30 Day Rule/Focus; January 2025. All Are Welcome.

I remember the commercial.

 

Thanks John.

 

Thanks Gary.

 

Fine Saturday shave Gary. Perfect match of the Arko soap and the Pinaud-Clubman Lime-Sec.

 

Awesome Dovo Shavette Shave Joe.

 

I didn't realize Arko came in puck form.

 

Thank you Gary.

 

I love my Arko & Derby shaves...A wonderful shave set up Gary.

 

No you don't. You aren't that old. Deny, deny, deny!!

 

It depends I think on how you determine a line. As far as the longest single named razor to be produced, the Tech probably holds the lead, depending on how you determine when the Superspeed actually became that and not a different named razor. The one thing about all of the Gillette safety razors is they all followed a basic pattern of some sort. Going back to the Old Style, you have a three piece razor, just like the Tech. But, you have an open comb plate. How many razors, though, feature the Tech design.....even those that aren't Gillette? Think Edwin Jagger, Merkur. Three piece construction. Then you can go to the Muhle style - 2 piece razors with the baseplate attached permanently to the handle. But the head design follows the Tech design.

Or how about Gillette itself? The King C. Gillette (modern) is a two piece razor based on the Tech, from what I can see. I haven't actually held one, but going from pictures.

Now go to the Aristocrats, Superspeeds etc. Silo doors. Twist to open. That was carried over into the adjustable line once they abandoned the Toggle idea.

Two basic styles of razors, different blade gaps, handle designs, but you either have a removable base plate and cap (or cap off of an attached baseplate) or you have twist to open silo doors. That says something for the design engineers at Gillette back in the day. They really only had two basic styles, but they could develop the slightest differences to bring yet another Gillette razor to market to keep sales going strong. The same can be said for cartridges, I suppose, except they finally, in my opinion at least, jumped the shark by continuing to add blades and raise the cost for no appreciable difference in shave quality.

 

thank you Joe.i am sure a couple of generations of shavers have used arko and clubman citrus products hand in hand..bieng English,i love citrus products..

 

Spoken like a "true limey"...

 

It does indeed. My first Arko buy was a puck in the plastic bowl. Now I just grate up a stick and press it into a wooden bowl.

 

My Blue Tip Superspeed finally made it through the USPS. Unbelievable condition!! I'm not sure I could take a picture that really shows it off as well as it looks. Even the blade dispenser is in pristine condition. I almost hate to shave with this just because I don't want to risk damage. Seriously GREAT find. I thought I might have overpaid for this one but nope. It's a bargain.

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it's a c;lose race,depending on how one determines the line.the tech ran on until the early 80's in England for example but,didn't start until 1948,at least name wise.flare tip was a long runner,from 1954-86, by design mostly ..1 piece ,2 piece and 3 piece make sense type wise..i never included gillettes made before 1929 as they were built around a blade not usable in 1930ish and newer razors..
as for names..the "Aristocrat " name spans from 1916 -1970...in gillette speak..clearly beating the tech,1938-80..

 

that's a well preserved beauty..blue tip, toggle,red dot,bulldog and double ring are the only gillettes i have never shaved with.mostly due to expence..cool score.

 

I knew you would say something. It's true those commercials were aired in the early 1950's and I was not on the planet. However, in my six plus years of wetshaving and my ability of researching shave trivia, I have come across this commercial years ago so it is true that I did remember it.

 

Beautiful razor.

 

Beautiful razor, Neal! Usually the blue colouring on the tip is either faded or worn off in spots or almost entirely. That looks NIB.

 

Great discussion!

My own two cents: earlier today, I was looking at the internet articles / YT videos saved in my "shaving research" folder. In a Sharpologist article about the "best DE razors" in various categories, they listed the Merkur 34C as "Most Popular". And in passing mentioned that it is a durable design "since the 1940s".

If Merkur has continuously sold its Model 34C with no changes to design or designation since the 1940s, that might actually make it the longest continuously produced DE safety razor. Since it is still made and sold today, it is probably now the oldest continuously produced DE safety razor model. (Although considering the number of Techs and SuperSpeeds made and sold worldwide during their heydays, I seriously doubt the Merkur 34C is even close to being the "most popular" DE razor historically.)