Thread: Vintage DE razors ID

I got these two heirloom pieces, owned by my late father and possibly by my grandfather.

https://goo.gl/photos/341VXVkSRYBfynZP6


The one with a longer handle is a butterfly adjustable Gilette razor with no other identifying information.
It came with a Sheffield stainless blade, in case that helps

The one with the shorter handle has literally no identifying information. It is a 3 piece razor with a conical screw that doesn't close tight when there is a blade in there. I'm giving a close-up of its underside.

https://goo.gl/photos/Ai4jpFAfP1FqF5gW7

The first razor is a Gillette Adjustable "Slim" model. I think they were made in the early 1960s.

Try these links;

Gillette Date Codes

mr-razor Adjustable

mr-razor Gillette Rasierer

Razor Archive | A Comprehensive Gillette Collector's Resource

The second is likely German made. I've seen several different German razors with that same handle.

There should be a date code on the Slim Adjustable. A letter on one side and a number on the other.

It should look something like this.

Thanks everybody! The code is J4, meaning 1964.

Originally Posted by malaverdiere

Thanks everybody! The code is J4, meaning 1964.

That's correct. Specifically, the 4th quarter of 1964. I've got a Slim from 1965 and it's and incredible shaver. I set it on 7, use a Gillette Silver Blue blade, and it is just about perfect for a DE razor.

Originally Posted by Demetrius

That's correct. Specifically, the 4th quarter of 1964. I've got a Slim from 1965 and it's and incredible shaver. I set it on 7, use a Gillette Silver Blue blade, and it is just about perfect for a DE razor.

7 sounds a bit much for a n00b. Should I start at 1 or a middle value?

Originally Posted by BeJay

The second is likely German made. I've seen several different German razors with that same handle.

Any idea how I could narrow it down? There are extensive databases with photos of each and every Gilette razor, but Google isn't telling me I can find the same for German safety razors

I don't know. There were tons of no name razors. I'm not sure of any way to narrow it down further then "probably German".

Originally Posted by malaverdiere

7 sounds a bit much for a n00b. Should I start at 1 or a middle value?

I started in the middle and it was just about like a Super Speed, for me. I dialed it up from there till I found that 8 was a bit too much and 7 was perfect. I had been DE shaving for a while when I got my Slim, so you might want to start lower - maybe 3 or so.