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Gillette identification and disambiguation

Welcome, gentlemen to this work in progress. Follow the questions to work out what razor you have - be it an ebay auction with a mystery razor, or that $0.50 crusty number you found at a garage sale!

There will be errors here and there, so post in this thread and ill update it! If you have any better pictures then let me know and I'll add them too! (I will clean out the thread as suggested changes are made)

Also - If you can help with more detail within each category, please let me know and we can add some more questions (eg, to sort out all the different Aristocrats)

Thanks to everyone who have helped so far!


Let's begin!
full

(3 piece left, 1 piece right)
Is the razor only one piece?
Yes
full

(adjustable left, not adjustable right)
Is it adjustable?
Yes
full

(Silver on the left, black on the right)
Does it have Black handle?
Does it have a Metal handle?
full

(At the top on the left, at the bottom on the right)
Is the Adjuster ring at the bottom of the handle?
Is the Adjuster ring at the top of the handle?
full

(no toggle on the left, toggle on the right
Has it got a toggle at the base of the handle?
No
proxy.php

(gap in knurling left, knurling extends to the bottom on the right)

Does the knurling extend to the bottom of the adjuster ring?
Is it Gold?
Is it Silver?
Is there a smooth gap between the knurling and the bottom of the adjuster ring?
Is it Gold?
Is it Silver?
Yes
Toggle
No
full

(Open comb on the left, solid guard bar on the right)
Does it have an open comb "teeth" style head?
Yes
full

(Bulldog on the left, slim on the right)
Does it have a bulldog handle?
Does it have a Slim handle?
Is it Gold?
Is it Silver?
No
full

(smooth on the left, gap in the middle, knurled on the right)
Is there a Smooth band on handle above twist knob?
full

(barber pole left, thick middle, slim right)
Does it have a Thick knurled barber pole style handle?
Is it Silver?
Is it Gold?
??
Is the knurling thick?
Is it Gold?
Is it Silver?
Does it have a simple knurled handle?
Is it gold?
Is it Silver?
ranger tech
Is there a Gap between the twist knob and handle when closed?
Is it Knurled up to the twist knob?
Is it Thick knurled?
Is it Gold?
diplomat
Is it Silver?
Does it have a Slim handle?
Is it Gold?
Is it Silver?
No
Does it have an Open comb?
full

(open comb on the left, safety bar on the right)
Yes
full

Does it have an Evenly curved base plate?
Is there a Flat spot in the middle of the base plate?
Is there a channel down the middle, with a matching bar on top plate?
Are there two holes, or two indents in the top plate?
No
 
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Good job.

Two things I noticed.

You used a picture of a three piece razor as an example of a one piece non-adjustable razor.

Also, I can't identify my Knack.
 
Knack/Slim Twist could be added with a further question prior to the "twist knob" and another after:

"Does it have an open comb?" > No >"Is the twist knob located at the base of the handle">No>"Does it say Made in America" > Yes > "You have the Knack!" (Answering "No" would return a "Slim Twist" result.

Are Knacks even stamped MIA? I know the Slim Twists are MIE.

Also, woah cool little utility, and ingenious making it work in a.forum thread environment.
 
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We need to make this into a smart phone app. Any takers? I am learning windows phone 7 programming. We can call it the Badger and Blade Gillette ID App. :biggrin1:
 
We need to make this into a smart phone app. Any takers? I am learning windows phone 7 programming. We can call it the Badger and Blade Gillette ID App. :biggrin1:

That would be cool. That way when you're at an antique store and see something you're unsure about, the info would be at your fingertips.
 
We need to make this into a smart phone app. Any takers? I am learning windows phone 7 programming. We can call it the Badger and Blade Gillette ID App. :biggrin1:

I would LOVE to see this as an app! Absolutely fantastic sticky. Thanks for all
the hard work.
 
Great job, mdunn!

What you have written is an algorithm for determining the identity of Gillette razors. Well done. Your organization of this should lend itself to conversion to an app somewhat easily, IMHO. Go for it, Larry!
 
Hi, I'm a strange beast here, because I'm a French lady and I do not shave, BUT I have inherited a very rare Gillette Safety Razor from the earliest period and history of Gillette.... I 'm in the case of the first British patent 28763 that was applied for on Dec 30 1902 and was amended on Sep 4 1903, like it is explained in http://badgerandblade.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-122805.html by Bingo_Bob. And the razor is logically marked Pat. Nov. 15 '04. It is an American Razor in a box for GB market when there were no Gillette Factory in Europe... and especially no Gillette Factory in UK. The razor is in very good condition and it cuts very well... I'd like your thougth about this package, epecially if Bingo_Bob is still in the area :)

I will soon sell it on ebay, because, I can't shave with it :) nor do anything else than discover this great Company history and the old shaving practises reviavl by true gentlemen :) if you are interested, I will give you the link.

Best regards and sorry for my bad feminine non shaving English !!

The little French Lady

$IMAG3414jjj.jpg$IMAG3444.jpg$IMAG3463.jpg$IMAG3449.jpg$IMAG4137.jpg
 
Hi again Gentlemen,

I'm wondering about that : I've got a British Patent 1902 box with a US Razor in it. I'ma sure that they were originally a same set, because This razor was my grand father in law razor and we know its history.
In this tread, http://badgerandblade.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-122805.html

Bingo_Bob said "The US patent office registers the date the patent was issued; that is why you see "Pat. Nov. 15 '04" stamped on all the razors."
Does that mean that "all the US razors" or "all the world razors" between 1904 and 1906 ?

What do you think ?

Thanks for advance for your answers

The still unshaved Lady asking a lot of question about men's razors !
 
The thing I'm sure is that this american razor was sold to my grand father in law between 1904 and 1907, and perhaps the UK distributor did not sent a UK version, but an american one in the first stock for Europe. Actually, this razor is very near Paris; As for I'm interested in Art nouveau perido, even if i want to sell it, I think that I need to understand ist history; Thanks for adavnce for all your precious informations.

The Little French Enquirying lady :)
 
LadyScale, all I can say is that is a beautiful piece. I know very little, but you might inquire of Alex or Mr Razor. They have forgotten more than I will ever know about razors.
 
We need to make this into a smart phone app. Any takers? I am learning windows phone 7 programming. We can call it the Badger and Blade Gillette ID App. :biggrin1:

SERIOUSLY! That would be awesome. Personally I like to find razors at antique shops and sometimes its just a guessing game.

Also, this just cleared up some confusion I had. I originally thought I just purchased a Gillette Sheraton, but this just helped me clear that up, it's a Senator, So thanks! :thumbup1:
 
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