7 O'clock Razor Collection

[Cloobster]

After much trawling on a well known auction site over the past couple of years, I've managed to cobble together a set of vintage (1930 - 1940's?) 7 o'clock razors in all the different packaging types I'm aware of.

The bakelite razor is a rebranded Gillette Tech and the others are all rebranded Gillette New Type Short Comb.

I found the green bakelite case and the tin difficult to source in good condition. I have another one of these tins where the writing can barely be read but I've also seen some that are practically spotless but, unfortunately not for sale.

I have a few spare bits razor left over from my quest and I'm always ready to replace what I have here with better condition parts but on the whole, I feel like I'm in a good place with what I have for now.

 

[Sabre]

Who previously owned the 7 O'clock brand?

 

[Cloobster]

Who previously owned the 7 O'clock brand

To my knowledge they were a Sheffield Company were bought over very early after they were formed. One story says they were acquired by Autostrop and when Henry Gaisman (the owner of Autostrop) became Chairman of Gillette they went on to make rebranded Gillette Razors. The alternative version of the story says they were simply bought over by Gillette. Who knows?
In any event, they are essentially Gillette razors that can be had without paying over the odds for the Gillette badge.

 

[TobyC]

After much trawling on a well known auction site over the past couple of years, I've managed to cobble together a set of vintage (1930 - 1940's?) 7 o'clock razors in all the different packaging types I'm aware of.

The bakelite razor is a rebranded Gillette Tech and the others are all rebranded Gillette New Type Short Comb.

I found the green bakelite case and the tin difficult to source in good condition. I have another one of these tins where the writing can barely be read but I've also seen some that are practically spotless but, unfortunately not for sale.

I have a few spare bits razor left over from my quest and I'm always ready to replace what I have here with better condition parts but on the whole, I feel like I'm in a good place with what I have for now.

View attachment 78255
View attachment 78256

I think you mean Long Comb.

 

[TobyC]

Where do the SE razors fit in the equation, or do they?

 

[Cloobster]

I think you mean Long Comb.

Whoops! A brain fart. I stand corrected.

 

[Cloobster]

Where do the SE razors fit in the equation, or do they?

That's an Autostrop razor. Very early 1900's Probably the first use of the 7 O'clock title. No connection to any of the razors I have other than the possible Gaisman influence mentioned in post #3

 

[TobyC]

 

[TobyC]

The history of Gillette 7 o'clock razors?

Does anyone have any history on the name "7 o'clock" as applied to Gillette products, particularly the razors themselves? I have a bit of a hazy memory, but I seem to think that 7 o'clock were a separate company who were bought out, (maybe in about the 60's?), by Gillette. Of course the...

www.theshavingroom.co.uk

 

[Cloobster]

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That bottom razor is a later model than the ones I have.The blade has a newer wrapper. Interesting that they were making Gillette New LC razors under Autostrop ownership. Certainly suggests that Gaisman did own them though.

 

[TobyC]

This one is odd, from the bottom it looks like a Raised Flat Bottom with a short comb, but the top is made more like an OLD except for the slot down the center instead of alignment pin holes.

7 O'clock razor restore

Just wanted to share some pics of one of my latest finds, a vintage 7 O'clock open comb razor. An interesting head design, as it seems like a blend of an old type head and a NEW head. If I remember correctly, the 7 O'clock company was bought by Gillette in the 1930's, does anybody have more...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Cloobster]

This one is odd, from the bottom it looks like a Raised Flat Bottom with a short comb, but the top is made more like an OLD except for the slot down the center instead of alignment pin holes.

7 O'clock razor restore

Just wanted to share some pics of one of my latest finds, a vintage 7 O'clock open comb razor. An interesting head design, as it seems like a blend of an old type head and a NEW head. If I remember correctly, the 7 O'clock company was bought by Gillette in the 1930's, does anybody have more...

www.badgerandblade.com

I've seen that post before but was never convinced it was a 7 O'clock razor as there's no branding on the razor and I've never seen any other razors of this type to support the claim.

 

[pjgh]

What a labour of love! Super collection!

Now, just for fun ... here's a GROM!

Personally, I think when the British New came onto the market Gillette took the opportunity to not so much wipe out competition that they had bought out but embrace the brand names (and so the familiar name within those customer bases) but replace the razor with their own. I think it is highly possible that 7 O'Clock was a brand local to, say, Sheffield and coincidental that Gaisman owned that trademark elsewhere.

GROM was a Polish brand, from what scant information I've managed to find. We also saw these razors (and the bakelite type) under the Nacet brand, Minora, Rotbart and others (whose names escape me at this time of night).

 

[Cloobster]

What a labour of love! Super collection!

Now, just for fun ... here's a GROM!





Personally, I think when the British New came onto the market Gillette took the opportunity to not so much wipe out competition that they had bought out but embrace the brand names (and so the familiar name within those customer bases) but replace the razor with their own. I think it is highly possible that 7 O'Clock was a brand local to, say, Sheffield and coincidental that Gaisman owned that trademark elsewhere.

GROM was a Polish brand, from what scant information I've managed to find. We also saw these razors (and the bakelite type) under the Nacet brand, Minora, Rotbart and others (whose names escape me at this time of night).

What a labour of love! Super collection!

Now, just for fun ... here's a GROM!

Personally, I think when the British New came onto the market Gillette took the opportunity to not so much wipe out competition that they had bought out but embrace the brand names (and so the familiar name within those customer bases) but replace the razor with their own. I think it is highly possible that 7 O'Clock was a brand local to, say, Sheffield and coincidental that Gaisman owned that trademark elsewhere.

GROM was a Polish brand, from what scant information I've managed to find. We also saw these razors (and the bakelite type) under the Nacet brand, Minora, Rotbart and others (whose names escape me at this time of night).

I was aware of the Minora and Rotbart versions. The Grom is a new one on me. Looks to be in a VERY nice condition.

 

[TobyC]

I've seen that post before but was never convinced it was a 7 O'clock razor as there's no branding on the razor and I've never seen any other razors of this type to support the claim.

Yep, they proudly put their name on their razors, and this head seems to be blank. So, just a handle and a box then. (The handle is marked.)

 

[pjgh]

Regarding this weird Old/New/SC/Hybrid razor ... I'm struggling to find a picture, but I had one just like it which as far as I noticed was entirely blank (head and handle). Mine came in a Rotbart box (not a tin). At the time (circa 2014?) I thought it an ugly oddity and moved it along.