Gillette Rocket, the refined DE.

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by MTgrayling, Dec 1, 2008.

  1. lradke

    lradke and doggone it, people like me

    That's amazing!!! Its a British aristocrat. Those things are hard to get for a reasonable price. I don't know enough about them to be able to tell the closed comb ones apart, but you have a true gem there! Congratulations on the amazing find!!! :) For more info on them (picture wise) check out this page on Mr Razors site: http://www.mr-razor.com/Rasierer/One-Piece solid guard bar/solid guard bar.htm
     
  2. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    I just checked my cabinet. Nope, I don't have one either. :(
     
    brit likes this.
  3. allclownsareevil

    allclownsareevil New Member

    Feeltheburn
    Here in the UK we call that puberty.

    Luteplayers
    I had no idea. At first I just thought it was a fancy version of the Rocket HD ... which I suppose it is. After checking out a few links I think it may be a #16 on account of it being 82g in weight.

    Iradke - Thanks for the link you posted man, it was helpful. It helped confirm it as a #16.


    It just surprised me to find it sitting there amongst some other stuff I had. I must have had it for years. Had I known I probably wouldn't have bought the Gillette Slim. I'm new to all this razor stuff. I've been DE shaving for quite a while, since I was 19, but I've only ever used a Rocket HD in all that time. To me, it was just my razor. It's only when I retired it that I started reading up in order to find something to replace it that I became aware of the range of razors people still use. I like it. It's nice to see some people haven't lost their mind and DE/SE shaving is being kept alive.

    I'm really quite surprised at how well these old razors last. My Rocket HD is still as good today as it was 15 years ago ... and it was probably just as good then as when it was new. I've gotten some funny looks when shaving in a communal bathroom having a razor twice my age, but I never understood people buying the likes of Gillette Mach IIIs. The adverts say "With 5 blades to shave you even closer!". If the first 4 blades didn't do the job, what did you expect the 5th blade to do? Plus they're so expensive to refill. For me DE shaving was a practical thing ... and I'll be honest, I did like the fact I was using something that was engineered rather than just produced. I don't want this to sound snobby, but they just seem to have a little more class too? From back in a time when a man took pride in presenting himself properly, without being all metrosexual about it. It was a more masculine and gentlemanly period I suppose.

    Anyway, I wanted to say thanks to this forum, and those who contribute. It's made for some interesting reading. Some of your collections and dens are really impressive. I've found one or two things this last week that I may post up in various other topics to help someone else one day.
     
  4. youngunn

    youngunn Where's my TSD aftershave balm???

    Thanks to this thread I now want a rocket HD 500 lol. AD go away!
     
  5. xeno_basso

    xeno_basso New Member

    I became a member just to say thanks for this superlative post!
     
  6. alpla444

    alpla444 That's sweet!

    Nice looking razor's there Russ, can you post some pics of your Rocket, we dont see too many of them:), I know you say its retired now but its nice to see peoples daily shavers esp when one has so much history and use handed down.
    Thanks for sharing the pics
     
  7. Admiral Beez

    Admiral Beez Active Member

  8. Novacula

    Novacula Member

    That picture of the bucket of razors tickles me in funny places every time that I see it. And...I'm not ashamed. lol
     
    youngunn likes this.
  9. jkarp_53

    jkarp_53 Member

    That was a great read and an excellent posting! I have a Rocket on my list, just a matter of timing.
     
  10. allclownsareevil

    allclownsareevil New Member

    Well after searching for a replacement British made Rocket HD 500 ...... I ended up with two of them. The one on the left is the original Rocket I was retiring, the next two are new Rocket HDs, the last one on the right is a Gillette Slim and the top one is an Aristocrat.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    For saying I'm not into collecting stuff, I seem to be collecting quite a few.

    To be fair I'm going to sell one of the new Rocket HDs. I only wanted one, but I had to buy both, they came as a pair. I'll get around to listing them on eBay sometime soon. I'm probably going to sell the one marked "patent pending" because it's more of a collectable item and I plan to use the one I keep as an everyday shave.

    Thanks again for this thread, it's been really hand identifying various models.

    For anyone else, if you don't have a Rocket HD 500 and you're a collector, get one. They're really well balanced, heavy and well made. Would strongly recommend getting one.
     
    brit, youngunn and alpla444 like this.
  11. jkarp_53

    jkarp_53 Member

    Welcome! Nice Rocket collection...I'll own one of those one of these days.
     
  12. allclownsareevil

    allclownsareevil New Member

    Thanks for the welcome and comment. I usually keep at least one of them in my pocket at all times ... you, know, just in case a woman should ask the obvious question.

    You should try one. I'll admit I don't have vast experience of many razors, but in the last few months I've tried a fair few British made Gillettes and perhaps it's just because I'm so used to the Rocket HD, but the others don't compare too favourably alongside it somehow. It could also be because it feels so chunky and indestructible that other models feel a little ... not cheap, just not quite as substantial maybe?

    Having said that, the Gillette Slim is still a nice razor. Good shave if I crank it up to it's 9 setting. I told myself I'd get rid of it once I found a Rocket ... but it's a shiny thing. Men like shiny things. :D

    Nice. How are you finding it so far?
     
    alpla444 likes this.
  13. alpla444

    alpla444 That's sweet!

    I have yet to try a Rocket HD, its on my list, I keep saying im done with buying more razors but I still get some lol, but that said I usually sell one on to keep my total as it is (approx 17 maybe 20 razor) which for me is really too many.
     
  14. DirtDiver

    DirtDiver Member

    this thread is like a history lesson haha. awesome
     
  15. Admiral Beez

    Admiral Beez Active Member

    I'm really enjoying using my "new to me" Rocket. Changed out the first blade today.

    As I get older, and my twin 10 y/o children bring more clutter into the house, I am becoming increasingly minimalist in outlook. I joke to my wife that if I lived alone I would have one chair and no horizontal surfaces to catch clutter. Seriously though, I can't see myself collecting razors or anything any more, though in my youth I collected many things. I get a good emotional rush whenever I take a van load of old toys, books and clothes to Good Will or sell them on kijiji. I've started looking at my collection of war books, motorcycle magazines, etc. and thinking it's time to cull that herd as well.
     
  16. youngunn

    youngunn Where's my TSD aftershave balm???

    Rocket 500 is my unicorn razor I believe. Must have!
     
  17. ShinobiX9X

    ShinobiX9X New Member

    Hello there, for many years i had my grandpa's old safety razor laying in my toolbox with screwdrivers and so (i don't remember how it got there)
    Now for some readon this week i got interested to go back oldschool. i tried to clean it a bit and even used it, not bad.
    Then i wanted to know more about it and found this site. Thanks to you i now know it's a rocket HD (#8 europe style).
    Could you give me some advise on how to get it back more shiny? thanks a lot, superb article.

    I'll take some pics to post this evening.
     
  18. Taipan

    Taipan Well-Known Member

    Just bought an Aristocrat Jr. At least I know this thanks to your excellent piece. Just one point: underneath the Brit Pat No reads 430030 not 403030. Is that a typo in your post? Not remotely a criticism BTW, just a clarification.
     
  19. Paul Hunnisett

    Paul Hunnisett New Member

    Those Rocket's look lovely. As an Englishman I almost feel like it's my duty to acquire one...
     
    Novacula likes this.
  20. ShinobiX9X

    ShinobiX9X New Member

    My other grandma had 2 gillette from her father, just not sure what those are.
     

Share This Page