The Haul: November 2014

What are my options for finding a birth year razor for my son born in 1985? Were there still DE razors made in '85?

 

Great gift with a lot of emotional attachment. I have one and it is a good shaver. I know you will enjoy it!

 

1985 Date Code F

DE Models still available from Gillette: Black Beauty Adjustable and Black Handled Super Speed

 

Haul From Shoebox ...

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I wasn't sure. Thanks! I'm on the hunt now!

 

Nice haul=) looking for some new favorite aftershave?

 

I am expanding my horizons in both soaps and Frags.

 

A picture of what arrived yesterday with what arrived today. The unlabelled soap is Wickham Super Smooth Sheridan.

 

New Stuff:


Smells awesome!!! Tomorrow it will have it´s premiere...

...and here my newest brush:



Looks and feels great!!! Nearly no backbone and soft soft tips. Not really dense. I think i will like it. This brush will have it´s premiere tomorrow too.

Greetings
Thorsten

 

Crap. I just passed on buying a nice, nice 1985 black handle Super Speed. Was going to buy it because it's the year I graduated from high school (and I love the 80s ).

I will keep my eyes open for one. The 80's models don't seem to be as common. The nice thing is that the knurling pattern on the 80s Super Speeds is a cool diamond pattern.

A "pro" tip from a proficient eBay buyer: if you want to find a 1985, search for an F date code, and pay attention to the knurling pattern on the handle. Because the site with the Gillette Date Code chart states (incorrectly) that they quit making Super Speeds in the 60s. So some "semi-informed" sellers who have looked at the Mr Razor site will think they have a 1960 super speed, when in fact they have one from 1985. You can tell the difference by the knurling. (and by ignoring the Gillette Date Code site for once.)

 

Have been thinking of getting one of these. I heard on a podcast that the Plisson is amazing.

 

Better check again. Here is a link on Achim's (Mr. Razor) site of a 1985 (F2) Black Handled Super Speed.

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Located on this page near the bottom.

http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/One-Piece solid guard bar/solid guard bar.htm

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My bad... Brain fart. I meant the Gillette Date Code chart site. It says the Super Speeds ended in the 1960s. Mr Razor's site is still pretty much the Bible for me. I edited my original post to reflect my correction.

On a related note, I'd love to score one of those Super Speeds with the rare "smooth" TTO knob without knurling.

 

Most of the reference materials have the Super Speed dates messed up since Gillette could never quite balance out names between the U.S. and Europe from the 1960s - 1990s. They kept switching and swapping. I think they finally went back to a separate naming convention between the two for many products.

 

Was also just having a philosophical moment here... Thinking how it would on one hand be awesome if the date code chart were 100 percent reliable. And on the other hand how if it were 100 percent reliable and easier for people to use, we wouldn't score those occasional deals as often where an uninformed seller is selling a 41 Ranger Tech as a 40s SS. A perfectly efficient and informed market makes for no bargains, from a macroeconomic perspective.

 

Yeah, I heard that somewhere myself. And of course adding to the confusion is always the problem of common vernacular and nicknames. For example, is a Flair Tip always a Super Speed? Is a Fat Boy the same thing as a Fatboy and a 195? Is New Improved older than a NEW? We know the answers to these types of questions, but it just makes it trickier for the masses since we don't always have agreement on naming conventions except those we modify ex post facto if you will.

And don't even get me started on people who still contend Schick codes are date codes, or on how Grafco and Adams sold Merkur razors.

Maybe one day our descendants will have these same arguments about Cadets and RazoRocks and Maggards.

 

Back to the "Haul" topic, I just heard a radio ad that called this weekend "ThanksGetting." The weekend when you buy stuff for yourself, before the "season of giving."

I can get behind that movement.

 

Yeah, I'm not addicted to anything.... I'm expanding my horizons

 

SWMBO dragged me to an expo last night that was divided between weavers and artists and I was one of only three men in attendance. Me thinks all the other boys were at the Sportsman's Club drinking beer and gutting deer.
All of the stuff on the weavers' side was for ladies and most of the art was pottery. While I was busy feigning interest I came across a very nice bowl for $9 that I put to good use this morning. It's too big for a puck of soap but it worked great with a squirt of cream and my long handled boar brush. I took pictures with a couple common items for scale.

 

Well it was either get a few soaps and frags or this ...

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... and right now my rickety, raggity old body ain't up to traveling!​