Pre Super Speed?

While doing some polishing last week I noticed a unique Super Speed among many others and I was wondering if anyone had any information on it or the earliest Super Speed production.

In the photo below you can see a small 'shoulder' on the top of the handle of the middle razor. No other SS or any of its ancestors I've seen has this excepting the aluminum handled black tip SS's that were made much later.

Ranger Tech, SS?, '47 SS


This mysterious Super Speed has the same bar design as the Ranger Tech without the pressed crease in the bar seen in the '47 on the right and all later models. The shaves seem to be much different between a RT and a later SS for me.

SS?, '47SS


It also has a very heavy stamping on the bottom of the head with coarse lettering that I've also not seen in any other SS's or its predecessors. Gillette seemed to have very good quality control in this area.

SS?, '47SS


Group shot. RT, SS?, '47 SS


Can anyone tell me more about this strange Super Speed? Could it be one of the first Super Speeds perhaps made with Ranger Tech parts left over from 5 or 6 years earlier, the pre Super Speed?

You've got a keen eye.
I've got one like that that I just acquired last month....I assumed it was '47 since it has a straight center bar. I've also got an X2 black tip that has the little shoulder you pointed out. The other late 40's-early 50's SSs I have don't have it, and neither does my Ranger Tech. You've discovered something interesting.

47 Uber Speed?

I know this little "shoulder" only from the 47 no notched SS and from the black tip aluminium handle SS

Here are a pair of '47s with the no notch and one has the little shoulder and one does not. I wonder which is the more common version ?

gets more interesting everyday.

Could it simply be a question of one of the many lathes having a different setting than the others and slipping through QA, or being noticed and not considered significant?

Mike

Slant-Fan said:

Here are a pair of '47s with the no notch and one has the little shoulder and one does not. I wonder which is the more common version ?

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Slant Fan and Mr. Razor,

Do the 'shouldered' SS's you have also share the Ranger Tech bar design? To my eyes the shoulder is simply cosmetic but the bar design significantly affects the shave quality and blade angle.

MotoMike said:

Could it simply be a question of one of the many lathes having a different setting than the others and slipping through QA, or being noticed and not considered significant?

Mike

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This raises another question in my mind. Are the Super Speed handles lathe turned or are they two pre manufactured pieces of tubing pressed together?

In the picture below you can see an Aristocrat Jr. which is undoubtedly lathe turned. There is no 'transition' from the handle to the tapered part that attached to the razor head, it is one solid (and heavy) piece.

Aristocrat Jr.


On the Super Speed's it seems as if there may be a union at the checkered grip to the shiny tapered piece that attaches to the head.

SS Z-1


Has anyone ever disassembled a Super Speed and confirmed its handle construction?

MTgrayling said:

Slant Fan and Mr. Razor,

Do the 'shouldered' SS's you have also share the Ranger Tech bar design? To my eyes the shoulder is simply cosmetic but the bar design significantly affects the shave quality and blade angle.

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Achim or maybe Mark could better answer that. Regrettably I don't have a Ranger Tech to make the comparison.

Look closely at the two bars below. See the crease or notch in the bar on the right I have circled which would be directly below where the blade would rest. The razor on the left and the Ranger Tech, and probably some old Aristocrats, all have a smooth bar without that notch. That is what I believe greatly affects the blade angle and the shave. If I took the end caps off of my mystery SS, which are both on crooked by the way, it would be the same head as a Ranger Tech.

Here is a picture of a Super Speed with the crease on the left and a Ranger Tech without it on the right. You can see the bars better from this view I think.

Jimmy post a close up of your two '47s in that picture side by side. I think I see something else going on here.

paydepst said:

Jimmy post a close up of your two '47s in that picture side by side. I think I see something else going on here.

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Will do Mark, where do you want the focal point ? Silo doors open or closed ?

At the tops of the handles where the shank meets the neck. This isn't a shoulder issue. The handle tops look different to me on both yours and Chris's unless it's just me.

Slant-Fan said:

Will do Mark, where do you want the focal point ? Silo doors open or closed ?

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If you wouldn't mind I'd like to see a picture of the bars side by side or a front view with the doors open. Thanks!

Gentlemen, 3 photos for your viewing pleasure .

Thanks a lot Slant Fan. Well there goes my theory. I had thought that maybe the shoulder indicated more than just a shoulder and in the case of my razor pointed to a RT/SS hybrid. But that is not the case with your shouldered SS as it has the normal SS bar configuration.

Ah yes but the shank/neck junctures are of a different design!

Jimmy is that the '47 I sold you for 89 cents?

paydepst said:

Ah yes but the shank/neck junctures are of a different design!

Jimmy is that the '47 I sold you for 89 cents?

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Heh heh