Vintage Razor Review- Gillette Super Speed Flare Tip

1954 (J-4) Gillette Super Speed Flare Tip

        The Razor

        The Super Speed Flare Tip was manufactured by Gillette from 1954-1968. The razor is 3 1/4" inches (8.3cm) long from the bottom of the handle to the top of the head. It weighs in at 2oz (58g).  It is a short relatively thin handled TTO razor.

        Aesthetically it is a very attractive razor in my opinion. A well shined SSFT just glistens. The knurling looks faceted and reflects the light well which  makes the razor just shine. The Flare Tip with its vertical lines adds an attractive bottom cap to the handle.

    

    The Shave

        For my shave today I used all thoroughly tested and proven top performing hardware and software. I will use the same exact set up for every Weekly Vintage Razor Review. This, in a sense, levels the playing field or at least allows me to compare evenly.

        Quickly my blade was a Personna Med Prep, my brush was a Vulfix 2234 in Super Badger. I used WSO White Lightning Premium Shave Soap. 

        The razor itself is small, as you can tell by it's stats and as many vintage razors are. The handle is thin. The size has its advantages and disadvantages. The razor is very maneuverable. It is very easy to hit those tougher to reach spots such as under the nostrils etc. On the other hand it almost feels a tad bit too small but it was all I had ever used or I used it more often I think the small size would be a non issue. Just a matter of getting used too.

       I did my normal 3 pass shave. WG, XG, AG. One thing I noticed was I got nice audible feedback from this razor. Not super loud, but definitely there. I kind of enjoy that in my razors.              

        The razor performs very well. As I said it is very maneuverable and easy to manage. As far as aggressiveness it is a relatively mild razor. I classify this level of aggressiveness by saying after the first pass you know you will need 2 more, but after those next 2, you have a beautiful shave. 

        The first pass went ok, like I said nice audible tone, very smooth. When I was done I knew the whiskers were not cut closely enough to the face and I would need all of the next 2 passes. The razor is very user friendly. Easy to establish proper angle.

       The second pass was much quieter as far as audible tones of whiskers cutting. This is a spot where the smaller razor and maneuverability shines. Doing XG over top of the lip and along the jawline having a small maneuverable razor makes the task much more shaver friendly.A very nice second pass.

        The third pass is where this razor came into its own. I got a bit more audible feedback but i could tell this final pass was CLOSE. It was capping the shave off very very nicely. Those tough spots were easy to hit even going upwards and after each razor stroke I could feeel and see the shave was a very very close one.

        After I was done I did a cold water rinse and inspection. A pretty darn good shave. Approaching excellent I would say. Summing up my thoughts on the Super Speed Flare Tip I would say I overlook it too often and should use it more. It is a small , lightweight , maneuverable, forgiving razor that offers excellent performance. Its mild nature and maneuverability make it an excellent choice for the new wetshaver looking to get their first vintage razor. It is also an excellent choice for someone entering wetshaving wishing to start with a vintage razor from the start.

        That having been said the SSFT is far from a beginners only razor. It is a fantastic razor that performs excellent and gives a great shave. The better you are - the better it performs and if you havent picked your's up lately you should. Revisit it and give yourself a great shave. If you have never used one, pick one up. This should be a part of a vintage razor users collection and should be used in my opinion. It is too plentiful, to attractive, and too good a razor not to be.

        On the WSO Vintage Razor 1-10 Blade Ranking Scale, I give the Gillette Super Speed Flare Tip (Early Version) - 8 Blades.

        Enjoy Your Shaves!

        Jim@WetShaveObsession