Plating on non-flare-tip Super Speed razors
- Thread starter TobyC
- Start date
Now that is an interesting question. The difficult part was getting pics! When I'm looking at these razors in daylight I can see the subtle differences in the shine of the plating, but translating that to an image is a tail kicker.
So I brought out three non-flare tip SS's I own: a NDC, an X1 and a Y2.
I included two modern production razors as well, the Merkur 37C and the Parker 87R.
Top row, left to right: Merkur 37C, Gillette Adjustable 195 F3, and an H2 Gillette Slim
Bottom row, left to right: NDC Super Speed, X1 Super Speed, Y2 Super Speed. The handle of the X1 attracts a magnet, the NDC and the Y2 do not. Obviously there's a substantial difference in the sheen of the Merkur and Parker compared to their elder, vintage ancestors.
It's my non-professional opinion the sheen of the butterfly door plating on the Super Speed is very similar to later produced Fatboys and Slims. The handles though, look a bit darker. Whether that's from the overall quality or type of plating versus the use they may have seen, I don't know for sure.
So I brought out three non-flare tip SS's I own: a NDC, an X1 and a Y2.
I included two modern production razors as well, the Merkur 37C and the Parker 87R.
Top row, left to right: Merkur 37C, Gillette Adjustable 195 F3, and an H2 Gillette Slim
Bottom row, left to right: NDC Super Speed, X1 Super Speed, Y2 Super Speed. The handle of the X1 attracts a magnet, the NDC and the Y2 do not. Obviously there's a substantial difference in the sheen of the Merkur and Parker compared to their elder, vintage ancestors.
It's my non-professional opinion the sheen of the butterfly door plating on the Super Speed is very similar to later produced Fatboys and Slims. The handles though, look a bit darker. Whether that's from the overall quality or type of plating versus the use they may have seen, I don't know for sure.
- Thread starter
- #3
No trouble at all 
If I had better lighting and technique the differences would be more obvious.
If I had better lighting and technique the differences would be more obvious.
The 1940s style I have seen have handles that are not as shiny as others, but that may just be because of the style of knurling.
The head and doors, on the other hand, are just as shiny as other types of Gillettes. I have a very lightly used SS from 1948 (likely date, has notches and a cardboard box), and the doors are nice and shiny, certainly on par with other vintage Gillette razors. A couple others are very shiny, almost mirror finish, though I don't know if they were polished by a previous owner. They have steel doors, so perhaps plating looks different over steel compared to brass. A couple others have passed through my hands and they were reasonably shiny.
The head and doors, on the other hand, are just as shiny as other types of Gillettes. I have a very lightly used SS from 1948 (likely date, has notches and a cardboard box), and the doors are nice and shiny, certainly on par with other vintage Gillette razors. A couple others are very shiny, almost mirror finish, though I don't know if they were polished by a previous owner. They have steel doors, so perhaps plating looks different over steel compared to brass. A couple others have passed through my hands and they were reasonably shiny.
I think all were nickel plated. What else would it be?
I've got cased low-mileage NDC Super Speeds that are plenty bright. Using them a lot wears the nickel off the high points of the knurling, some some brassing (or rust on the steel ones) occurs, and it begins to look dull. They started out shiny.
I only have a sample size of three, but two were given a brushed look by a previous owner, hence the matte look of the NDC in the other thread. The third (W1) was a dull, darker grey though, not shiny. The neck flare on all three, especially the W1 does have the bright, shiny look you would expect, more like the Slim.
If my memory serves, when I started shaving in the early sixties, my Gillette was bright nickel, not necessarily as shiny as the replaced one appear to be. I definitely remember that while in the service, especially while at Ft. Benning, Georgia for extended trading, our foot lockers were inspected daily, we couldn't use "display" razors so the ones uses had to be spotless with no flaws. The plating was uniform though.
- Thread starter
- #10
I just think it's the knurling, in my experience with cleaning the vintage Gillettes. Tighter angles, less area for Light refractory.........I'm talking out of my lower-extremity here....
I do think that knurling is harder to keep "shiny" the sharper it is.
I do think that knurling is harder to keep "shiny" the sharper it is.
I just think it's the knurling, in my experience with cleaning the vintage Gillettes. Tighter angles, less area for Light refractory.........I'm talking out of my lower-extremity here....
I do think that knurling is harder to keep "shiny" the sharper it is.
I agree. I spent a lot of time on these.
Might have been less of a shiny surface to start with, and the fine rather deep knurling is going to trap more dirt and look duller in use.
And nickel does indeed very slowly darken, it's not totally tarnish proof, just very resistant. Soap scum will also stick pretty well and dull the finish.
Peter
And nickel does indeed very slowly darken, it's not totally tarnish proof, just very resistant. Soap scum will also stick pretty well and dull the finish.
Peter
