Anyone ever seen a set like this? The date on the guard is I2. I have seen the ones with metal guards and Bakelite tops with Bakelite handles but I have never seen one like this. Thought it was unique so I picked it up at an antique mall for $4... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This is a Tech that was issued to the US Military during or after WWII. At least, I think it is. There are others here that know better. As I understand it, Bakelite was used due the lack of availability of metal. But, I've bought one on eBay and given it to a re-enactor friend. The one that I gave him was a little different. The blade bed was Bakelite, but it wasn't curved as yours is. It very much had the same look at a plastic version of the standard Tech base. The head was Zamak, too. Edit: fixed a typo and a little more color.
I could be wrong, but I would guess those letter and numbers are from a mold to identify a certain cavity in case there is a problem with it as Gillette didn't have date codes then. First ones I've seen on an army tech though. That case was used for Techs issued to the armed services, but have also been used after WWII. But yours does seem to be a WWII set because of the bakelite base plate. I have one similar, but nickle plated base plate and another in a black army metal case, bakelite base plate (1943).
Thanks for the info. I still can't find any completed listings on eBay to give me a ballpark price on these but at $4 it doesn't matter much. What's the best way to clean Bakelite?
I just soak them in Dawn dish soap and use a toothbrush to scrub clean, but yours looks fine from the pictures. Also, maybe even some polishing, I use Flitz, but there are others that will work on plastic, even a car polish.
even a 'cleaner' car wax will do well, especially if you're doing it by hand. Don't use a rotary tool, they can get too hot.
Ugh....i gotta run one of these down. I am notva big DE guy but I love bakelite. A tech and slant are on the list now.
There are a few different configurations of them. They're not expensive and anyone can make up a nice collection of them.
Black ones are the most common, but there are multiple colors, and...As @jimjo1031 pointed out, there are multiple configurations as well.
Hello, I read somewhere that the numbers on the bottom of some of these plastic/Bakelite wartime Techs indicate which shaving shaving edge is which. Side 1 or side 2. Also I don't recall if the Gillette Wartime Bakelite Techs had three lather slots under each safety bar, or two. Star also made a Wartime Bakelite Tech. Does the baseplate or handle Bottom have a name on them? Or a logo? I think it's a Gillette, but I'm not sure. It seems to be in really good condition no matter who the manufacturer is. I bet it shaves pretty good too. Good score sir, congratulations! Have a great night!
Surprised it doesn't say Gillette from the pics that @LKLive13 has. Also, Star had the old style three posts, a bit different than Gillette, on bakelite techs, at least mine does and it does say Star on the baseplate, with a star figure on the handle bottom. Just a guess, but possibly a base plate from another razor as it wasn't uncommon for service men to change parts due to loss or breakage.
It is indeed a Gillette handle. The base is what threw me off on it being a true Gillette razor or not. The base has no markings other than I2
Yeah, it doesn't look like an L, should've zoomed on the pic. Most likely side numbers as you mention as some blades were also done that way.
My Clix, which has a Gillette base plate, has a metal cap. My Star (part of yesterday's haul along with a Gillette bakelite handle tech) has a metal cap, and my three bakelite Gillettes also have metal caps.
