Thread: help Identifying This

Hello,
I am new to collecting razors. I have only 2. I hope you can help me with this. One straight razor and this. I am only 14 and don't need it to shave, but I just like the history behind them. I bought this safety razor for just $2. I was told it was from World War One. I just want some help finding out the approximate date of when it was made. It has the Gillette arrow logo and it says Made In Canada. It is three piece. Any help finding an approximate date would be truly appreciated. I never sell my razors, so don't think I'm just asking to sell. I'm not. I want to display it and know some history.
Thanks,
Rspencer91

Gillette Old Type

TristanLudlow, any idea of the age?

Once you get that cleaned up it will shave like a good thing. They can be aggressive so the right angle and no pressure is key in using them.

Bob

I'm not sure about the ones made in Canada, but all of the US made ones I have seen had a date code on them (something like F-2345132). If you can find a code like that on the razor, then there are webpages that can translate the code into the year.

Criswilson10,
I have taken it apart and looked all over and I cannot find any code, nothing other than made in Canada and the Gillette logo.

Originally Posted by Rspencer91

Criswilson10,
I have taken it apart and looked all over and I cannot find any code, nothing other than made in Canada and the Gillette logo.

You can find info on Gillette razor date codes here Razor Archive | Gillette Date Codes . It appears that prior to 1931 Gillette razors could be dated by serial number. That practice stopped around 1931. Around 1951 Gillette started date coding their razors. So there is a 20 year gap where you really can't get a good fix in about when a Gillette razor was made.

Bob

BobH,
I thought based on the style of the guard and head it was from the teens or 20's. The ones I have seen from the 30's, 40's and 50's look like the picture I have included that I found on the Internet. Did they reproduce them later?
Thanks,
RSpencer91

Originally Posted by Rspencer91

BobH,
I thought based on the style of the guard and head it was from the teens or 20's. The ones I have seen from the 30's, 40's and 50's look like the picture I have included that I found on the Internet. Did they reproduce them later?
Thanks,
RSpencer91

That's a New Type. It is distinguished from the old Type or New Improved by absence of the two large locator pins going from the cap, through the blade and then the bottom plate. The Old Types were made 1903 through 1929, according to what many find to be the best source of Gillette information, Achim's "Mr. Razor" site at mr-razor

It's a Canuk Gillette! Worth a small fortune!