This has a patent date of NOV. 5:04 and it has no serial number on the inner barrel. Can it be dated to some extent? Is it a Frankenrazor from various parts? I know the photos are a bit blurry. I will try to get better images.
To me it looks like a New Improved called a Big Fellow. From late 27' to early 28' there were no serial numbers. I have a Tuckaway from the same time period, and no serial number. Greg W.
I dunno about it being a big fellow. But it sure looks like a standard single ring. Some had dates on the head. My single ring has a barely legible serial number on the inner shaft.
Thank you both, that helps. I will look again with a powerful glass. I will also photograph it again and blow up the photos. Might find something. The surface of the inner barrel and the last part of the threads, the part concealed by the barrel and not exposed to air, look very bright white and the head is oxidized to a dark grey. Perhaps it was silver plated. That would be nice. I will try a mild silver dip and see what happens.
Hello Epemetheus, I also think it is a standard Single Ring. From 1921 to 1929 Single Rings had no serial numbers. But I think there will be other clues as to its age besides a serial number. First off, it has a patent date of Nov. 15/04. That means it is made in USA. It also means it was made between 1905 to 1921. The Post 1921 Single Rings had no patent date on them. Also, starting in 1908 the Gillette diamond logo was imprinted on the bottom of the base plate. By 1912 the logo and "Made in USA" should have been imprinted on the bottom of the baseplate. Remember, if it has the diamond, but not Made inUSA it would have been made between 1908 to 1912/13. There are also other clues You can use to date your razor, but I cannot recall the specifics. It had something to do with the diameter of the center hole in the base plate. There are several other clues as well that I can't remember. But don't forget to double check to see if there is a serial number on the inner shaft. Oftentimes the numbers are very faint. So there you have it, that's about all I know. Good luck. Have a great night. Oh, the reason I don't think it is a Big Fellow, is the lower smooth band is too wide. It's fairly narrow on a Big Fellow.
The baseplate looks pretty wide on that razor. That could mean it was made after 1921. Some post 1921 Single Rings did have the earlier patent date. Gillette didn't waste many parts, and they would have used up any leftover barrels that were already stamped with a patent date. As I said a minute ago the base plate looks wider than the pre 1921 baseplates. In 1921 Gillette redesigned the cap and baseplate to make them thicker and more durable. OK that's all for now. I'm going to go back to sleep. Have a great night.
Thank you. With that info I am guessing it is a single ring, 1921 to 1923. Narrow comb teeth favor a single ring. The later big fellow has wider teeth. Gillette diamond logo (>=1908) Made in USA (>=1912.) Patent date on outer barrel (<=1921) No serial number for now, I will look more closely. (between 1921 and 1929) Unless there is a serial number that puts it in 1921, a crossover year where it might have a patent on the outside and no serial number on the inside. If there is no serial number, I am guessing it is 1921-1929, favoring the earlier years to use up the remaining handles with patent dates.
Don't use a silver dip. Do the baking soda aluminum foil trick. Although that specimen is hardly in what I'd call bad shape. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/the-power-of-baking-soda.40959/
That is always a possibility. I need batteries for the digital camera to take close-ups and perhaps find a serial number. Achim: The cap is thin like the image of the 1905-1921 single ring. Tony, I tried the baking soda and aluminum foil process without much results but I was rushed. I will try it again, use 75 to 90C water, and pay more attention to the process. I am betting on ca. 1921-1923. It is still a nifty piece of history and I will restore it to a reasonable degree and use it. Anecdote: Hey, I could stamp a serial number! A friend in the machine shop had a 1936 car. The serial number was rusted off, he had the original title from his Gramps, He stamped a piece of scrap steel, made a rubbing, and sent it to the DMV to get a new registration. The flat head is on the road.
Ah-ha! I gave the guard a few gentle swipes with Mother's Cleaner and Wax, and a tiny serial number appeared from the tarnish. N165186 (The 5 is a guess) That definitively dates it as 1920. Happy 94th birthday, razor!
Woo! Hoo! You've got a nice Single Ring there! I find my 1907 to be a great shave. I think the thin cap makes it a tiny bit milder than the heaver cap. Have fun with it!
Thanks to all. It is not a super-collectable, I will refinish it as best as possible. Gonna try it tomorrow with a modern blade. Recently I have been using a new style comb and this will compare the two styles.
