Unicorn Razor Club (URC)

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by BBS, Jun 6, 2021.

  1. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    Short production run but potentially a lot made in that run is possible. What I do know is they didn't make any more of them once they changed the dies to make the base plates for all the 1pc razors that included the Super Speeds / Milords and Aristocrats.
     
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  2. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    No sellers for the most part know what the 1st and 2nd iterations are and ask more for them than a standard 3rd iteration notched center bar Super Speed.

    [​IMG]

    1st and 2nd iterations of the Super Speeds, you can see the difference in the guards 1st on the left 2nd on the right. Sellers key in on the center bar so neither go unnoticed for the most part but they don't key in on the guards and consider both the same. They are not that 1st iteration is maybe one of the best shaving razors Gillette ever made the 2nd iteration not even close. Those 2nd iterations they only made them between January and March of 48 until they notched the center bars. They are in my opinion borderline unicorn razors from a production run standpoint but not as unicorny as the 1st iteration.

    Another little factoid is that both these razors never made it into Milord sets unlike the 3rd iteration Super Speed. They were only sold as Super Speeds and only offered in nickel plate.
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2021
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  3. Clouds

    Clouds Active Member

    Myatt Adjustable.
    Normal Myatts are relatively easy to find and are pretty inexpensive. I believe that's because most take a proprietary blade. The adjustables seem to be Unicorns.
    JMHO - Its a very cool looking razors - sort of a cage with a guard. Its labelled "FINE, MEDIUM and COARSE and has a little arrow on the twist knob.
    If you are wondering how I modify blades - I engrave away the unwanted pieces.

    I've only seen two of these, one in an old thread on another forum and this one.

    How does it shave: Its a very efficient shaver but has no blade feel. The first time that I used it, I actually checked after the first stroke to see if it did anything.
    As to adjustability - they were meant to be used with older thicker blades which had more "spring" in them but is iffy with modern blades.


    Myatt Adjustable.jpg
     
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  4. Jorvaljr

    Jorvaljr Operation Daytona 8000

    Thats cool. I have a Myatt Daymark that i enjoy. Mine is the “universal safety razor “ and takes regular blades


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  5. Clouds

    Clouds Active Member

    Thanks ,@Jorvaljr
    I saw a few of them while hunting for the adjustable. It looks similar and made of aluminium. I would guess Myatt they found out the hard way that if their razors didn't take the normal blades they were never going to sell and then brought out the Universal.
     
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  6. Clouds

    Clouds Active Member

    The Krona Adjustable has been posted here before, in the Schick thread.
    This was a prototype that never got to market and wasn't known to exist a few years back.

    The other is a Feather 800-1
    This one came in a case with a instruction pamphlet, so Feather must have produced a number of them.
    Other than this one, I've never seen another but apparently the Feather Museum in Seki City has one.

    How do they shave:
    Krona - Its no BBS shaver, so doesn't get used too much (which is probably a good thing)
    Feather - My one razor that I have not shaved with, but would suspect that its also mild.

    Krona-Feather Adjustables small.jpg
     
  7. Northstonehill

    Northstonehill Active Member

    Man, some awesome rarities here thanks for sharing your razor porn - great thread, Andy!

    As for Gillettes I can contribute with the following - which all should fall within the URC realm (have counted less than 10 specimens across various websites).
    • 1930 Gillette New President, silver plate version
    • 1930 Gillette Big Fellow Chromium #20 RFB
    • 1938 Gillette Aristocrat #14 set
    • 1939 Gillette Popular #4 Travelers set
    • 1940 Gillette Popular black handle set
    • 1947 Gillette Techmatic prototype
    CF2B9493-D7E4-48A1-9201-CBF215523967.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2021
  8. Northstonehill

    Northstonehill Active Member

    Incidentally - made this small video on how the Davies works:

     
  9. brit

    brit in a box

    awesome..:cool:
     
  10. brit

    brit in a box

    do the first/second versions shave like the ranger tech?
     
  11. Clouds

    Clouds Active Member

    Hows about a New-Born Unicorn - The Janus

    Kickstarter campaign that failed. Eric managed to sell presell 50. We know that only 51 were made. The delays and eventually once they were released the bad reviews. I really hope that I'm wrong here but I have my doubts that V2 will be released. Adjustables, by their nature have more parts and this has way more than any other "current" adjustable. For a first foray into making a razor this was a very ambitious project and from an engineering perspective I believe that it was a success. I've said this a number of times, I seriously believe it to be a future classic.

    Now, If this does not qualify as a unicorn - I'm not sure what will...

    How does it shave: Its super-aggressive so not one that I reach for if there is any possibility of me been in a hurry.
    After some experimentation, I start ATG with it on a high setting and if I take my time and let it's weight do the work - it rewards me with a "single pass plus some buffing" irritation free BBS every time.


    Janus.jpg
     
  12. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    [​IMG]
    :happy097::happy097::happy097::happy097:
     
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  13. Jorvaljr

    Jorvaljr Operation Daytona 8000

    Thats opening a whole other door.. lol those bbs la shave razors.. some of the wolfman razors. The Tradere.. smh i can just see all those shiny expensive.. out of my reach razors now!! [​IMG]


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    Last edited: Jun 15, 2021
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  14. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Yeah i don't know how razors whose numbers, providence, and ownership are well established are "unicorns" but they're nice expensive boutique razors. So my 2020 Paradigm Diamondback is a unicorn simply because only a few dozen were made even though we know everything about its production history and who bought them?


    I also have razors which are unique or extremely limited in production but since no one is looking out for them I wouldn't call them unicorns either. Anybody looking for a gold Cooper Kant-Rust??

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    Last edited: Jun 15, 2021
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  15. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    I am not sure this qualifies as a unicorn, but here is an early machined ikon razor based off the old type. This was his first or second design and I would guess that there were not more than a couple dozen produced at best..
    ikon_zpsxqsxfu51.jpg

    I have a few nice razors but none that really qualify as unicorn status
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2021
  16. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    1st iteration outshaves any ranger tech. The second iteration not so much. Gillette should have just left the Super Speed alone. They never made one afterwards that even comes close to the very first Super Speed razor.
     
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  17. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    51 documented to be produced counts as a unicorn. Unicorns don't just exist in the vintage realm.
     
  18. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    I wouldn't consider a razor like a Wolfman an unicorn because anyone assuming they want shell out the bucks can buy one made to order. The Janus yes because of the known quantity and fact there isn't anymore being made.
     
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  19. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    There are some examples here of where the set is the unicorn and not the razor itself like the #14 set. You can find that razor in other much more available sets like the #15 or by itself. The Techmatic is a bonifide unicorn as a razor and a set.
     
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  20. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Ok, we have different definitions, I guess my Diamondback is well qualified under yours.

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