position? Does your adjustment knob move?
- Thread starter
- #13
It is fully functional.
Glad you dropped yours into this thread, J. 
Oh i took it apart to try and free up the adjustment knob. But it is completely frozen.
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- #17
I've been curious about how many were made so I reached out to Gillette some time ago. They wouldn't answer any questions on prototyping since they consider it proprietary information.
Reassemble yours and post a pic please. There are probably more of these out there somewhere. Now every Exec I see I'll be checking the baseplate.
Reassemble yours and post a pic please. There are probably more of these out there somewhere. Now every Exec I see I'll be checking the baseplate.
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I plan on sending out to get repaired and replated. Most of the gold is intact but the tto knob is down to brass and nickel plating. The adjuster is stuck.I've been curious about how many were made so I reached out to Gillette some time ago. They wouldn't answer any questions on prototyping since they consider it proprietary information.
Reassemble yours and post a pic please. There are probably more of these out there somewhere. Now every Exec I see I'll be checking the baseplate.
I would consider not replating the unstamped baseplate and tray which houses the engraving. They’re in great shape, and the engraving I consider important on this piece.
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- #20
Agree since replating will most likely erase or diminish the hand engraved number. You have the only other one I have ever seen so best to keep it intact as found. I suppose you could get the knob repaired and plated but I wouldn't. It's an original piece of Gillette history.
Too bad about someone using pliers to try to free it up but it may not have been fully functional to begin with. The knob may be fixed in place like the testing examples mentioned in post #5 rather than simply stuck. The settings ring also not being functional could indicate Gillette used the same scenario to test the Executive.
Mine being operational could mean it was assembled near the end of the testing phase.
Were all the parts present when you disassembled it? If parts are missing that will be a clue. How about posting a pic of all the parts?
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