Black Beauty Q date code

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by gregkw1, May 11, 2016.

  1. gregkw1

    gregkw1 Well-Known Member

    Can anybody tell me how rare a Black Beauty with a Q date code may be.
     
  2. gregkw1

    gregkw1 Well-Known Member

    Also how rare is the Mis stamped RR Black Beauty date code and which one of the two would be considered more rare the Q1 or the RR.
     
  3. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    The misstamp 'RR' would be 'more' rare, but neither razor is 'rare.'

    A-I (1980-1989) would be the rare ones, the later the date, the rarer the razor.
     
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  4. gregkw1

    gregkw1 Well-Known Member

    Really that's very surprising

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  5. mrchick

    mrchick Odd, Terrible Avatar

    I've run across more than one of these Q date code razors. The seller is usually asking big money thinking they have the rarest razor ever. I wouldn't buy one unless the price was reasonable.
     
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  6. gregkw1

    gregkw1 Well-Known Member

    What do you consider reasonable

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  7. mrchick

    mrchick Odd, Terrible Avatar

    I would be reluctant to pay more than $60.00 myself.
     
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  8. gregkw1

    gregkw1 Well-Known Member

    I can buy on right now for 40

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  9. mrchick

    mrchick Odd, Terrible Avatar

    Sounds like a good deal to me.
     
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  10. Redfisher

    Redfisher Doesn't celebrate National Donut Day

    I was going to say about $30 unless it's mint with the case and all. Just not that special and like all the used adjustable razors can have serious issues with the mechanics. I know because I've had a number of flaky fat boys and all the rest.
     
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  11. gregkw1

    gregkw1 Well-Known Member

    Just got it for $31. Shorty. Looks 2B in mint condition

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  12. Redfisher

    Redfisher Doesn't celebrate National Donut Day

    Well there you go!
     
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  13. gregkw1

    gregkw1 Well-Known Member

    Got my eye on another one and and a RR

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  14. youngunn

    youngunn Where's my TSD aftershave balm???

    Yeah the later years are really hard to find in my experience. It took me 2 years to find a 1983 black beauty and then I found two at once.

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  15. Bezoar

    Bezoar Active Member

    any Gillette adjustable made after 1980 is hard to find. especially if its in usable condition. and should be considered extremely rare if it has the case.
     
  16. Shave7

    Shave7 Active Member

    I understand the letter Q was purposely not used by Gillette in its dating series, because of the possible visual confusion between the letters Q and O. I doubt a Q model in fact exists, but if it does, it was a factory glitch that was quickly corrected.

    http://www.razorarchive.com/gillette-date-codes
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2016
  17. Bezoar

    Bezoar Active Member

    Q lettered gillettes exist. I saw a superspeed on ebay with a q stamp. Although its not common, I have seen 2 q code super adjustables on ebay, and 3 in various forum selling areas.
     
  18. Shave7

    Shave7 Active Member

    Post Script on this matter of Gillette Q date codes:

    Has anyone on the forum personally seen a Q coded Gillette, and examined the Q with a magnifying glass? Or are we talking only 3rd party hearsay experiences or ebay pictures?

    For the sake of friendly discussion, let's say a Q coded Gillette does exist. What year would it be assigned? (I understand O was 1969 and P was 1970, if my memory is correct.)

    Also, what are the chances some skillful and creative person with too much time on his hands has altered the O to be a Q, probably not hard to do, for his own special reasons?

    This is an interesting topic that probably will never be resolved to the satisfaction of all. Thanks to gregkw1 for introducing it.
     
  19. Bezoar

    Bezoar Active Member

    I think a few q codes are personally owned over on badger and blade, and well I never felt like purchasing a razor just for the funky date code.

    Sure I hunted my fat boy down because it had the service notch.... but that's just an important feature.
     
  20. Bezoar

    Bezoar Active Member

    and the q code would be 1st quarter 1971. it was replaced by the RR code, then the standard R code
     
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