Dating Gillette Razors and Blades: "How old is this razor?" It can be difficult to figure out. Sometimes patent dates are a help, but they give you the front end of the date scale, and not always too exactly. Some razor makers put serial numbers on their razors, but we don't always have the key to how the serial numbers fit to dates of manufacture. Gillette is one manufacturer for whom we have information on serial numbers and later date of manufacture codes that we can link to time.

Razor Serial Numbers were impressed on all Gillette razors from 1904 until 1921, and on deluxe models from 1921 until 1931 (except for a period in 1927-28). This corresponds to the time King Gillette was directly associated with the business, and may have been at his insistence. These serial numbers were on the top of the guard, or sometimes the inner barrel. There were no razor serial numbers from 1931 until 1951.

Razor Date Codes began in 1951 and used the same system blades had used since 1931, a code that identified the year and calendar quarter of manufacture. These codes are found on the underside of the guard mechanism, or in cartridge razors, near the attachment mechanism for the blade.

Gillette Blade Date Codes (and earlier lot systems) were imprinted on one side of the blade as a series of letters and/ or numbers, or on the cartridge. The blade system adopted in 1931 is still in use today, and was used on razors as well after 1950. All the coding systems are listed below.