I have a Slim Adjustable in my birth quarter & year but don't really know why I ever bought it. Its ok as a razor but I don't collect razors and its not even my favourite adjustable or my go-to daily razor, so it gets no love. As vintage razors go, I actually prefer the concept of having and using a razor older than me. So, what am I missing and so special about birth year razors?
Birth year razors?
- Thread starter BRITD
- Start date
Though I happen to like the slim, I am with you on that birth year razor thing. I'm glad that many people find an intrigue in having a working everyday device a old as they are - usually pretty old in the case of DE - but I do not see anything in it.
When I was an infant, it was a time like any other. People went about their daily business, which often included grown-ups of the time (most of whom are dead now) going to a store and picking up a razor. Meanwhile, my mother toted me around while I soiled my diapers. I do not see any link between the two.
It is especially regrettable that those born in the 1970s and thereafter often want a good birth year razor but they are rare or nonexistent. I could find one and pay its price - it would be a Fat Boy - but have no desire to do so.
When I was an infant, it was a time like any other. People went about their daily business, which often included grown-ups of the time (most of whom are dead now) going to a store and picking up a razor. Meanwhile, my mother toted me around while I soiled my diapers. I do not see any link between the two.
It is especially regrettable that those born in the 1970s and thereafter often want a good birth year razor but they are rare or nonexistent. I could find one and pay its price - it would be a Fat Boy - but have no desire to do so.
I with you. I had a a birth year and quarter razor, a black handle Super Speed, but didn't like the way it shaved. I tried to like it, bit just couldn't get a decent shave from it. Ultimately I decided that having a birth year razor wasn't that important, and PIF'd the razor.
I just so happen to have a birth year razor, it was the first DE I ever shaved with. When I first got into wet shaving I ordered a razor from the Internet, before it could be shipped to me my Mother-in-law gave me her Father's Slim it happens to be my birth year. I agree with you on the birth year thing, but the family connection is cool. I also disagree with you on the shave I think it is a wonderful shaver.
Nothing really special. Some gents just find a BYR interesting and somewhat sentimental.
For me it's a combination of sentiment and a good shave. Being born in 1978 there isn't a lot to choose from. I had a Y3 Tech, but it was so mild and basic looking (no Gillette logo on it) that I sold it. Later I got a Y1 Black beauty and it provides a very nice shave.
My birth year razor is a 54 which is somewhat dated. I'm lucky as I have a 54 Super Speed TV Special (1940's style) and a 54 Super Speed (1950's style) as Gillette changed over the design in the mid year plus added the Z-3 and Z-4 TV Special Special - I guess to clear out inventory. I also have a 54 Gold Tech and a 54 HD Rocket. 54 seems to be a good year to be born as there are several different style razor's out there in that year.
This is my feeling. I don't use my birthday-quarter Slim that much but I am still attached to it.
My birthday-quarter Super Speed does a really nice job.
I am sentimental enough to want a birthday-quarter Travel Tech too (still looking)
I have two birth year ('57) Super Speeds, one is my birth year and quarter. I have several vintage razors older and newer. I don't favor the birth year razors but I do think it is cool having them in my collection and use them and reflect on things of that era. I typically use my birth year/quarter SS during my birthday week!
If there razor does nothing for you, then get rid of it. There is no sense hanging onto something just because other folks have one. I love birth year razors, but we are all different, and if you don't see the novelty in it, then no worries.
For me, it's interesting because we can nail a lot of these razors down to a specific year of production or even a specific quarter. And because of that, I think that owning a piece of gear that has been on this planet the same number of years as I have to be very novel and extremely interesting. My birthyear is 1976 and my birth quarter's date code is W-2. I have three razors made in that quarter: Black Handled Superspeed, Black Handled Super Adjustable "Black Beauty", and a Trac II. I'm still looking for a Tech and an Atra to complete my birth year set. I'm a collector, so these have meaning to me. None of them are awesome shavers, for me, so they get little use. But for nostalgia sake, I do break them out for use in my birth month.
