Pre-WWII Gillette Tech:
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| 1938-1941 Tech: No date codes, triangular lather slots (two per edge), large diamond-shaped stamping in center of baseplate, short center bars on underside of top cap, with corresponding slots in base plate, and characteristic corner tabs under top cap. |
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| The gold plating on this one is mostly gone, so the top cap no longer bears the Gillette logo on its upper surface. |
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| Thick, durable metal used for the base plate. |
Post-WWII Techs:
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| Left to right: 1946-1950 Gillette Tech, 1965 Travel Tech, and new Rimei RM2003 Tech facsimile. Note the differences in the top-cap undersides: the early post-war version has corner tabs and a center bar longer than the pre-war; the 1965 model has no center bar or bullet posts and relies on corner tabs alone, and the Rimei has bullet posts in addition to the corner tabs. |
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| Left to right: the 1946-1950 Gillette Tech shows the original logo on the top cap; the 1965, with its cast top cap and nickel plating, has Gillette embossing; and the chrome-plated Rimei is plain and simple. |
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| Side view of the base plates reveals differences. The Gillettes have thicker metal in their base plates -- the earlier Gillette also has a more curved cross section than the 1965 version. The Rimei, though of thinner metal, is completely adequate in stiffness, though the thinner metal probably is the reason that it has four lather slots per edge rather than the Gillettes' two -- the thinner Rimei obviously needs more support for the safety bars. |
Happy Tech shaving!
There were open comb versions as well ;) Some made under other brands like Minora and Nacet.
ReplyDeleteCheck out post 12 and 14. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/194878-Open-comb-Tech
DeleteSame design and profile, just with the open comb. I have one and it shaves almost exactly like the closed comb, it just feels a little bit different of the face because of the comb.
I have looked several times at this thread in its entirety. I believe that these "factory" open-comb, so-called Techs are company-issued Frankenrazors as one of the contributors suggested -- perhaps done as a win-win solution for the company to both distribute a limited-edition special-release razor and at the same time to sell un-paired open-comb base plates.
DeleteI, personally, believe that it is incorrect to refer to any open-comb razor as a Tech. This is because the primary, patented characteristic of a Gillette Tech razor is the stamped-metal, *solid-safety-bar* design.
As far as the other brands go -- the Minora, Nacet, et al -- I don't know their genesis and evolution. Perhaps Gillette licensed them to manufacture and sell the equivalent of the factory-special Frankenrazors; perhaps they were divisions of Gillette using what today we might call the Proctor & Gamble strategy, which is to own competing brands to capture more overall market share. I just don't know about that.
DeleteI must stick with my statement above, however, that the primary distinguishing characteristic of a Gillette Tech razor is the stamped-metal base plate with solid safety guards.
Sorry, but it's my nature to be a bit pedantic about such things. ;-)
Great mild razor when paired for me with a Feather blade. Just picked up a nice black plastic handled one last week.
ReplyDeleteNice to get the black-plastic-handled specimen for your collection!
DeleteYes, they are mild, but not the most mild; I would say they are just right -- at least for my sensitive mug.
Never would have picked up on that curved baseplate; thanks, now I have to buy another razor!
ReplyDeleteHa ha, sorry about that. ;-) It's and interesting variation if one is a collector. However, I would suggest that both designs adequately press the blade into the top cap so that the blade assumes the curvature of the top-cap underside.
DeleteIt might be an interesting experiment to use the '65 top cap with the c.'46-50 base plate, which would quickly show whether the under-side curvature of the different-era top caps are the same. (One can't go the other way because the '65 base plate doesn't have the requisite slots to accommodate the center bar of the late-'40s top cap.
Spooky: it's like someone is reading this blog, and trying to make me superstitious. I dropped by the antique store where I found my NEW LC, and there was a single razor in stock, for $10: Z3 gold ball end Tech, featuring the curved baseplate, in a valet set!
DeleteSome of the squibb brushless cream is gone, the toothbrush and nail file are absent...but two Blue blades are untouched... no scuffing around the screw. I think it's not been used!
Uh, okay... hey, I think I really need a Aristocrat...
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