**MYSTERY SOLVED!** Unknown, unseen Gillette injector prototype

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by IAmTheJody, Jun 4, 2012.

  1. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    I present to you my latest acquisition... The Gillette Contra injector razor.

    Myself, along with several other well known Gillette collectors have determined that this is a super rare prototype injector that was never released to retail. Virtually no information anywhere can be found about this Gillette Contra injector razor and no one - other collectors - has ever seen or heard of it before. The only official information found has been a trademark registration of the name Contra by Gillette "for razors and razor blades" from 1967 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

    There are no company markings anywhere on the razor, blade dispenser or the blades. After removing the bottom plastic tray of the case, I did find what appears to be a date code of F-2 which would be 1960. You can see this in the photos. Since the trademark for Contra is from 1967, one can only assume that the case itself was made in 1960 if in fact the F-2 is a date code.

    Using the blade dispenser, you inject a blade into the head of the razor. The blade is very unique in that it is a single blade but the cutting edges face each other. View the photos to see this. A Gillette patent was located dated 1967 as filed, 1970 as approved for such a unique blade system, which further proves this razor was made in at least from 1967-1970.

    Gillette wouldn't actually release an injector razor to retail until 1973. It was brought to market branded as the Gillette Trac II Twin Injector Razor, and two years later in 1975, it was rebranded under the name most of us are familiar with: the Gillette Twinjector.

    I'll only post a few photos here as there are 46 in total - too many to post here, but you can view the complete set at my personal web site in my razor gallery, here.

    1967GilletteContraInjector01.jpg

    1967GilletteContraInjector13.jpg

    1967GilletteContraInjector25.jpg

    1967GilletteContraInjector35.jpg

    1967GilletteContraInjector45.jpg

    1967GilletteContraInjector23.jpg

    1967GilletteContraInjectorBladeNotes.jpg
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2021
  2. Neolithium

    Neolithium I am Canadian, eh

    Jody your vintage acquisition skills are nothing short of amazing! Beautiful razor, although that blade system looks...a little different but still interesting.
     
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  3. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    If ever I've seen a razor designed for blade buffing the face...
     
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  4. Slipperyjoe

    Slipperyjoe Rusty Metal Tetanus

    So about when are you planning to open to the public.. lol...
     
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  5. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Coolness strikes again and its name is Jody.

    I can imagine one reason Gillette deep sixed the project: with the blades facing opposite directions, allowing one blade for upstroke and one for downstroke, you might get more mileage - twice the mileage? - out of every reload and so buy blades less often.

    The basic shape of the metal part of the handle is looks verrry familiar but I can't place it...
     
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  6. lradke

    lradke and doggone it, people like me

    That's really interesting! I wonder how well it would work with blades facing opposite angles? Nice find Jody, its another great piece for your collection! :)
     
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  7. battle.munky

    battle.munky Has the menthol.munky on his back!

    You have the knack for acquisitions Jody.
     
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  8. richgem

    richgem suffering from chronic clicker hand cramps

    This.
     
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  9. Jaymo

    Jaymo Active Member

    The handle reminds me, somewhat of the Pal injector, Schick adjustable injector, and the Gillette Techmatic band razor.
     
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  10. burnout961

    burnout961 Well-Known Member

    Cool find Jody. It's amazing how you dig these rarities up,keep up the good work (I think the rest of are living vicariously through you:D).
     
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  11. HoosierTrooper

    HoosierTrooper Steve-less in Indiana

    That is an awesome find. Wonder why it never made it to the public.
     
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  12. richgem

    richgem suffering from chronic clicker hand cramps

    I'm curious too.
     
  13. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Not sure really but it's possible the single blade with 2 cutting edges facing each other could have been more in-depth than they really wanted to deal with. I imagine it required new manufacturing machinery in their plant. It also could have been a quality control issue with such a unique blade. The blade is like a potato peeler, in concept. They came out with the Twinjector injector blades later on.. the ones that are double stacked to give 2 cutting edges and that was probably much easier to manufacture and deal with quality control than this prototype blade design.
     
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  14. alpla444

    alpla444 That's sweet!

    Wow well found, kinda looks like a fancy potato peeler (i dont meen that in a bad kinda way, just the blade alignment)
     
  15. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    :happy097:

    :)
     
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  16. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Now I remember - it reminds me of the Wilkinson Bonded handle.
     
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  17. Saliavin

    Saliavin Member

    That is very interesting. Where did you find it?
     
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  18. tomnat

    tomnat accepting applications

    Another sweet find, Jody. Very interesting. I'm not sure if I would want to shave my face with a potato peeler though. Are you going to give it a try? Or too rare for even one go with it?
     
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  19. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    An eBay seller in Massachusetts - which lends more credence to this being a prototype since it's not been seen before and was found in Gillette's headquarters home state.

    Considering how small the blade is, think of it as buffing more than shaving. You can go back and forth. While the blade design is similar to a potato peeler in that it has 2 cutting edges and they face each other, there is no guard on a potato peeler and you wouldn't go back and forth with it and a shaving speed.

    No, I'm not going to use it. Only 1 blade is in the dispenser and it's just too rare. I'd like to though, for sure.
     
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  20. Turk

    Turk Well-Known Member

    That's awesome. Thanks for sharing the info and pics IAmTheJody! That's what's so great about this forum.... Pictures and great info.
     
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