Gillette Adjustable DE Razors - A Complete Photo

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by GlennConti, Mar 10, 2017.

  1. Taipan

    Taipan Well-Known Member

    Glenn, just a small detail (but, hey, that's what turns us on!). I notice that some SA's have the numbers picked out in black and some don't. Is that a difference between models/makers or just wear and tear?
     
  2. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    I believe the packaging is old on the Super Adjustables on the left. The numbers are are harder to read, but yes they are all black.

    On another note, I just put together this Adjustable Razor Terminology Guide. Are there any major errors, minor errors or suggestions? Comments sincerely appreciated! Thanks in advance...

    PartListTerminologyV2-Monitor.jpg
     
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  3. Taipan

    Taipan Well-Known Member

    Glenn, thanks for the feedback on the numbers.
    I like your idea of a terminology guide; very useful. Is it worth noting that the door actuator is also where you load the blade? Difficult to make it out on a direct overhead view perhaps.
    Would the base plate be better named 'moveable base plate' as that is the part that does the deed as far as adjusting the gap? Not criticising, btw, love what you're doing for knowledge and appreciation of the Gillette Adjustables.
     
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  4. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    This is a working document. Notice the version number on the bottom. Please, criticize it, suggestions whatever, I am trying to vet this far and wide.
     
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  5. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    PartListTerminologyV4.jpg

    New version of the document...
     
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  6. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    IMG_0244.JPG IMG_0271.JPG This is a great resource Glenn. Here's a couple of pictures of my '71 SA-109. Feel free to use 'em.
     
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  7. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    The R-R Date Codes are definitely cool! Any theories or nuggets I could add about them to my site?
     
  8. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    Here is the "Final Version"....

    PartListTerminologyV9.jpg
     
  9. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    I picked it up at a fleamarket for $1. Needless to say I handed one over and departed quickly!
     
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  10. RockyNomad

    RockyNomad Member

    Only one for me and it's off being delta echoed.
     
  11. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    Just paid $18 for a LC NEW (cracked handle to try to fix) and a Slim adjustable. The Slim looks like hell, but everything moves right, and I suspect that a couple of rounds in the ultrasonic cleaner will remove the bulk of the caked soap and rust stains.
     
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  12. Taipan

    Taipan Well-Known Member

    Lots of new stuff added since I last looked. This is a brilliant resource. Thanks Glenn.
     
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  13. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    Thank you Sir! The ContactUs page has turned into a miscellaneous page where I talk about The Gillette Company, the head of R&D at Gillette during the time period, a neat blurb on Foamy shaving cream and I just added a bunch of information about Gillette razor blade advances in the 60's which were considerable.

    It seems the prevailing theory at Gillette at the time was that there is one and only one best razor blade for everyone. The blade is one-size-fits-all and to customize a shave for the individual you must use an adjustable razor. This seems completely at odds with the YMMV theory of razor blades and a sharp blade is needed for coarse beards and a duller blade is needed for sensitive skin. So depending on the individual, a person must find the right balance of sharpness and smoothness, in a razor blade, to get a comfortable shave. Gillette, during this time period, only offered one blade choice, but kept improving that choice through innovation and technology. Today double edge blade manufactures offer many choices, but provide very little information, other than brand name and price, leaving consumers to experiment to find what works for them. This actually makes the equation of how to get a great shave much more difficult to solve today. Multiple different non-adjustable razors (for the most part except Merkur) and multiple different blade types. After doing my research on Gillette's razor blade innovations, I believe a Stainless Steel blank with a Platinum-Chromium alloyed edge coated in PTFE is the best (similar to Gillettes premier offering the Platinum-Plus) and I find it cheaply today in the Lord Platinum Class razor blade out of Egypt.

    Here is a chart I did ranking and comparing the various blades offered by Gillette during the adjustable razor period. The ranking per category goes from 1 to 5 with 5 being the best. The total score summed from each of the three categories allowed the blade to become more highly listed from bottom to top (highest "14" total - Platinum-Plus is best; and lowest "5" total - Blue Blades is worst). This is NOT a subjective selection based on my testing the blades on my face. This is based on a review of the innovations discovered when I read the patent applications. As Gillette improved in each of the three categories they achieved a higher score in that category. Please note the Platinum-Plus does not get a "5" in the longevity/Anti-corrosive category because that honor is reserved for the use of Tungsten (a super dense material) instead of Chromium as an alloy metal.

    The full write up with references to the patent applications and news articles is on my ContactUs page if anyone wants to see the full write up in all its gory detail.

    GilletteBladeComparision copy.jpg
     
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  14. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    Was there any difference between the Gillette Super Stainless in the white case with the black top with the gold crown logos, and the all white case with the "The Spoiler" logo?
     
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  15. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    No. They just altered the packaging for a promo. The blade was the same. Super Stainless was a PTFE coated stainless steel blank. The PTFE coating yielded a "remarkable increase in shaving effectiveness and decreased pull " according to the patents. But, what was later found is the heat necessary to apply the PTFE softened the stainless steel affecting its longevity. This was solved with the application of a noble metal/dense metal alloy to the blade edge. The Platinum-Plus was was definitely a superior blade.
     
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  16. Taipan

    Taipan Well-Known Member

    Fascinating stuff, as ever. I'll dig out my puck of Lord Platinums and give one a whirl in a Fat Boy.
     
  17. LOOT

    LOOT Well-Known Member

    I just added #8. If it is what I think it is... @GlennConti may need to change his website. :) Glenn can probably identify it by this single photo. I'll add another one that will drive the point home.

    I don't have this in hand just yet, but it's paid for. I'm super, super stoked.

    Edit: Photos may be playing tricks on me. Is it Silver...or Gold? Either way...I stole it. I'll weigh it when it shows up. That'll tell me what color it is. Which begs the question Glenn, if they are identical, why is there a weight discrepancy of 1oz.

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    Last edited: Apr 18, 2017
  18. LOOT

    LOOT Well-Known Member

    Is it a unicorn GC?

    upload_2017-4-18_16-41-3.jpeg
     
  19. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    It's a Chrome Toggle. There is a Nickel Plated and a Gold Plated one. If it is a Nickel one its value is $400 to $700 +/- range. If it's a Gold one.... Oh boy! You definitely have a unicorn! The one I have has been authenticated and as far as I know is the only one to exist. In 2013, I only paid $1200 for mine because no one would believe it was real.

    ChromeToggles-00.JPG ChromeToggles-01.JPG
     
  20. GlennConti

    GlennConti Well-Known Member

    Both of mine weigh the same; 85 grams. The descrepency must have been a measurement error or difference in the scale used at different times. But, just for you ;), I grabbed each one and just now weighed them both on the same scale.
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2017

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