Friends, Wet Shavers, Den-men (& women)...Lend me your ears... From time to time, I'll throw in a search on Ebay, CL and Google to see if my Birth Year Razor - 1981 Gillette Super Adjustable, might be for sale somwhere. Usually, my search results are spotty-at best, and ALWAYS unsuccessful. However, since the "What Your Unicorn?" thread, I've had a hankering to get my paws on the elusive "Black Beauty". Which lately, surprisingly, there has been an increase of BB's turning up for sale on Ebay. Which is great, because now the odds are slightly aligning more in my favor, but still I'm coming up unsuccessful. I know that my BYR is black-handled, has a black plastic baseplate and according to the date coding chart on B&B, should have a code of "B1". I've scoured hundreds of photo's on Ebay, trying to match-up these characteristics. Fortunately, I have come up with a couple of potentials...but they remain inconclusive, because the sellers (when asked) say that they can not find date codes on the potential razors. Does anyone have a Black Beauty from 1981 or any year in the 80's? Where are the date codes found on these razors during this decade? I've messaged sellers asking them for the date code from either the underside of the baseplate or on the top - in the razor's head, but both potential sellers report that there are no codes to be found on either side of the plastic baseplate. Is that true? What boggles me, is that there is a 1980 (A1) Black Beauty currently on Ebay - the description gives the code A-1. Did Gillette for some reason stop date coding their razors starting in 1981? Am I missing something here? Can any of you think of any other explanation of why some people can find a code and some can't? Any help understanding these razors, would be greatly appreciated. It's frustrating to feel like I'm so close...and then...nothing. And for the record, I only want a 1981 first quarter production razor (B1) - I am not considering any other quarters or years at this point.
I have a Black Beauty with the plastic base sans date code. Not sure when Gillette stopped dating them.
You can see it HERE. It is the 5th picture over... This is a Y2 - 1978 Quarter 2...Though this may not help you if they stopped coding?
http://forum.shavemyface.com/viewtopic.php?t=48099 This link has a photo of a C2, so they were still coding in 1982
I have seen dated DE razors up until the early 90's. They did start putting them inside the head instead of on the plastic base plate.
Hmmm...puzzling. I have seen a razor date coded 1980 (A1) on EBay and the link above shows a clear pic of a 1982 razor with the date code inside the head...but swarden's razor from the 80's is not coded, however weeper has seen BB's coded up until the 90's. Wha? I'm still confused! I guess at this point, finding my BYR is impossible...well that sucks!
My sorry...I was talking razors in general for the 90's. BBs stopped as far as I know in 1988 but they were date coded then.
Which tells me that mine may not be from the 80's, but a later model. Without a date code, I have no idea.
I am aprreciative and thankful for everyone who responded and offered up their knowledge. The hunt continues...
I've been trying to find mine as well (C1) and it's almost impossible, the ones sold as 80s I've peeked at on eBay were actually 70s, etc. you can also keep an eye out on Above the Tie, he occasionally gets vintage 80s razors in that he dates correctly but they sell QUICK.
This one fell in my lap today. RR date code, very good condition. The guys at work are listening. Guy called on lunch and said"want to buy one of those old razors you are always talking about" I looked at it, and here it is. Decent price too.