For anyone reading this who is interested in birthyear razors, but is from a younger generation than I, there are still some options.
First, what about the birth year of your father or grandfather? I have most of the razors from my father's birth quarter 1955 (A-2), and I have one razor from my grandfather's birth year 1927.
The other option, is to just pick a letter that has meaning to you. Could be the first letter of your last or first name, or something else that has meaning to you. I am doing this for my kids. I have 4 kids (boys and girls) with first initials of M, J, L, and J (born in that order). So in keeping with their born order, I am collecting razors for them of M1, J2, L3, and J4. The girls get Slims and Blue Lady razors, and the boys get Slims and Superspeeds. When they begin shaving, and if they are interested in trying out DE razors, I will have a kit of these "personalized" razors for them to use.
For me, it's interesting because we can nail a lot of these razors down to a specific year of production or even a specific quarter. And because of that, I think that owning a piece of gear that has been on this planet the same number of years as I have to be very novel and extremely interesting. My birthyear is 1976 and my birth quarter's date code is W-2. I have three razors made in that quarter: Black Handled Superspeed, Black Handled Super Adjustable "Black Beauty", and a Trac II. I'm still looking for a Tech and an Atra to complete my birth year set. I'm a collector, so these have meaning to me. None of them are awesome shavers, for me, so they get little use. But for nostalgia sake, I do break them out for use in my birth month.
For anyone reading this who is interested in birthyear razors, but is from a younger generation than I, there are still some options.
First, what about the birth year of your father or grandfather? I have most of the razors from my father's birth quarter 1955 (A-2), and I have one razor from my grandfather's birth year 1927.
The other option, is to just pick a letter that has meaning to you. Could be the first letter of your last or first name, or something else that has meaning to you. I am doing this for my kids. I have 4 kids (boys and girls) with first initials of M, J, L, and J (born in that order). So in keeping with their born order, I am collecting razors for them of M1, J2, L3, and J4. The girls get Slims and Blue Lady razors, and the boys get Slims and Superspeeds. When they begin shaving, and if they are interested in trying out DE razors, I will have a kit of these "personalized" razors for them to use.
How do you know your HD Rocket is a 54?
For me a birth year razor is an important connection to the world history that existed in that era.
For me, the year was 1962. Jack Kennedy was president. We were locked in a bitter cold war with the Soviets.
I am lifting a razor to my face that saw the light of day in that era.
For me, the year was 1962. Jack Kennedy was president. We were locked in a bitter cold war with the Soviets.
I am lifting a razor to my face that saw the light of day in that era.
My birth year razor is a D3 Gillette TV Special. Sorta interesting historically, and its my birth year and quarter, but as a razor there really isn't anything special about it, so I hardly use it.
I believe the BYR is just an attempt at trying something different for us newbies. At first I thought a 40 year old razor would be trashed, then I purchased one and loved it. Now that I have been lucky enough to win a PIF and try out an even older razor, my mind is wandering. I enjoy the shave I get with the 75 SS but it is not as close as the post war tech.
We will see where the yellow brick road goes from there....
We will see where the yellow brick road goes from there....
That nails it! I like to reflect on my age, the events when I was born, and I think it is cool I can be using something today that has been around as long as me!
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- #17
During the 1950's, Gillette made many different Rocket HD razors. Although, many are not date stamped, they are of various weights and materials and many were produced in only certain years. Some like my 57g Aluminum handle, nickel head & knob Rocket HD (which happens to be my daily shaver), were not date stamped but were only made in one year, which I believe was 1953. Mr-Razor's site has some great info on them.
I have the same birth year as well. I've been looking for a birth year razor and all I'm finding on the bay are slim adjustables and an occasional super speed adjustable. What 1962 razor have you found for yourself?
Yeah, I also have aftershave from 1976.... like you said, the important stuff!
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