ABC Gillette! wait, WHAT IS THIS?

So I got this from the the bay with cruddy pics and I thought it was an ABC Gillette but upon arrival I was shocked to find that it is a razor I have never seen before. The razor is stamped with "Military Shaving Kit Pat. 3.15.10". The blade has "MILITARY" printed on it. The razor puts together like nothing I have ever seen: the handle is spring loaded and the rod attached to the guard compresses that spring when the cap is latched on the "T bar" connected to the handle.

Does anybody know anything about this razor?

wooah, crazy. I thought it was just a frankenrazor until those pics of it opening.

I guess ABC did razors for another company, but used the same handles?

According to Waits' Compendium, that is a Gold Military Shaving Kit razor made by the Gold Manufacturing Company of New York. There were two types they made (a Military and a standard) and both had handles similar to the ABC Pocket Edition. Dates available appear to be from 1907 to around 1911.

Hoos said:

According to Waits' Compendium, that is a Gold Military Shaving Kit razor made by the Gold Manufacturing Company of New York. There were two types they made (a Military and a standard) and both had handles similar to the ABC Pocket Edition. Dates available appear to be from 1907 to around 1911.

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Wow thanks for the info! Have you ever met with Waits? He lives near SF you know

have you shaved with it yet?

mdunn said:

have you shaved with it yet?

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no, standard DE blades won't fit and the MILITARY blade doesn't look too appealing :/

I am happy just to look at it and take it apart now and again.

e sinker said:

no, standard DE blades won't fit and the MILITARY blade doesn't look too appealing :/

I am happy just to look at it and take it apart now and again.

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If that was mine, I just might be crazy enough to resharpen that blade...

VERY cool. A thought: Those cutouts seem familiar... would a spineless SE blade fit? You'd only be able to use one side, of course... but maybe?

Must have been produced with officers in mind. Can't imagine a grunt in the trenches whipping one of those out every morning.

cfriend said:

VERY cool. A thought: Those cutouts seem familiar... would a spineless SE blade fit? You'd only be able to use one side, of course... but maybe?

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Valet blades have cutouts like that but off centered. That's probably what you remember,

Len

Would it be a gold plated razor by any chance?

Haiku said:

Would it be a gold plated razor by any chance?

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I don't think there is a spot of gold on this razor and what looks to the remains of plating looks more like nickel than anything else.

e sinker said:

I don't think there is a spot of gold on this razor and what looks to the remains of plating looks more like nickel than anything else.

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That's a shame.

Excellent discovery. Congratulations. Thank you for posting this.