The evolution of the Wilkinson Sword Classic

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aschamberlain

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Having purchased a Wilkinson Sword Classic from Boots a couple of days ago, I was wondering if anyone here knows the rough dates of production for the various models that have been sold under that name.

From Googling, the first Classic seems to be the "Flip top" of 1977. A model with a screwed on metal head and a plastic handle replaced this, but I've no idea when that happened. Then this was replaced by an all plastic model with a silver handle, which finally gave way to the all black plastic Classic of today. Are these all of the Classic models? When did each begin and cease production?

I've got no practical need for this information - just really curious about the razor that I've bought. It seems miraculous given Wilkinson Sword's frequent changes of ownership, the tie up with Schick and the move to Germany that it's still producing a razor which apparently draws a direct lineage back to the Sticky from the late '60s.

It's a nice, mild razor too - perfect for someone like me who is switching away from cartridges after 20+ years.
 
aschamberlain said:
Having purchased a Wilkinson Sword Classic from Boots a couple of days ago, I was wondering if anyone here knows the rough dates of production for the various models that have been sold under that name.

From Googling, the first Classic seems to be the "Flip top" of 1977. A model with a screwed on metal head and a plastic handle replaced this, but I've no idea when that happened. Then this was replaced by an all plastic model with a silver handle, which finally gave way to the all black plastic Classic of today. Are these all of the Classic models? When did each begin and cease production?

I've got no practical need for this information - just really curious about the razor that I've bought. It seems miraculous given Wilkinson Sword's frequent changes of ownership, the tie up with Schick and the move to Germany that it's still producing a razor which apparently draws a direct lineage back to the Sticky from the late '60s.

It's a nice, mild razor too - perfect for someone like me who is switching away from cartridges after 20+ years.
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A good question to which I can not give an answer but good non the less :)
 
It does seem to be a neglected thing, the Classic. Given that the Sticky, which was replaced by the original flip top Classic in 1977, is so highly regarded, it seems strange that someone somewhere hasn't taken a bit more notice. I suppose it's probably due to it being designed as a budget model for cheapskate holdouts against the '70s/'80s cartridge revolution and sticking around in British shops for so long, unchanged and unadvertised.

It does seem to be fading away from shops at the moment. I had to get my local Boots to order one as they no longer stocked them in the store.
 
aschamberlain said:
It does seem to be a neglected thing, the Classic. Given that the Sticky, which was replaced by the original flip top Classic in 1977, is so highly regarded, it seems strange that someone somewhere hasn't taken a bit more notice. I suppose it's probably due to it being designed as a budget model for cheapskate holdouts against the '70s/'80s cartridge revolution and sticking around in British shops for so long, unchanged and unadvertised.

It does seem to be fading away from shops at the moment. I had to get my local Boots to order one as they no longer stocked them in the store.
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My local chemist has them along with an Erasmic boar brush and some Erasmic shaving cream but that's it as far as shaving gear goes! :)
 
I don't think I'm going to bother with shaving cream/soap and a brush - had my second shave with the Wilkinson earlier using gel and it's producing much the same results as my Gillette G2. It also doesn't get clogged up in the way that the G2 cartridges did. I'm hopeful that this will increase the longevity of the blades.

I'm going to keep going until I've used up my first blade and then invest £10 in a box of 100 off eBay if I'm still happy by that point. Then I'll hand back my Dad's spare G2 that I borrowed off him 20 years ago!
 
It's a great razor, and can last for years. The only problem that I've ever had is the thread snapping, but that was because of over-tightening it after changing blades.
Along with the Palmolive stick, an often over-looked and under-appreciated little
gem.
Sorry...forgot...you can order them directly from the company online.
 
I found it was cheaper to order it through Boots because you don't have to pay for postage if you pick it up from the store. My nearest Boots is just across the road so this was a convenient option for me.

Really happy with the shaves that I've been getting from the Classic. You just have to get used to having to hold the razor at the correct angle in order to get the closest possible shave. This morning's was top quality. Wilkinson smooth!
 
Just in case anyone has been waiting with baited breath for someone to answer the question that I posed originally - here's my best effort at a timeline for Wilkinson Sword's double edge razors based on Robert Wilkinson Latham's history of the company:

1958: Wilkinson Sword Edge razor (production code W16) - only produced briefly and never marketed due to issues with staining from the nylon blade bed.
1968: Wilkinson Razor (also given the W16 code) - designed by Kenneth Granger, probably the UK's pre-eminent industrial designer, and known as the "Sticky" due to its non-slip resin handle.
1977: Wilkinson Sword Classic - also designed by Kenneth Granger, the original Classic has an unusual flip top head that presumably cut costs of production compared to the TTO mechanisms present in earlier razors.
NB: In the print version of his book, Wilkinson Latham has the date of introduction as 1988. This is almost certainly incorrect and could either be a typo or confusion with the introduction of a later model Classic.
1979/80?: Wilkinson Sword Classic (2nd model)/Double Edge - The handle of this revised Classic mimics that of the original Wilkinson Sword Profile cartridge razor which was in production between 1979 and 1986. Presumably, the updated razor with its even simpler screw on head would have been introduced towards the beginning of this period. The packaging of the razor that I've seen has "Double Edge" written on it rather than Classic, although the blade bed looks very similar to Granger's 1977 razor.
1988?: Wilkinson Sword Classic (3rd model) - This is a speculative date based on the date given for the introduction of the original Classic in Wilkinson Latham's book. However, it seems plausible given that the Profile was redesigned shortly beforehand in 1986.

If the current Classic has been in production since 1988 then it will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year. Have any other razors been in continuous production for longer than that?
 
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