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Super Speed Razors: The Post World War II Shaving Culture in America to 1955

KeenDogg

Slays On Fleek - For Rizz
My Grandfather was in Korea. He never had more than a mustache after he got out. He was clean shaven otherwise, everyday.
 
Of course we cannot limit our discussionof the Korean War to just simply acknowledging its impact on the production of the Super Speed razor. In three years and a little over a month-it was over; costing the US 54,246 dead-of which 33,629 died on the battlefield and the rest succumbing to wounds, accidents, or other causes-103,248 men were wounded during the period of American involvement. The Republic of Korea (ROK) lost an estimated 59,000 soldiers, and a combined estimate of Chinese and North Korean losses fell well past the half-million mark. Civilian deaths eclipsed 2 million alone. Seldom have so many suffered to gain so little-the border between the two Koreas was re-established along roughly the same line of that in June, 1950, leaving the Korean peoples more divided than ever. Throughout the conflict loomed the very real threat of using nuclear weapons, and this would certainly haunt the American public during the next generation and define foreign policy for years to come (Isserman, Maurice. Korean War. New York: Facts on File, 2003). God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown $Korean War Shell Casings Granger.jpg$Korean War UN Forces in a Defensive Line Above the Natong River 1950 Truman Library.jpg$Korean War Inchon Landing September 15, 1950.jpg $Korean War 1952 January B-26 Night Intruder Operation Strangle.gif

 
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Thank you Brad and Keen Dog! Yes- those are artillery shell casings gathered at a Seoul supply depot for shipment back to the States- destined for recycling into more ammunition. I included it as a testimony to the demands that the Korean War placed on the brass supplies that otherwise could have been used by Gillette to produce Super Speed razors. God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown$Korean War ROK Soldiers Unloading Shell Casings for Reuse 2nd Infantry Division Salvage Dump 6 S.jp
 
The first major overhaul of the now proven Super Speed occurred in 1954- a nickel plated Flare Tip was introduced, with a substantially knurled surface on the handle, allowing for a more secure grip. The head size remained the same as its Black Tip Super Speed predecessor. The weight of the razor increased from 54 to57 grams. A blue tipped Super Speed razor was introduced in 1955, with both an aluminum and standard brass plated handle, advertised for lighter beards, and was the precursor to the later lady-specific razor models offered by Gillette. Weight was 56 grams, and the diameter of the handle was reduced. In 1955, Gillette marketed the hefty 66 gram Red Tip Super Speed for shavers with heavy beards, and for those who wanted a substantial razor with a larger diameter handle. The Flare Tip continued in the lineup, with a larger head and the blade gap adjusted for medium growth beards. This was destined to be the best selling of the three. God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown $Gillette 1954 Date Code Z1 Super Speed Open Red Styrene Case with Ble Blade Dispenser.jpg$Gillette 1955 Red Tip Date Code A2 with Case, NOS 10 Blue Blade Dispenser Restored.jpg$Gillette 1955 A2 Blue Tip Super Speed Full View.JPG$Gillette 1955 Super Speed Flare Tip Date Code A1 with Case and 6 Blade Blue Blade Dispenser.JPG$Gillette 1955 Color Advertisement for Three Super Speed Versions.jpg
 
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Shaving Gear from the Early Super Speed Period

I currently have nine versions of early Gillette Super Speed razors, as well as a plastic handled Gillette Tech razor that I use for traveling. A nice example of a 1947 Super Speed, un-notched and with its tan Speed Pak dispenser and a box, all in good condition, remain elusive. I chose this mix of Super Speed razors for historical and personal reasons. My father shaved with a 1956 Gillette Super Speed B4 date coded Red Tip Super Speed razor, and I wanted to experience shaving as he once did using a nice, first year 1955 as my birth-year example. This interest grew quickly, and expanded into obtaining shaving peripherals and toiletries from the early Super Speed period- 1947 through 1955.

