Schick Injector Type I and J reclassification

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by BBS, Aug 30, 2019.

  1. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Agreed that J3v1 is aggressive and efficient. I am enjoying it a lot.
     
  2. Spang

    Spang Member

    This is terrific information and explains a lot regarding my experiewnce with I and J injectors. I've had a number of them over the years and I just assumed that they were all the same, despite the shave results that should have told me otherwise. As I now know, my assumption was far from true. Thanks for your diligent work on this. Any chance you might take a similar look at the Gs and Es, as I think that the Appleby classification could use some refinement there as well?
     
  3. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    I am going to rewrite the Type E section on the Schick addendum thread here at some point once I get around the shaving with a few more Type E razors I have but haven't used yet.

    The Type G razors are pretty much right on except for the dates the way Appleby designated them except for the turquoise and amber handle razors. The G1 and G4 maybe the same razor but the way they were sold warrants them being designated as their own Type. The G4 was sold specifically as a Schick 66 and only that razor was ever sold in that set along with the fact it wasn't sold in other sets either. The amber and turquoise handle Type G razors shouldn't be their own type because they were never sold in unique sets unlike the Schick 66.
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2020
  4. John Ruschmeyer

    John Ruschmeyer Well-Known Member

    My compliments as well. For some time, I've thought that the whole I and J classification was hopelessly broken. IIRC, @jimjo1031 was the first person who I saw mention an I(55). That caught my attention as I had what should be termed a J(55) by that description. ISTR posting a few ads at the time which noted much of the same thing that you said about the overall release timing, overlap with the G8, etc.

    One thing which might be of note is that somewhere around '59 (I think), Eversharp sent out some comparison sets consisting of a short and a long-handled razor and solicited feedback regarding preference.
     
  5. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    It is but it is out of the range of what this thread is about. Unless it was sold at retail level somewhere even if only in a test market it shouldn't be classified or grouped with retail razors. It would belong in a separate section detailing prototypes which focus group type items would fall under.
     
  6. Spang

    Spang Member

    So does that mean that any Type G with the navy blue handle is a G4; i.e. a Schick 66?
     
  7. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Have now had a few chances to use the Golden 500 on a full face shave and have decided it's one of the best razors I've ever used, and the best injector. Aggressive and easily BBS efficient, but smooth with a careful hand.
     
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  8. John Ruschmeyer

    John Ruschmeyer Well-Known Member

    I've only seen pictures of the comparison set but I don't think the razors themselves were special, just the then-current I and J non-Hydromagic, both in white. It's interesting, to me, more in the historical context of when Eversharp must have been considering dropping one handle length or the other. And we know how that must have turned out. :)
     
  9. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    Far as I know yes though there is a possibility the gold and blue handle ones were sold in the same sets as the G1 from 1951 - 1954.

    The sort of short answer on the G razors if we go by sets is the gold plated handle G2, G3 and the G4 with the chrome head and navy blue handle were sold in as distinctly separate sets along side the G1 razors. The G5 and G6 were sold in the same packaging as the G1 so should be considered G1 razors with different color handles and if the gold head and navy blue Type G was sold in the G1 sets after they discontinued the Schick 66 sets then it is also just a G1 with a different color handle. The G8 superseded the G1 razors in 1954.

    As far as different types of shavers leaving out the G2 and G3 since I never owned either so I can't comment. Type G razors fall into 4 distinct categories. The razors get progressively milder from 1946 - 1957 in 4 distinct date ranges.

    First delineating line is 1946/47. These razors can be easily identified by the spring since it still says Schick Injector on them. Only G1 razors were produced in this variation.

    Second is from 1947/48 - 1952. These razors the spring is changed to Eversharp Schick and has the same squared ferrule as the earlier G1 razors. You have the G1, G4 chrome head and navy blue handle (1948 - 1951), G5, G6 and if sold outside the Schick 66 set gold and navy blue handle Type G razor.

