Had another find this morning while estate saling - a 1951 Gillette Super Speed (date code W-1). Thanks for identification links offered up by y'all it makes things much easier! :thanks It's pretty funky right now but did come with the plastic case, albeit not in perfect shape. I'm going to clean it up (once again thanks for the links) and post a pic. Any input on how these '40's style SS's shave as compared to the '50's styles?
If this is a decent starter razor I may consider taking up the art of DE shaving. At worst I can see I can easily get into the act of collecting them ... that is if I can keep my wife from selling them! :ashamed001
I'm not sure the exact specifics of how the 40's and 50's razors compare (im sure somebody will chime in with that info), but ALL the super speeds are great razors and give a great shave. If you're looking to get into wet shaving, that razor will be great from begining to end and never dissapoint.
Thanks! I just stumbled upon this field of collectibles/usables by happenstance and am trying to learn as much as possible.
Well, you'll find plenty of info here at TSD. There are plenty of other internet resources as well. Any questions you have, we're always glad to answer. Pictures are always helpful in identifying anything. There is ALOT of stuff to start collecting in terms of shaving, new and used. Better be careful, or you may wind up just like us I'd suggest running to CVS or walmart and picking up a cheap boar brush and maybe some decent cream to whip up into a lather and see how you like shaving. Walmart, cvs, and walgreens all have some decent double edged blades they sell.
somebody's got a tweezerman badger hair brush shipped for $10. It gets respectable reviews, too... do a search if you're interested; it's mentioned here somewhere
If you get the cheap boar make sure its the Burma Shave one, the Van der Hagan one is trash IMHO. The Tweezerman is reported to be pretty good, I haven't used it so I can't recommend it. I can however recommend the 35 dollar Crabtree and Evelyn Best Badger (made by Edwin Jagger). As for the Superspeed, I had a early 50's model one and currently have a 40's model. If it looks just like the 40's model it will shave like the 40's model. Pics please, so we can be sure.
Ditto - No reason to buy a brush for sake of a brush. Get a decent one straight off because you are going to like it and you will use it a lot ! The Crabtree and Evelyn is a great brust for little money.
I agree. I have a 40$ Vulfix brush that I like very much and a more expensive one with a chrome handle and a bigger knot. I wish I just went out and bout a nice silvertip kent or shavemac from the start. Maybe even a simpson.
Woah! Hold on. It's going to be tough enough to talk my wife into keeping estate sale "finds" for myself without also using this week's budget on a brush. :ashamed001
Learn the art of laundring your money. When you go to grocery store use atm take some extra cash out. Looks like a grocery bill but you score a new brush !
Pic on its way, Doc. But, in the meantime ... I broke down and tried it out. You must know, it's been a couple of years since any kind of wet shave and at least 30 years since the last DE pass. I had to drop a cheap blade into the SS and use and emergency can of Barbosol, but after a full face of WTG passes with XTG's across the cheek I got very bold and went ATG on the neck without apparent damage. I then went through an ATG on the cheeks. Wow!! Nothing but a tiny nick which lasted no longer than a minute on the apple area. Very smooth and even. And very quick. Thumbs up on this SS. Pictures to be posted shortly.
Okay, here it is: I had trouble trying to clear the discoloration on the underside using posted techniques.
MAAS will fix that up. You could try something like scrubbing bubbles first too if you don't have MAAS around.
I used MAAS and it helped alot, but still slightly discolored. No where near as bad as the photos indicate for some reason, but still there. I saw somewhere where something called Blue Magic might help. But, anyway, based upon what I've seen definitely a '51 SS of the 40's style. Very nice smooth shave on both sides, too.
Scrubbling bubbles, huh? It doesn't look like that to the naked eye, but with the angle and the lighting it appears more yellow that the chrome look seen regularly.
Might take one or two MAAS tries to get it all cleaned up. Maybe a soap soak though....try to loosen it up.
Okay, I'll keep working on it. But, as far as funtional piece it was great, and that comes from an unpracticed, albeit weathered, face.
Yep, shaves like a 40's model. Who cares if you don't clean her to mint condition, she still shaves ya right!
