There are some Frankenrazorists, and other normal people, who diminish the importance of the cap in determining how a razor feels and performs. When confronted with this attitude my retort is typically "if you change the cap on your R41 you don't get to call it an R41 anymore". To wit, a hard lesson this morning #ImWithStupid: I inadvertently put the RR Old Type cap on my Fine Marvel plate, as they look similar enough unless you do a side by side. But they are not, and the result of said swap is changing a razor from one with neutral exposure to one with considerable positive exposure by changing blade angle. Think Ikon Tech with chatter. You don't have to change angle and exposure much to effect a huge change. This needs to be remembered not just in Frankenrazoring, but also in evaluating a series like the Gillette New, for which no less than seven (7) caps have been identified. First photo is the #I'mWithStupid configuration, second is stock. After one bewhilderingly aggressive pass with weepers I switched over to the Schone plate-Marvel cap head and all was well. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
I don't know if there is one pic with all of them but I'd do a search here and on B&B for the discussions, I don't have a link Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
ok thank you..i have done very little in cap swaps with my news and rfb/techs unless they match exactly..i do notice my early canadian new sc with the square cornered cap shaves better than with the reissue sc cap..but they are both have visible differences.
They absolutely matter. Interchange a Gillette 102, 102a, and 106 cap on either of those guards and you will experience a different shave. Likewise, if you notice your 102(thin cap) has developed spurs or "tabs", removing them will result in the intended shave. NEW caps vary and are pretty similar to the early and mid-run Tech razors, and mixing those up can create a red-hot mess on your neck when you are expecting one performance or experience and you get something totally different.
i changed the early square toe cap on my early canadian new sc with a reissue new sc cap due to a better plating condition..i then swapped it back after your recommendation that the square toe cap would be better. indeed it is a better shaver with its original cap. early canadian square toe on left.. i swapped a reissue new lc cap onto my new deluxe 3 piece as the new deluxe cap was quite pitted and plateless.after a lengthy measuring episode with digital calipers both caps appeared identical.shaves beautifully. i have 3 brit new rfb sets ; 2 french #44s and a thin handle #77. one french 44 and the 88 is mint near nos..the 44s are silver plated and have the early cap with no crease in the center..the 88 is nickel plated and has the flat bottom tech cap with the crease down the center between the pins and threaded stem.this cap is identical to the common brit flat bottom tech cap.i have used one of these tech caps on my worn 44 rfb as the threads are poor on the original cap. i have had no issues and it shaves like the 88 rfb. 44 on left.. new tech hybrid razors came with creased late or non creased early caps..both appear identical to flat bottom tech caps(late creased) and early rfb caps(non creased} .i only own a later creased cap model and the cap matches the 88 rfb creased cap.both are from the 1945-7 era as per mr razor.hybrid on left i havent tried any other tech cap swaps.prewar tech caps are different from british as are post war ones..canadian post war tech caps are the same except for one thicker cap 1949 ish model.it was a fat handle boxed model with no etching or logos on the cap face.anything newer than 1950 in canada had etched and or frosted cap faces .51up was also date coded. this is what i have figured out so far..
You ought to add a visual chronicle for others to use as a reference in the future. That’s good information you can share.
seems like there are different reissue new sc baseplates as well.notice the notch differences on top,yet they have the same appearance on bottom..both u.s.models with same cap..
more research..seems the british flat bottom new (7 oclock razor) became the basis for the 40s flat bottom tech..
Very nice. The short-cut I used for identification on the SC was they tend to have 2 or 3 patent nos. on one side. I like the one with 3, however, it looks like one of your samples with only 2 patent nos. matches the guard with 3 nos. Secondly, I looked for the deeper cut on the side of the guard to allow for the squared tab. Finally, I looked for a hard right angle, 90° cut on the tab, and not one that was rounded off. Because occasionally you'd find something crazy:
Interesting thread. So a cap is intended to bend the blade down to a certain degree? As opposed to just holding the blade in place? I’ve never been sure about this. I can crank my Merkur 34c nice and tight, and see the blade bends a bit. It I just tighten the head down slightly, less bend and less angle. Is doing it one way more “correct”? I find that when I tighten more lightly it will come loose more often, which annoys. Should I just tighten her down good and not worry about it?
As I understand it, the purpose of the cap has been to secure the blade at a desired angle AND lock that blade down making it operate like a straight.
A third factor is related to cap span which impacts the amount of give the blade will have when confronting particular rough stubble. It also in part determines exposure (all things being equal the narrower cap has greater exposure). Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
The original blades were actually stiff enough to offer some resistance back to the the cap/guard interface, this is why the razors could be adjusted to offer different levels of aggressiveness. The modern blades really offer very little resistance, which can translate to excessive blade chatter/feedback if the cap and guard don't offer uniform contact.
Yup exactly right. Gillette has always favored relatively small cap span but you see great variation among other manufacturers . See Fatip Mk1, R41 2011, Shake Sharps... Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
