Razor ID

Mr. Pinchy · Post by **Mr. Pinchy** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:20 pm

I'm new to DE shaving (I've been using the razor below on and off for the last year or so with not so great results). Can someone ID it for me and tell me what kind of shave I can hope to expect, if it is crap then I wont waste my time trying to get a decent shave from it. It was my dads old razor so its at least 30 years old.

There are no markings on it.

Thanks.

jrgroucho · Post by **jrgroucho** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:58 pm

It is a Gillette Knack, and thought I never used one, you should get a good shave from it. Some gents like it because of the longer handle, though it is not held in the same regard as a 40's SS.

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Jeremy

Mr. Pinchy · Post by **Mr. Pinchy** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:57 am

knack it is! just googled it and there it was.

Good work Jeremy.

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:45 pm

Without double checking, I think it's the successor model to the Knack. It's not the first version of the Knack, at any rate. I've seen this razor in packaging labeled "Gillette Double Edge" with no other name, and marked "Made in England".

jrgroucho · Post by **jrgroucho** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:37 pm

Mmm...good catch Paul. I believe you are right it is the latter version of the Knack. This one does not have the metal on the end and 'grooves' rather than 'ribs'. Sorry Pinchy. This is why we have people like Paul around.

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Jeremy

Mr. Pinchy · Post by **Mr. Pinchy** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:22 pm

Thats ok, Ill try some new blades with it and see if my results get any better. Ill put some feathers in, and if good Ill get a bulk pack from Pauldog if any left.

Scrapyard Ape · Post by **Scrapyard Ape** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:38 pm

Pauldog wrote:Without double checking, I think it's the successor model to the Knack. It's not the first version of the Knack, at any rate. I've seen this razor in packaging labeled "Gillette Double Edge" with no other name, and marked "Made in England".

Agreed.

This is the final DE product Gillette made. They were available in the US until sometime in the mid 90's. I remember seeing them in local drugstores as late as 94.... for $5.95 each.

John 5 · Post by **John 5** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:39 am

Greg and Paul are right. Its the successor to the knack, and possibly one of the last DEs Gillette made. That particular model used to irritate me, not by the shave, but just for what it stood for...its a testament to the Sad Sad plunge Gillette purposely took with the whole razor thing...it contains as much plastic as you can get short of having a plastic head or being Pamela Anderson.

The first knacks at least had a metal end cap on the handle, and had a beefier metal silo-knob. But no, not plasticky enough for them, the go and produce this.

I had a few of the knacks when I first started, and found that they all shaved the same, good. But like I said, that one in particular just pissed me off just by sitting there...I gave mines away and just kept the earliest version.

John

Mr. Pinchy · Post by **Mr. Pinchy** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 5:07 am

LOL!

so you are saying its a classic then???

John 5 · Post by **John 5** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 5:56 am

Yes Mr Pinchy, in a spurious bastardly way, very much so. If a vibrating mach 3 ever copulated with a flare tip, that razor you have would probably be the fruit.

Here is a pic of mines, one of the first of the knacks. Note the presence of metal on both ends, and more metal still on the silo-knob. Still, it remains the only Gillette in my collection not devoid of plastic. And like I said, they shave very well, and their handles are a delight in use. One of the few remaining bargains out there for 'newbies'.

John

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:42 pm

Some drugstores may still have the later version. I found some a couple of years ago.

John 5 · Post by **John 5** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:26 am

Pauldog wrote:Some drugstores may still have the later version. I found some a couple of years ago.

Paul, small Mom & Pop type drugstores, I imagine?

John

Pauldog · Post by **Pauldog** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:35 am

The stores tended to be independent. My best luck came with stores that were affiliated with the Leader network, which isn't a chain, but is the (possibly non-exclusive) source of the items they carry. Not too many years ago, I was able to get a couple of stores to order more Gillette DE razors through their supplier.

There's a chance that some stores in this network in some parts of the country could still order this razor. Trac II's and injectors (and probably Atras) are almost certainly gone, though.