Is there a Q date code?

**sodajerk** · 06-13-2010, 04:15 PM

The wiki dating guide (here) has no "Q" year for 1970-71 time period - it goes from P to R. I've got a slim black handle (long) that appears to be Q1 to me.

Do you agree that this is a Q? If yes, can you tell me why the wiki has no Q?

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**mblakele** · 06-13-2010, 04:18 PM

To me this looks like an "O" with a pit nearby. This may be why Gillette didn't use "Q" - it's hard to disambiguate.

**Stubblefield** · 06-13-2010, 04:19 PM

I thought there were a few Super Adjustables with date code Q?

**RichGem** · 06-13-2010, 04:20 PM

That looks like an "O" to me. IIRC, "Q" was not used so as to avoid confusion.

Unless, of course, this guy was involved somehow:

**Stubblefield** · 06-13-2010, 04:24 PM

I mis-remembered. But now I re-remember that the Supers had date codes of O and P.

**mblakele** · 06-13-2010, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Stubblefield

I thought there were a few Super Adjustables with date code Q?

That would be fascinating.

Here's a related thread: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2074460

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=22519 suggests that there may have been a short run. I'd like to see more examples.

**Stubblefield** · 06-13-2010, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by mblakele

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=22519 suggests that there may have been a short run. I'd like to see more examples.

So I mis-mis-remembered. After all.

I think I may have had one that I sold off a while back-- I had two really nice ones, one was date code P. The only thing is, I didn't think that Gillette was still making these in 1971.

**cooncatbob** · 06-13-2010, 04:42 PM

Not only is the Q hard to read but deleting it leaves 25 letters 1/4 of a century.

**sodajerk** · 06-13-2010, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by mblakele

That would be fascinating.

Here's a related thread: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2074460

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=22519 suggests that there may have been a short run. I'd like to see more examples.

I'm really curious how you found those posts. I searched for Q date code and came up empty handed! (

I was looking for an answer because I'm about to list it on BST and want to be sure it is described properly.

**Slivovitz** · 06-13-2010, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by mblakele

That would be fascinating.

Here's a related thread: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2074460

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=22519 suggests that there may have been a short run. I'd like to see more examples.

Interesting. The picture at the beginning of the thread definitely looks like a Q to me, and I've seen a similar picture on an eBay listing (no I don't have the link, although I believe it's over, and would post it if I had it). I don't know the answer, but it's just another reminder not to be too certain about anything.

**mblakele** · 06-13-2010, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by sodajerk

I'm really curious how you found those posts. I searched for Q date code and came up empty handed! (

I was looking for an answer because I'm about to list it on BST and want to be sure it is described properly.

My secret is to ignore the built-in search function. It is a waste of time. Here's what I used:

http://google.com/search?q=site:badg...per+adjustable

**Stubblefield** · 06-13-2010, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by cooncatbob

Not only is the Q hard to read but deleting it leaves 25 letters 1/4 of a century.

Good point, Bob.

**the beav** · 06-13-2010, 06:03 PM

I also have a Q1 date coded adjustable that looks identical to the one in the first photo. Considering that, I think they did make Q1 dated coded razors for a short period of time. Probably very rare and worth $1000s.

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**Hayden** · 06-13-2010, 07:02 PM

quiet....we dont talk about the Q date

**mblakele** · 06-13-2010, 07:28 PM

Beav, thanks for that picture. Zooming in on both pictures, it bothers me that the down-stroke on the "Q" is so short. It looks shorter than the top-stroke on the "1", and I feel like it ought to be at least as long. But it could be a "Q", and the story about a short run of mistakes does make sense.

I wonder if any of our resident experts will chime in? I'd love to hear what Achim has to say.

**mark_mw** · 06-13-2010, 07:46 PM

CFM listed a "Q" code a few months ago, claimed it was used for only a few months.

**the beav** · 06-13-2010, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by mblakele

It looks shorter than the top-stroke on the "1", and I feel like it ought to be at least as long. .

Well, when I bought mine a few weeks ago I wasn't sure if it was a Q or an O. Guess I should get a loop and see what it looks like under magnification. Anyway, I have no idea why the stroke is so short unless it was to compensate for being so close to the handle.

I'd like to hear from Achim as well.

**DSB** · 06-13-2010, 08:57 PM

Both of those look like a "Q" to me.

**amishmotorboat** · 06-13-2010, 08:59 PM

Curious.
They all seem to be Q1, never a Q2, and dings in precisely the same place.
Starting to look less like coincidental damage and more like an actual letter.

edit: by 'all', I mean the ones pictured above, and the one that appeared on eBay