The reality of my father and mother having a set of three-month premature twins, along with the financial burden that their survival would entail, necessitated a more lucrative career change from teaching Chemistry and Physics, as well as coaching neighboring Duplin County’s Wheat Swamp High School to a division championship. His razor was purchased just prior to his acceptance of a pharmaceutical sales position with Parke-Davis- I can just imagine him looking over a Gillette Super Speed display in a drug store in my parent’s home town of Kinston, North Carolina (perhaps deciding to purchase it following a discussion about the successful habits of the various salesmen who called on the drug store’s pharmacist). It was missing an end cap under what appears to be careful use, and probably was the reason that he stopped shaving with it). God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown $Gillette Super Speed Red Tip Heavy Beard B4 Date Code 1956 Blade Silo Belonging to My Father Coy.jp$Gillette Red Tip Heavy Beard 1956 B4 date Code Head Underside Belonging to My Father Coy Brown.jpg
 
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tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
Just fantastic! I have poured forth my love for my '55 Red Tip elsewhere in these forums. It would be cooler if I had a familial bond to it, as you do. I'll just have to settle for the great shaves. It's a shame Gillette stopped making them after only a couple years. I know they were essentially replaced by the Adjustable, aka "Fatboy". But I'm surprised there wasn't any demand to keep the Red Tip around as a lower cost alternative. Gillette already had the tooling, so wouldn't have cost them much to keep making them. Oh well.
 
Tanker John; Yes indeed- it was that razor specifically which started this all in the first place... God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown
 
Tagging and bookmarking.

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My contribution: a 1953 (Y-4), Super Speed compliments of the bay. My first DE and it's been a good one.
 
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Thanks Tony Brown for sharing and creating this thread about Super Speeds and I will certainly be visiting this thread of yours on a regular basis. Here are some of my Super Speeds notched and I do believe they`re in the 1947-48 time frame no date code and a Milord notched and no time code as well. Like you I think they`re really nice shaving razors. Thanks again Tony!
 
Saxon Bowman; Of course there is far more to all of this than a thread allows, as the story of Gillette rebounding from near catastrophe from a loss of consumer confidence just before World War II- is quite a story in itself. So too was the decision by Gillette's Board of Directors to allow Joseph Spang almost free reign to invigorate the company. During World War II, foreign production and sales declined- after all, the world was at war, and Germany did have Solingen steel's reputation for some of the best razor blades made. However, domestic production, meaning that which was funneled into military contracts, more than made up for those losses. Almost the entire production of razors and blades was allocated for military use- foundational to the fact that once back into civilian life- servicemen would purchase products that were proven during the war. In fact- the backlog of civilian demand for Gillette's products after the hostilities, led to consecutive record sales until 1957. After the war, Spang began to diversify by acquiring other companies, buying the Toni Company, a firm that made home permanents, in 1948. In 1955 Spang purchased the Paper Mate Company, adding ballpoint pens to the Gillette lineup. Indeed-the early Super Speed period of Gillette's history was certainly one of growth and prosperity. God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown
 
Zirk 208 and Radium; beautiful razors the both of you! During the war (since your razors contain a bevy of thin blades, Radium), Gillette produced the Khaki or Camo (camouflage) blade, again exclusively for military use, primarily in the Pacific. Patriotic-perhaps, but I am betting that they saw dollar signs too. God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown $Gillette Camo Blade Close View.jpg $Gillette WW II 1944 Camouflage Blade Box Package and Eight Boxes.jpg$Gillette WW II Camouflage Blade Pack.jpg$Gillette Contract tech 1942.jpg
 
Allan; I have been waiting for representation of my Blue Tip brethren, and indeed they showed themselves in force...It pains me to look at those cases, as my lone ranger remains lacking. Tongue in cheek of course, but you are true to your roots methinks, as the Brotherhood of the Blue Tip's founder should be. Thank you sir! God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown
 
Mio Cuggino; Andy W; Keen Dog; Thank you all! More is on the way... God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown
 
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