My review of the Gillette Black Tip

gillettedeguy

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Here's the review I promised, and I'm sorry I am late, I've been busy dealing with Christmas buying stuff for my family. Here's my review of the Gillette Black Tip. Again, if I make any mistakes or errors please correct me. I'm just adding what I know about the razors.

In the 1940's, when the Milord and 1940's Super Speed was introduced, Gillette introduced another steel handle and knob one piece razor called the Black Tip. This was Gillette's experiment to see if they could make and sell colored steel knob razors, thus the Black Tip was born. At the time, it was just called the Black Tip, now it's called the Black Tip Super Speed; and it's now a part of a 1940's trio of steel one piece razors, alongside the Milord and 1940's Super Speed. One example date code of the Black Tip is W2 which means it was made in the second quarter of 1952. The Black Tip may have been an experimental one piece razor by Gillette but it is also an excellent shaver. I prefer the Black Tip over the 1940's Super Speed as it seems the Black Tip is a better gliding razor.

Hope you enjoyed. Correct me if needed. My next review is going to be of the Gillette Red Tip SS. That's coming very soon.
 
Bonus Info I Forgot To Add In Review: (sorry)

The Black Tip has a bit more blade feel than the other 1940's steel handle and knob one piece razors. Finding the angle with the Black Tip is easy, and there is no control issues what so ever. However, if you shave with it too fast, you will nick yourself, and it's best to take it slow until you get used to doing it slowly and get to knowing how long you should use the angle of attack. Other than that, the Gillette Black Tip is a wonderful excellent shaver, and I highly recommend it to any double edge safety razor collector/enthusiast.
 
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In the 1940's, when the Milord and 1940's Super Speed was introduced, Gillette introduced another steel handle and knob one piece razor called the Black Tip.

I think you will find that it is an early 1950s razor, 1951-1952 production.

This was Gillette's experiment to see if they could make and sell colored steel knob razors, thus the Black Tip was born.

The black tip came in aluminum or steel handle with plastic knobs generally. Many people suggest it was a cost reduction approach or a response to limited brass during the Korean war.

One example date code of the Black Tip is W2 which means it was made in the second quarter of 1952

'W' is generally accepted as 1951 from my understanding, 'X' is 1952. So this would be a 1951 second quarter razor

it's now a part of a 1940's trio of steel one piece razors, alongside the Milord and 1940's Super Speed. ....

I'm curious about your source here? My understanding is that the 1940s Super Speed and Milord were, respectively, nickel and gold plated brass. Bruce Everris noting here that the Black Tip was 'the only steel handled razor that Gillette ever made in the USA'.

Thanks for the review - the Black Tip is certainly a great razor.
 
I think you will find that it is an early 1950s razor, 1951-1952 production.



The black tip came in aluminum or steel handle with plastic knobs generally. Many people suggest it was a cost reduction approach or a response to limited brass during the Korean war.



'W' is generally accepted as 1951 from my understanding, 'X' is 1952. So this would be a 1951 second quarter razor



I'm curious about your source here? My understanding is that the 1940s Super Speed and Milord were, respectively, nickel and gold plated brass. Bruce Everris noting here that the Black Tip was 'the only steel handled razor that Gillette ever made in the USA'.

Thanks for the review - the Black Tip is certainly a great razor.
I got the fact that they are a trio of 1940's Super Speeds from a website from BruceOnShaving. At least he calls it the ''1940's Trio of Super Speeds''.
 
I think you will find that it is an early 1950s razor, 1951-1952 production.



The black tip came in aluminum or steel handle with plastic knobs generally. Many people suggest it was a cost reduction approach or a response to limited brass during the Korean war.



'W' is generally accepted as 1951 from my understanding, 'X' is 1952. So this would be a 1951 second quarter razor



I'm curious about your source here? My understanding is that the 1940s Super Speed and Milord were, respectively, nickel and gold plated brass. Bruce Everris noting here that the Black Tip was 'the only steel handled razor that Gillette ever made in the USA'.

Thanks for the review - the Black Tip is certainly a great razor.
I hope everyone is enjoying my reviews so far. I'm planning to write more reviews of the rest of the popular Gillette DEs, and I'm also thinking about doing a review of the infamous Muhle R41. The more the likes, the more motivation I'll have for writing more ;)
 
I got the fact that they are a trio of 1940's Super Speeds from a website from BruceOnShaving. At least he calls it the ''1940's Trio of Super Speeds''.

I think that was the post I linked to above. They are the same basic design but the Black Tip made in the early '50s and from different materials
 
Do you know the real reason why the Black Tip was made, aside from the fact of material reduction costs or whatever?

Quoting from that post -

'The second was the effects of the Korean war. This used up immense quantities of brass for making artillery shells, to such an extent that there was a strategic shortage of brass in 1951 and 1952 which was the worst that America had ever seen. This hit Gillette especially as their razors were mostly nickel plated brass, so they were forced to adapt to the circumstances.

This is what led to the Black Tip Super Speed, which was only made for these two years. It was made with either a steel handle (the only steel handled razor that Gillette ever made in the USA) or an aluminium handle. On both of these versions the TTO knob at the bottom of the handle was made from black plastic (unlike the later Red Tip and Blue Tip models which had painted metal TTO knobs).'

This is the reason I've seen elsewhere too - but I'm not sure that there is any definitive primary source to confirm this.
 
Quoting from that post -

'The second was the effects of the Korean war. This used up immense quantities of brass for making artillery shells, to such an extent that there was a strategic shortage of brass in 1951 and 1952 which was the worst that America had ever seen. This hit Gillette especially as their razors were mostly nickel plated brass, so they were forced to adapt to the circumstances.

This is what led to the Black Tip Super Speed, which was only made for these two years. It was made with either a steel handle (the only steel handled razor that Gillette ever made in the USA) or an aluminium handle. On both of these versions the TTO knob at the bottom of the handle was made from black plastic (unlike the later Red Tip and Blue Tip models which had painted metal TTO knobs).'

This is the reason I've seen elsewhere too - but I'm not sure that there is any definitive primary source to confirm this.
Thanks for sharing. I'm guessing the Black Tip was made to be a chosen razor if someone wanted to use a steel handle Gillette DE, since the other one piece razors before the Black Tip was brass. That's my only guess.
 
Oh, and I'm also guessing it's designed for a heavy one piece razor for those who like hefty like the Red Tip, but I'm talking about the razors before the Red, Flare and Blue Tip razors. I'm guessing this as well because I just picked up my W2 Black Tip and it's heavier than my other one piece razors by Gillette like the Milord, 1940's Super Speed and Ranger Tech. So I guess it's a hefty weight clone of those razors.
 
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