The British Gillette Aristocrat Junior 1948-1949. User Impressions And Comments Please.

[Alum Ladd]

Well Gentlemen, I am homing in on my last two vintages for my modest collection.

I would like to discuss in this thread the shaving characteristics, performance and quirks if any of this type.

Please note, I have no interest in moderns, so if we could just discuss the specific type, that would be appreciated.

Any informative posts and information would be gratefully received.

Thanks as always!

 

[Manye]

I have a 1949 Aristocrat Jr #53 set. Highly recommend this one. Shaves beautifully. Well balanced. Close and comfortable.

 

[lasta]

What a coincidence! I'll get mine in a day or two.

 

[brucered]

If it's this one, I don't care for the shave. It's no Tech or Fatboy or Slim.

Build quality, feel, all top notch. I find the head to be like a giant lolly pop on a thin stick. Just never worked well for me. Not sure why.

Click for link to more pics.

Gillette Aristocrat Jr

• brucered
• Sep 1, 2012

 

[nemo]

I've had a few and sold a couple in 2020. Razors were not cased, one came from a Canadian seller, but I was never sure whether they were #51 or #53. Is there a difference or simply the box? If I had more than one I'd send one over to you.

FS - Some vintage Gillettes -- cased early Super Speed, UK Aristocrat Jr, 1955 Flare tip

Some nicer Gillettes, user grade plus for your consideration. Sorry about the crummy pics, my normal PC stuff is down and I'm borrowing a laptop. These will be for US sales only during this time, sorry. Please add $4 shipping to the price, even for multiples. 1. A nice 40's style Super Speed in...

www.badgerandblade.com

The baseplate has the 430,030 and to me, besides a slightly different balance, it shaves pretty much like a Rocket. Maybe a touch smoother but I'm not sure if I could distinguish between the two while blindfolded. The plating on the head, especially the underside, is a little better than the standard Rocket (or the later diamond baseplate AJ in the green case). Anyway, it should be a highlight of anyone's collection.

 

[dmshaver]

I find the Aristocrat Jr. one of the smoother shaving razors from Gillette. Smoother to me means efficient & little to no blade feel. It's not an efficiency monster like an Old Type, oh no. It's not as efficient as a 1934 Aristocrat or RFB. But it gives a wonderfully smooth shave with very little blade feel. I find it shaves a bit smoother than the HD 500 Rocket, & considerably smoother than a Red Tip. To me, it is behind the President/Diplomat in smoothness. These are just my opinions.

 

[lasta]

I just got my Junior!

Haven't had the chance to shave with it yet, but I am very happy with my purchase!

Looked a bit dirty in the seller's photos, but a few minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner and I am united with a fairly clean British TTO with all it's plating intact.


A few quick comparisons with other Gillette TTOs:

• The head does look bulky on it's lollipop handle, but side by side with similar razors, it's actually the sleekest of them all. More akin to the Slim than other 50's Gillettes.
• Blade gap seems bigger, at least from a front-on view.
• Blade exposure seems similar to it's siblings, but the safety bar has a more gentle slope and I think there is a longer distance between the end of the safety bars and the blade apex, so maybe more gap overall.
• There are some fairly unique design differences from other TTOs!
• Despite it's small size, this is the heaviest of my non-adjustable TTOs (72g), for reference: 40s/50s Super Speed - 54g, Red Tip - 66g, No 58 - 71g.

I already shaved with the Red Tip today, but a few dry swipes on my face and it does feel slightly more blade forward.

Looking forward to tomorrow's shave!

BTW, mine is the flat bottomed version, maybe this is the FB Tech equivalent of British Super Speeds?

 

[dmshaver]

I just got my Junior!

Haven't had the chance to shave with it yet, but I am very happy with my purchase!

Looked a bit dirty in the seller's photos, but a few minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner and I am united with a fairly clean British TTO with all it's plating intact.
View attachment 1765242

A few quick comparisons with other Gillette TTOs:

• The head does look bulky on it's lollipop handle, but side by side with similar razors, it's actually the sleekest of them all. More akin to the Slim than other 50's Gillettes.
• Blade gap seems bigger, at least from a front-on view.
• Blade exposure seems similar to it's siblings, but the safety bar has a more gentle slope and I think there is a longer distance between the end of the safety bars and the blade apex, so maybe more gap overall.
• There are some fairly unique design differences from other TTOs!

View attachment 1765243

View attachment 1765244

I already shaved with the Red Tip today, but a few dry swipes on my face and it does feel slightly more blade forward.

Looking forward to tomorrow's shave!

Congratulations! Yours looks lovely. The handle often has flea bites all over. Something about that particular knurling perhaps. Enjoy your first shave, you’re in for a treat!

 

[Alum Ladd]

• Blade gap seems bigger, at least from a front-on view.
• Blade exposure seems similar to it's siblings, but the safety bar has a more gentle slope and I think there is a longer distance between the end of the safety bars and the blade apex, so maybe more gap overall.
• There are some fairly unique design differences from other TTOs!

