I recently picked up a Krona but only because it was a type I've never seen before. Here is what sticks out on it. On the handle it has a short metal knob but the logo says Schick with a + above and below the word Schick and no triangle through the word Schick like other handles. This is the only Krona I've ever seen like this all the other short handle metal knobs I've encountered have the Schick logo with the triangle through it. On the underside of the base plate one side has 111 and the other Schick. Does anyone know if this a first year 64 or some different style of Krona like a red or blue tip equivalent of a Gillette? It is definitely pre 67 since the door lifters are the old style not the newer ones, that is all I know for sure about this razor. If I get a chance I'll post a picture or two later.
That does sound odd. I've two Schick DE's of the later type. Haven't found a convenient, concise source of information to pin down dates. Looking forward to seeing the photos and any dating info someone finds.
Here is a picture from a certain auction site. What I do know about Krona razors is this. The first iteration had short metal knobs Second iteration had long metal knobs Third iteration had plastic knobs Short metal knobs > long metal knobs > long metal knobs taken off market while new lifter design is worked on > Eversharp Eagle sold in it's place or sold side by side> Eversharp Eagle retired > plastic knob w/ new lifter design replaces it or sold side by side with Eversharp Eagle until stock is sold out. Also they were giving away old stock Krona metal knob razors in 68 with a purchase of blades. They also changed the door lifter assembly I think at the same time as the plastic knobs. There are 2 variations which make these date-able to a specific year range. Some say patent pending and once the patent(s) were issued they removed that from the base plate. Here are the patents https://patents.google.com/patent/US3376637 https://patents.google.com/patent/US3377701 https://patents.google.com/patent/US3378921 So based on that we can date the plastic knob Krona razors 67 with the base plates stamped patent pending 67 and those without 68 and up with a great deal of certainty and the metal knobs pre 67. I've never seen a metal knob Krona with newer lifter design thus far. So the only anomalies on the metal knobs are the Eversharp Eagle which has the long metal knob and older lifter design. That puts it at pre 67. The other is this razor with a short metal knob. Besides the various door markings all the base plates had an M and 3 numbers on them along with made in the usa. This one doesn't and it is the only Krona without the triangle in the Schick logo on the knob metal or plastic.
For clarity some pictures of the Eversharp Eagle from a certain auction site. You can see the old lifter design, knob and base plate difference.
As far as the base plate markings those most likely were for production reasons maybe to quality control production runs, keep tabs on the work of the specific machinists, machines etc. The M could have specified the plant aka Milford, one number the building or floor, row and machine # in said row for example. It could be possible they had a production run(s) not done in the Milford plant and that is what this Schick with + on the knobs was if it wasn't their equivalent of the Gillette red tip. They did sell them in Japan as a D-80 on the box but I've never seen the actual razor markings to compare with this one and examples I've seen are plastic knobs. When Schicktember rolls around I'll be able to determine that when I put in a few shaves with this razor and my other Kronas. I also want to experience for myself if the metal knobs are less mild than the later plastic knob versions.
Here is proof the metal knobs are pre 67. Dated 66 https://books.google.com/books?id=kUBLURuzOxEC&pg=PA88&lpg=PA87&focus=viewport#v=onepage&q&f=false If I interpret this ad correctly they were giving away old stock to sell blades once the new patents went through. This ad shows both the plastic and metal knobs. Metal knobs being the free ones included with a purchase of a package of blades. Dated 68 https://books.google.com/books?id=KlQEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA23&pg=PA23#v=onepage&q&f=false So the question as far as I am trying to figure out is the Schick + metal knob, 1. the first production run of Krona razors, 2. something made for the foreign markets only, 3. some sort of Gillette red tip equivalent to their standard Krona?
The B&B Schick Krona wiki page does list a 64-65 short metal knob with "Schick" and no triangle as a known type. Mine is a '66 per the wiki.
Very good info @BBS! I've copy/pasted all that to my personal files for later perusal. My only two heirloom razors are from my dad. An Eversharp & a Krona that I ought to be able to puts date too, now! The Eversharp (top) has a black handle, the Schick (bottom) is gray.
Observed and known are 2 different things here. No one seems to know where this fits in on the Schick timeline. I researched other forums with no luck on the answer of what exactly this razor is in relation to the other Kronas including the B&B wiki and threads which are informative but not for this particular Krona. The door stampings are whole nother issue. The specific time periods they list pre 67 I haven't seen anything definitive, doesn't mean someone won't post something to prove that is the case either or it has been posted elsewhere, so I take those dates with a grain of salt. I am also making an assumption about short knobs being first and long being second based on the fact they never made short plastic knobs that I know of. If someone happens to have this particular Krona in the original packaging that will go a long way towards answering my question. They do show up and that is one way to date the razor styles since a lot of them had dated coupons on the back of the packages. That maybe a way to prove the 64 - 65 time line and types of razors they were producing.
I find it hard to believe B&B Wiki regarding the date for the Eversharp Krona. I find it strange for a company to increase the weight of a razor and change its design in the middle of their production of the sixties. That is why I believe the Eversharp Krona predates the rest of the Kronas
Like I said it is an anomaly along with this razor. My time line is a guess. Digging through the threads here is another example of variation of the Eversharp with a gray handle, long knob and the Schick logo with the triangle on the knob. https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/what-kinda-schick-eversharp-hybrid-krona-did-i-buy.44843/ I guess between that and @RyX picture Schick was mixing parts. Still doesn't answer my question where the Schick + razor fits into all this.
Not understanding your weight gain issue. At least according to this post the grey Eversharp weighs exactly the same as the my 66 long knob making it 5g less than the 64-65 short knob. Schick was always all over the place in switching between the Schick and Eversharp names, it doesn't strike me as out of character that they would throw in the Eversharp in the middle of Krona production.
Some additional evidence that Krona production started in the 64-65 time frame. I purchased this Krona from a Canda seller several years ago - mint. Under the blade dispenser I found the original mint Schick instructions sheet that had a notation "M-64-32" at the bottom of the sheet and also a seperate 10 cent coupon for Schick "Hot Lather" with and expire date of Sept 10. 1965. The razor bottom is marked 1-2-M-5 made in USA with a Schick triangle logo. The metal (short) knob has a black Schick marking in a triangle. Weight 1.96 oz
What I can narrow down for sure is when the Krona trademark was first put into use. https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks-application-process/search-trademark-database These are pertinent records for the Krona trademark. Search eversharp and you should also get all the Schick and Krona records in one search. Earliest record I could find, submitted in 60 and approved in 61 http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/jumpto?f=doc&state=4803:juhq80.4.40 Earliest record for blades http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/jumpto?f=doc&state=4803:juhq80.4.39 and ad from 61 https://www.vintage-adventures.com/...2727-1961-schick-razor-ad-new-krona-edge.html Everything says according to records the first commerce use date for the Krona name is in 1960. As far as that Eagle goes http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/jumpto?f=doc&state=4801:p6kd1h.9.68 http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/jumpto?f=doc&state=4801:p6kd1h.9.65 Looks like those Eagle logo Eversharps trademarks went into effect in 67. Earliest we can date the eagle logo based on the first use in commerce date is 19651101.
Here are pics of the case instructions and one shave cream coupon that I found under the blade dispenser in a mint Krona set. They denote two 1964 reference codes and a 9/30/1965 expiration date that give evidence toward initial production dates (1964-65) of the first verison Krona.
Perfect from a proof standpoint. 64 - 65 it is for short metal knobs and at least Nov. 65 and to at least 67 for long metal knobs, maybe post 67 also. Plastic knobs 67 and up.
