I have just purchased another razor from E Bay UK ( Okay I'm hooked I admit it) It's a British flare tip rocket but unlike the other British Flare tip that I own, the handle above the flare tip has a ring free of knurling. Unlike my other flare tip the the adjustment knob does not move up and down when the doors of the razor are opened or closed . It also seems pretty shiny compared to the zinc plated example that I also own. The bottom of the head is stamped with the Gillette triangle and Made in England and the inside is stamped Brit Pat 594093. Any thoughts on this razor would be greatly appreciated.
Flare tip mystery.
- Thread starter Mersey Man
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- #2
And I forget to mention that there is also 11 stamped on the base.
That would be the English Flare Tip Super Speed.
Gillette England made both Rocket and Super Speed variants of many of their TTO models.
I have seen both English Red Tip Rocket and Super Speed examples too.
They would have been nickel plated apart from a few special edition Flare tips in rhodium.
The II is a late addition by Gillette England. Seems to have come in around 1957-8. It was an aggression signifier. I was the mildest and III the most aggressive. Many UK Red Tips have the III marking.
Great shavers all!
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Don't the "Rocket" versions have the gap between the handled and flairtip, when tightened down?
Pretty sure all mine do.
British Flare Tip Rocket British Flare Tip Rocket - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/british-flare-tip-rocket.38598/
Gillette Flare Tip Rocket Rhodium Gillette Flare Tip Rocket Rhodium - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/gillette-flare-tip-rocket-rhodium.37528/
Pretty sure all mine do.
British Flare Tip Rocket British Flare Tip Rocket - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/british-flare-tip-rocket.38598/
Gillette Flare Tip Rocket Rhodium Gillette Flare Tip Rocket Rhodium - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/gillette-flare-tip-rocket-rhodium.37528/
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- #5
Alum ladd got it spot on, it's the medium superspeed from this trio (1957 ad)
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- #7
The gap is actually on the handle design and is not part of the mechanics.
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- #8
Yep, my Rocket does too
I don't have an example of the English Flare SS but there are a couple of nice examples on the UK bay at the moment.
The only English Super Speed mechanism I have is the No.48 Aristocrat Junior, and that has the filled in section on the lower knurling too.
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Thanks, that's very interesting.
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- #11
M handle on my newly bought razor seems to resemble the one on the right which is according to this thread a 40s American made model. The head though on mine seems to be more like a later model. Confused? You bet I am!
If you google Gillette England Rocket......there is some information.....and there are 3 variants of the Flare tip amongst those (I went down that hole.....just like you are.....).....and got the 3 different variants.... they are all good. Are they different in shaving (I have no clue), but they are good.
This is your English Rocket Super
The US Flare should have a date code on the bottom plate. They were introduced in 1954, replacing the great so- called 40's Super Speed (in collecting and nerd circles).
The US version of the UK model above.
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The right hand example you have does have an unusually narrow bottom knurled section.
I think it is this US 1958 TV special. The head was starting to be redesigned with a lower and narrower profile, which was fully realised on the new Slim Adjustables of 1961.
The TV Specials were offered frequently in the 50's as part of US sports programming promotions shown on the networks sponsored by Gillette.
The knurling is a different pattern but they were at a significant discount so they may have had some economy adjustments to their designs. The minimal bottom knurling may have been a cost cut. They were produced in huge numbers.
I hope this helps!
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- #14
Thanks for your comprehensive information. It really does help.This is your English Rocket Super
The US Flare should have a date code on the bottom plate. They were introduced in 1954, replacing the great so called 40's Super Speed (in collecting and nerd circles).
The US version of the UK model above.
The right hand example you have does have an unusually narrow bottom knurled section.
I think it this US TV special
I hope this helps!
Flare tips/Rocket
Why does one do it different to the other? Why does one go up and down? Why is there a gap in one? and a ring in the other?
Left:- The gap one
Made with both right hand and left hand threads in the knob and handle, upon twisting the knob each thread works in unison to double the upward movement of the doors, hence the upward movement of the knob. [these are a pain, entry is by popping off the base plate.
Center:- The ring one.
Made with a simple right hand thread in the knob, and the ring locks the knob into the handle, hence no up or down movement in the knob. [these have a circlip type ring, entry to these is also a bigger pain ]
Right:- The collar one.
Made with a brass locking collar to retain the knob, that press fits into the aluminium handle.
There is no Zinc, one may be Nickel, the other Aluminium. In the picture Left is Nickel, middle is aluminium, right is Aluminium.
Cheers
Why does one do it different to the other? Why does one go up and down? Why is there a gap in one? and a ring in the other?
Left:- The gap one
Made with both right hand and left hand threads in the knob and handle, upon twisting the knob each thread works in unison to double the upward movement of the doors, hence the upward movement of the knob. [these are a pain, entry is by popping off the base plate.
Center:- The ring one.
Made with a simple right hand thread in the knob, and the ring locks the knob into the handle, hence no up or down movement in the knob. [these have a circlip type ring, entry to these is also a bigger pain
]Right:- The collar one.
Made with a brass locking collar to retain the knob, that press fits into the aluminium handle.
There is no Zinc, one may be Nickel, the other Aluminium. In the picture Left is Nickel, middle is aluminium, right is Aluminium.
Cheers
First of all, there are neither zinc, nor zinc-plated Rockets / Super-Speeds / Flare tips. Only ones that have aluminum parts.
Your razor is from the late 50s. Could be very early 60s. After 1962 they went for the lower profile head and yours is the high profile.
The reason why your newly acquired English flare tip has the moving TTO knob and your previous one doesn't:
In the mid-50s when the flare tips were introduced, the very first batches in England were just like the American Super-Speeds, no moving knob, the only difference being they have stamped Made in England. They were called Super-Speed in England, I have seen a UK magazine ad from that time saying 'Super-Speed' not Rocket. After a couple of years they started making the ones with the moving knob.
What is stamped on the bottom plate is Roman II, not 11.
II means medium, I is mild - only stamped on some English made blue tips.
Flare tips were only introduced in 1955. The first US batches are actually made in the last quarter of 1954.
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