Vintage Gillette Score - What Is It?

**NickyBobby** · 04-13-2012, 10:43 AM

I just grabbed this razor off the bidding site, and it's being sold about 20 minutes from my house. I'm going to try to make arrangements with the seller to pick it up this afternoon. :-) Any idea what it is, besides some type of old Gillette Open Comb...or what it's worth? It came with everything in the pictures...

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**insomniac** · 04-13-2012, 11:21 AM

Old Type

**Rob72** · 04-13-2012, 11:27 AM

Nick, if you have access to one, would you be able to post a micrometer measurement of the neck, where it presses into the barrel? I'm hoping about 0.375". I have some CF tubing, and I'm wondering of its the right size.

**taco8slo** · 04-13-2012, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by insomniac

Old Type

+1.
It looks like there "might" be a crack down the length of the handle, looking at the second picture near the bottom of the handle (hard to tell from the picture). You could always get different handles if you like the way the head shaves. I got one off etsy and it looked great in the photos and I open the package turn the handle and notice the huge crack through the handle, I was sad, sent it back, not cool to only show the good sides. Hope yours doesn't have the crack.

**morganjg** · 04-13-2012, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by taco8slo

It looks like there "might" be a crack down the length of the handle

Second picture kind of shows a crack the entire length of the handle, which explains why the ball end and top are removed. You are more than likely either going to need to epoxy the ends back on to use or get another handle. Most crack though, so it isn't entirely unexpected.

**MacDaddy** · 04-13-2012, 11:49 AM

Assuming that the blade that's shown unwrapped in the second photo is original to the razor, which is certainly likely unless someone rewrapped some other blade in the original hole-punched wax paper wrapper that you've got there, the razor is from sometime close to the middle of December 1926. The date code 2150 on the blade means it was made in the 50th week of 1926.

**taco8slo** · 04-13-2012, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by MacDaddy

Assuming that the blade that's shown unwrapped in the second photo is original to the razor, which is certainly likely unless someone rewrapped some other blade in the original hole-punched wax paper wrapper that you've got there, the razor is from sometime close to the middle of December 1926. The date code 2150 on the blade means it was made in the 50th week of 1926.

Nice investigating work!

**NickyBobby** · 04-13-2012, 12:30 PM

Yeah, I messaged the seller about the crack and he never got back to me. I figure for $10 it was worth a gamble. Did I get ripped off? How difficult will that be to repair/replace? And should I even attempt to use the two unopened razors?

**Krona Kruiser** · 04-13-2012, 12:51 PM

Dude, I almost pulled the trigger on that one. The box it came in is pretty neat especially if it came with those old blades. It can double as a display. You may want to keep an eye out for another handle or use a Tech handle for the meantime. I don't think it was a rip-off. However, I hate when sellers are sneaky like that. It's one thing to not know anything about the razor but not listing the crack is shady.

**Lord Tech** · 04-13-2012, 12:58 PM

10 $ sounds like a good deal to me, since it has an original box and blades. I wonder how many of those old boxes are still around?
The handle is easy to replace because there are still plenty of ball end old types. And you can always fit a different handle, a tech handle will fit fine.

**NickyBobby** · 04-13-2012, 01:04 PM

Awesome! I believe that I have a second Tech on its way (thanks to Krona), so in the mean time I'll use that handle. I agree that if that is a crack (which I'm 99% sure it is) that it's shady. However, seeing as how I won't have to pay shipping on the thing I don't feel too bad about it. I really just wanted to get my hands on an open comb and see how they shave. Not to mention, $10 is cheap for membership into the BOTOC.

I also agree about using the box for display. I thought the box alone had to be worth a couple of bucks (if not $10). Still debating about whether to open one of those blades and use them though.

**NickyBobby** · 04-13-2012, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Rob72

Nick, if you have access to one, would you be able to post a micrometer measurement of the neck, where it presses into the barrel? I'm hoping about 0.375". I have some CF tubing, and I'm wondering of its the right size.

I'll see what I can come up with. I don't have it yet, but I'll let you know when I have the razor in my possession.

**Krona Kruiser** · 04-13-2012, 01:09 PM

Oh oh, the old-type is a "gateway" OC. Be careful, you'll get hooked.

Don't use the old blade. Decades and decades of exposure to the elements have ruined the edge, not to mention, they are not near as good as modern blades.

**Snargle** · 04-13-2012, 01:23 PM

Nice score. It'll shave well once you do something about the handle (repair or replace).

Originally Posted by Krona Kruiser

Oh oh, the old-type is a "gateway" OC. Be careful, you'll get hooked.

Don't use the old blade. Decades and decades of exposure to the elements have ruined the edge, not to mention, they are not near as good as modern blades.

+1 Don't even think of using the blades. They're not going to give you an acceptable shave. Keep the blades, wrappers, box, etc. intact and protected as part of a "collectible" set.

**Sledgehammer39** · 04-13-2012, 01:36 PM

Sweet Haul, it looks great!

**Dalejr** · 04-13-2012, 03:59 PM

Definately looks like a crack...

**CGW409** · 04-13-2012, 05:39 PM

Nice haul, I snagged one at a local antique shop for 10.00 for the razor all by it's lonesome.
It also had a small crack and the handle top came off but a little marine grade epoxy from the local Menards fixed her right up.
I would imagine a brass tube of a slightly smaller diameter with a bit of marine epoxy spread over it might work to beef up the tube a bit and then a bit of epoxy for the two end pieces.

**NickyBobby** · 04-18-2012, 01:34 PM

UPDATE: Razor arrived today, and big surprise, it's cracked the fully length. So, I need to make a trip to home depot and get some tubing, epoxy and a clamp.

And now for the two things I didn't notice before. First, the razor is silver plated. The box makes reference to the availability of access to a free tube of regular size Palmolive shaving cream with purchase of this special silver plated razor. Think this offer is still good? ;-)

Second, the date on the blade in the picture does not match the blades that came with the razor. Those blades bear the number "336." The razor itself has no serial number or date code that I can see. Any thoughts on how I would date this razor?