    Third is 1953 - 1954/55. The ferrule changes on the G1 and becomes rounded. It is the same ferrule style as on the G8. They only produced G1 razors in this date range. The G1 was superseded by the G8 in 1954 but was still being sold in Christmas sets as late as 1955

    Fourth and final is the G8 which is from 1954 - 1957. The G8 superseded all the earlier Type G razors and also preceded the Type I and J razors by a few months in 1954.
     
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  10. Spang

    Spang Member

    According to Appleby , the Schick 66 (aka G4) is blue handle/chrome head. He doesn't directly address the G-type with the gold head/blue handle combination, but does say that the G1 came in handles of "various colors". From that it would seem that Appleby classifies the blue handle/gold head as a G1. I'm not saying that necessarily makes sense or is correct, it's just my interpretation of Appleby's classification.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2020
    BBS likes this.
  11. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    Maybe but the more realistic way to approach it depends the motivation of the person who is collecting. If they are a set collector then that distinction is important. If they just want a usable Type G razor then it isn't since they are all the same razor regardless of set, plating or razor handle color from 1948 - 1952. That covers all the razors assuming the G3 is the same shaver right there except for the G2 and G8. The earlier or later G1 razors the difference is minimal anyways that they wouldn't be worth seeking out unless you want one from a specific date range. The G2 which is more so a collectors piece I know nothing about shave wise except how to spot one visually so how that stacks up I have no idea.
     
  12. John Ruschmeyer

    John Ruschmeyer Well-Known Member

    There's definitely some differences in the G series beyond cosmetics. What I've noticed is a difference in the depth of the safety bar, at least between the G1's ad the G8 that I own. My G1's have an SB which is shallower in relation to the blade edge, while my G8 is deeper, more like my E-series razors. The best comparison is with a PAL Adjustable where the E's and G8 are like a PAL on 'L' (light beard) while the G1 is more like a PAL on 'H' (heavy beard). My J's and L's seem more like the G8.
     
  13. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    I've already stated there are 4 distinct shavers in the Type G series that can be delineated by production years. The G8 is one of those delineations. It is a wholly unique razor and shave among the Type G razors.
     
  14. John Ruschmeyer

    John Ruschmeyer Well-Known Member

    Agreed. Personally, I think that the G8 shaves more like an E2 or E3. I think something got mucked up in the Eversharp acquisition and it took until the G8 to sort it out. :)

    I suspect that Henry Morgan only ever tried a G1.
     
  15. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    I've been looking at sets and adverts and the conclusion I am drawing for the American stuff is the cheaper sets had the cheaper razors for the Type G so the razors that belong to a Schick 66 set will only be ones with cheaper plating on the razor head i.e. the chrome ones. Not only that the color difference is easy to pick up on as a way to signal this razor is cheaper and not as good as the gold plated one if the customer didn't know any better and thought the plating made a difference in the shave. The gold plated ones with the navy blue handles always seem to be paired with the standard G1 packaging and not the Schick 66 boxes. Just too many to be purely a coincidence I think anyways.
     
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  16. Jason47

    Jason47 New Member

    IMG-20220408-WA0005.jpg IMG-20220408-WA0004.jpg IMG-20220408-WA0005.jpg IMG-20220408-WA0004.jpg IMG-20220408-WA0005.jpg IMG-20220408-WA0007.jpg IMG-20220408-WA0009.jpg IMG-20220408-WA0008.jpg IMG-20220408-WA0006.jpg

    Hi @ BBS i sent you a pm. Heres some pics
     
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  17. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    It is a nice piece and would be considered an earlier model Type J Hydro-Magic because of the handle. Those were made for sure between 1954 - 1958. You can tell by first the style and case and the design of the lever. Later model ones made after 58 had a longer rinse lever.
     
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  18. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    Would J Hydro-Magic's without the 500 be considered the first ones...........
    20220421_221514.jpg
     
  19. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    They were called 500s for their whole production run from 54 - 72.
    [​IMG]
     
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  20. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    yeah, I understand that, but were they the first 500's
     

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