Gillette DE rocket razor - a very good shaver

lux · Post by **lux** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 1:12 am

Good morning fellow wet shavers,

Got a one-piece 1940 Gillette DE rocket for under USD 15 including postage and, after cleaning, disinfecting, polishing and oiling, I shaved with it this morning. I used a Derby Extra blade and the normal preparation with hair conditioner, Proraso Preshave and Italian Valorba shaving soap (excellent stuff and extremely economical if one orders 1 kg)

The Gillette rocket is a very good shaver indeed! Nice solid, heavy feeling, very well optimised blade exposure. The blade curve tension is well achieved due to the "butterfly" mechanism, mechanically excellent, solid work. No difficulty finding the right shaving angle. A close shaving but benign razor.

It took a bit longer (3 passes instead of 2) to achive similar closeness as an Ever-Ready SE. But the result is fine: a smooth, close and comfortable shave.

Contrasted to my prior unsatisfactory experiences with a Gillette thin adjustable, this Gillette rocket razor has shed a new and very postive light on vintage Gillette razors. Once properly cleaned and polished as described above, the Gillette rocket is also very nice to behold.

Kind regards,

lux

PS Gillette should be ashamed for having abandoned such high quality products for cheap plastic junk.

obsessis · Post by **obsessis** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:47 am

I have a rocket........it is a smaller, heavier razor that preceeded the superspeed?

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 5:11 am

Some Rockets were quite similar to a Superspeed, they just have the different style of TTO mechanism (closing gap vs. stationary - I don't know the proper mechanical eng. term for it). However some Rockets, 1954 French (made in UK) Rocket for example, were thicker and heavier.

Good shavers.

Lux, like you I prefer fixed head razors, and Gillette made some of the finest.

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:41 am

I concur on the Rocket. Why is it that the British-made Gillettes consistently seem like superior products to the American-made? Every one of them I've tried, with the exception of the Tech, is like a massive improvement on its American counterpart. Not that there aren't some hefty, solidly constructed American Gillettes (the NEW Belmont is the heaviest, best-constructed Gillette I've found). I'm only keeping the heaviest razors I own, and they're almost all British! I'm biased toward British humor, British television and British English as it is. Guess I have to add razors now...

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:18 am

Seamus wrote:I concur on the Rocket. Why is it that the British-made Gillettes consistently seem like superior products to the American-made? Every one of them I've tried, with the exception of the Tech, is like a massive improvement on its American counterpart. Not that there aren't some hefty, solidly constructed American Gillettes (the NEW Belmont is the heaviest, best-constructed Gillette I've found). I'm only keeping the heaviest razors I own, and they're almost all British! I'm biased toward British humor, British television and British English as it is. Guess I have to add razors now...

Because they are British. British is best. Just ask Gordon, our resident anglophile. He wears tweed and drives an old convertable Jaguar...

P.S. Ever watch Top Gear?

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:20 am

My two Rockets are the only razors in my collection that have yet to see use in my rotation. For some reason, I've been putting off using them. I might have to change that over the weekend. Muahahaha.

Cigar Dan · Post by **Cigar Dan** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:34 am

rustyblade wrote:Because they are British. British is best.

I can't agree wth that as a blanket statement, but I'll certainly give them the nod where it comes to beer. I'll take an ale over a lager any day of the week. Whenever I treat myself to a premium 6 pack of beer, it is almost always imported from GB.

Gatorade · Post by **Gatorade** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:35 am

Ben wrote:My two Rockets are the only razors in my collection that have yet to see use in my rotation. For some reason, I've been putting off using them. I might have to change that over the weekend. Muahahaha.

I feel a Rocket weekend coming on as well! ISD? Rocket and Trumpers?

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:48 am

Gatorade wrote:
Ben wrote:My two Rockets are the only razors in my collection that have yet to see use in my rotation. For some reason, I've been putting off using them. I might have to change that over the weekend. Muahahaha.
I feel a Rocket weekend coming on as well! ISD? Rocket and Trumpers?

I don't own any Trumper products.

Gatorade · Post by **Gatorade** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 12:13 pm

Ben wrote:
Gatorade wrote:
Ben wrote:My two Rockets are the only razors in my collection that have yet to see use in my rotation. For some reason, I've been putting off using them. I might have to change that over the weekend. Muahahaha.
I feel a Rocket weekend coming on as well! ISD? Rocket and Trumpers?
I don't own any Trumper products.

Get the Rocket owners to settle on a cream and I will send you a sample of either Lime or Almond. Just so you can feel included!

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 12:30 pm

Gatorade wrote:
Ben wrote:
Gatorade wrote: I feel a Rocket weekend coming on as well! ISD? Rocket and Trumpers?
I don't own any Trumper products.
Get the Rocket owners to settle on a cream and I will send you a sample of either Lime or Almond. Just so you can feel included!

Gather the Rocket Men. And thanks for the kind offer.

scarface911 · Post by **scarface911** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:04 pm

Gatorade wrote:
Ben wrote:My two Rockets are the only razors in my collection that have yet to see use in my rotation. For some reason, I've been putting off using them. I might have to change that over the weekend. Muahahaha.
I feel a Rocket weekend coming on as well! ISD? Rocket and Trumpers?

I'm in...I haven't tried the Rocket Danny sent me yet, so the weekend seems liek a perfect time to.

Gatorade · Post by **Gatorade** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:08 pm

OK look for the poll. First Sunday in Sept? Gives everyone enough time to get cream of choice.

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:08 pm

"British is best"? Sounds like you must hunt down a CD of Flanders & Swan singing "A Song of Patriotic Prejudice" in which this is a recurring refrain.

As a transplanted Brit, my answer is 'sometimes'.

Chris

reggiano · Post by **reggiano** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:17 pm

My British 40's Rocket is my favorite and most consistent razor.

Gatorade · Post by **Gatorade** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:18 pm

ISD poll is up to choose the cream. Get the Rockets ready!

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:22 pm

Richard, I love good tweeds, and certainly would love a Jaguar roadster. But, alas, I swelter away in these tropical swamps in pedestrian polo shirts and drive a Chevrolet Impala ( because of it's super powerful A/C ). This is simply no place for a civilized person to live....sigh... Now, if I lived in Nova Scotia, well! that would be different!
Regards,
Gordon