Very interesting initial impressions Blade Biter!

I await your shave report, but from eyeballing, you seem to be inferring this may be a more efficient piece.

Bertram Collins may have struck again! I suspect as in other English Gillette models of the period.

A hunch, but why would an independent designer be taken on to the payroll, made CEO of Gillette England and in this period we get such classics as the FBT etc?

Does it have a specific set number?

Fascinating stuff!

 

[lasta]

Very interesting initial impressions Blade Biter!

I await your shave report, but from eyeballing, you seem to be inferring this may be a more efficient piece.

Bertram Collins may have struck again! I suspect as in other English Gillette models of the period.

A hunch, but why would an independent designer be taken on to the payroll, made CEO of Gillette England and in this period we get such classics as the FBT etc?

Does it have a specific set number?

Fascinating stuff!

Pat No 430,030, no idea about set number, got it as an unboxed used razor!

Besides, boxes are wasted on me! I move on average of once every 5 years, they all get thrown out!

 

[lasta]

Very interesting initial impressions Blade Biter!

I await your shave report, but from eyeballing, you seem to be inferring this may be a more efficient piece.

Bertram Collins may have struck again! I suspect as in other English Gillette models of the period.

A hunch, but why would an independent designer be taken on to the payroll, made CEO of Gillette England and in this period we get such classics as the FBT etc?

Does it have a specific set number?

Fascinating stuff!

As for Mr. Collins and his pursuit of improvements, I do agree, some of the products from that era are just a little bit more special.

But, reality eventually have to set in I suppose. 50's TTO basetplates are identical to Techs. Why have a separate machine dedicated to unique bottoms when they could stamp out more Tech plates and build other designs around it?

 

[nemo]

Does it have a specific set number?

Doesn't @mr-razor call out #51 or #53?


I'm using mine today!

 

[Ravenonrock]

I have a British Aristocrat Jr. that I traded a pair of ski boots for with a buddy. As I recall, I preferred my 60’s Super Speed, but it’s been a while since I’ve used a DE. I usually get a few DE shaves in before years end, so might have to revisit the British Jr.

 

[lasta]

I had my first shave with the Aristocrat Junior today. Paired with a second use GSB, an easy smooth and relatively painless BBS was achieved! A few holdouts in the trenches of my double chin (the usual bunch), but it will take nothing short of Brazilian wax to flush them out!

A sweet spot razor (like most Gillette safety bar razors) that would appeal to 90% of shavers around the world. Gillette did extensive studies on where that spot is and this razor, while on the higher end, is still within that "spot".

Blade feel is similar to my Rocket/58/Red Tip. Maybe a hint more, but far from enough for the Aristocrat to break away from the pack. If Rocket/red tip is a 4.5-5 on a slim scale, this would be a 5-5.5.

From a functional perspective, this is going to get a lot of time in my rotations. Smooth and efficient, just the way I like my razors.

From an aesthetic perspective, I must say, the junior is a bit lacking here. From a distance, it looks nearly indistinguishable from a plebian Super Speed. The handle is about as plain Jane as they come (and I do like my handles pretty!). For a member of the British aristocracy, I would expect a lot more flair!

 

[Alum Ladd]

For a member of the British aristocracy, I would expect a lot more flair!

Well the late and much lamented Marquis of Bath went increasingly full hippy as the decades progressed.

I seem to recall he had 4 wives on the go at the same time at the peak of his career.

The British Aristocrat comes in many varieties! And he started as a Junior too.

Excellent and detailed mini-review there @lasta much appreciated!

 

[lasta]

Well the late and much lamented Marquis of Bath went increasingly full hippy as the decades progressed.

I seem to recall he had 4 wives on the go at the same time at the peak of his career.

The British Aristocrat comes in many varieties! And he started as a Junior too.

Excellent and detailed mini-review there @lasta much appreciated!

I am fairly certain the Marquis of Bath is going by the pseudo name of @rbscebu around these parts. That or they share the same harem!

 

[Wombat ESQ]

Any informative posts and information

Can I just say, I appeared in a Superbowl Advert, once ............

[Adapted from the Election Night Special by Monty Python]

 

[Alum Ladd]

Update.

Closing in on my prey. It's part of a No. 48 set from what I am seeing. No end caps. I think the first AJ made.

Stay tuned.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Ok dumb question but what differentiates the regular Aristocrat from the Junior?

 

[Alum Ladd]

Ok dumb question but what differentiates the regular Aristocrat from the Junior?

Not at all.

Price mostly. The juniors shared the same heads as the top tier Aristocrats of that year, but the handles were more Super Speed or Rocket like. The expensive Aristocrats had beautiful heavy handles, often rhodium plated.

A 1949 Aristocrat Junior

An Aristocrat No.22 Set by comparison.