The mysterious smoothness of the Gillette Ranger Tech

[pjgh]

I'll often hear "it'll shave no different from a Super Speed" but folks who have one do say there's a certain je ne sait quoi about the Ranger Tech. We do have to take that mysteriousness with a pinch of salt because as we well know, shave five times with the same kit and you'll have five different outcomes ... so it's almost impossible to say whether one razor shaves the same as another.

But ... is this the reason?

Ranger Tech on the right and compared to a British Rocket on the left.

Different, yes? You can see it, right? The comb is a different shape?

That's my 1941 Ranger Tech and the Rocket is probably well into the 1950s. I moved on my comprehensive collection of TTOs some years ago, retaining just two British Rockets and so I have absolutely no point of reference here (other than squinting at pictures on Mr Razor) so it might well be that the 1940s Super Speeds and Rockets share the same comb shape. Dunno.

How does the 1941 Ranger Tech compare to the later 1946? Is that little detail the same? What about Milords?

Maybe it's just a case that these earlier TTOs had one shape and into the 1950s that shape changed. Again, dunno. Gillette TTOs are not my specialist subject.

 

[TobyC]

The Milford Tech is just a Ranger Tech with gold plating.

You're comparing Rockets with Rangers, I think the '40's Super Speeds and Aristocrat Juniors were the same as the '41 Ranger Tech except for the handle.

 

[TobyC]

The Ranger is a mild but efficient shaver if used as a daily shaver, but will clog easily if you don't shave every day.

 

[pjgh]

Guess those Army Rangers needed smooth chins, eh?

Hopefully someone with a '40s Super Speed or Rocket (same thing, or not?) can compare.

 

[TobyC]

Perhaps a few hints here???

Read the posts that follow.

Super Speed Identification

That's a possibility I'd considered, but the Gillette guide at Safetyrazors.net indicates that production of the SS stopped around 1974 - but they qualify that with some ???s so that's probably it. Maybe made overseas for local consumption. D1 is my birth quarter so I'm doing some homework to...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[pjgh]

Right, there's mention of a non-creased safety bar head (the Ranger Tech, or first production model Super Speed) ... but searching the whole thread for "crease" gleans only that one post. Much of the rest is focussed on the notch, or otherwise and/or stamping. I found another post which refers to it as a groove, which I think I can feel with my nail on the Rocket and don't on the Ranger.

Ranger Tech Vs 40's Superspeed

Give it to me straight here, guys. I know there is a great deal of respect and romance for the '41 and '46 Ranger Tech. Rightfully so. WW2 made an enormous impact on an entire generation and these razors embody that time. But is it the same razor as a '40s style Superspeed? It looks to be...

www.badgerandblade.com

So, a groove or crease. Much like the detail on these British Techs: https://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/community/threads/curious-detail-on-this-gillette-tech.52313/ where the safety bar gained a groove akin to the 1950s models but much earlier than expected.

Anyway, "Some users like the later style more, some don't" ... and guess I'm one of the guys who doesn't. I did have a '47 Super Speed back when I collected those things (well, guessing as it was a non-notched Super Speed) but don't recall it shaving so markedly different. I've a LOT more traditional shaves under my belt since then.

Great! Mystery solved. It's the groove, then ...

... and probably answers why I have a preference for the '40s Techs over the '50s.

 

[TobyC]

Groovy, man.

 

[TobyC]

It steps down, like a New Improved versus an OLD, giving it a slop trough to help clear the crud.

 

[TobyC]

 

[pjgh]

Ah! Got it! Yes, it's incredibly subtle.

I guess that's a '47 Super Speed given the non-notched centre bar? It has the crease like my Rocket, but here's the baseplate on my Ranger:



Looking directly from above, that extra drop and perhaps a slight angling of the actual comb makes the holes in the Rocket appear actually narrrower than the Ranger, but in actual fact more accessible due to the extra gap created under the blade.

Absolutely marvellous examples of rigorous continued R&D.

 

[preidy]

One of my favorites. A cool name, great (but short) history, beautiful fit and finish plus a stellar shaver.

 

[TobyC]

Been using mine since this thread happened, it's a great shaver if you shave regularly. Let it grow for a few days and it clogs in the center and stops shaving.

 

[pjgh]

Let it grow for a few days ...

Pardon?

 

[TobyC]

Pardon?

The beard, not the razor.