Thread: Wester bros = Bartmann???

There is a vendor on ebay saying that wester bros is = to bartmann or it is the same company as bartmann??

The vendor does say that it's the "same steel bartmann uses".

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/261137216497?...84.m1423.l2649

Any thoughts on this??

Well is it true that Bartmann use manganese steel also most American razor used Sheffield Steel...... but that dont make them a Butcher or Greaves etc

Reading the description carefully, he says " This is the same kind of steel that Bartmann uses- high in Manganese."
Wester Bros used Manganese Steel and so did Bartmann. Bartmann branded some of their razors "manganese steel" as did Wester Bros with one of their more popular models.

The seller say,"This is an early, pre Fritz bracht era razor. The blade is very stiff. The steel is unusually hard." IME the steel in a Wester Bros Manganese can be very hard and tough to bring from dull to shave ready. Not impossible by any means but a lot of work with the few that I have.

The "pre Fritz Bracht" era comment I find interesting. IIRC Fritz Bracht began in the 1920s or so and was DBA Tennis Razors. He later bought Dovo from Dorp & Voos and passed on sometime after WWII, maybe in the '50s ...? Not sure. I don't think even manah or Neil Miller have been able to come up with much on who Bartmann was. I don't think there is any connection with Wester & Butz , A.K.A. Wester Bros, aside from both of them marking one of their models 'manganese steel.'

Yeah Martin, I get that, but to say it is the SAME steel?? I'm sure that there were multiple companies that added manganese to their steel to harden it, is this to say that they have the exact alloy that bartmann uses though?

Jimmy, thanks for the info! I actually just got a manganese wester bro's... in the mail AND a tennis... also in the mail... both for incredible prices on the bay.

Originally Posted by brooksie967

Yeah Martin, I get that, but to say it is the SAME steel?? I'm sure that there were multiple companies that added manganese to their steel to harden it, is this to say that they have the exact alloy that bartmann uses though?

Manganese was invented in 1882, it was available to anybody as far as i know, it is highly possible that the steel was exactly the same but once its grinded and heat treated thats where the difference will be.IMHO

Looks like it's his guess that it uses the "same kind of steel that Bartmann uses- high in Manganese." I can't find any association of Wester and Bartmann in any of my references. Most of the Solingen makers imported Swedish steel for many years and at one point several imported English steel.. so, Solingen razors in Sheffield steel. Whew. Many American manufacturers used steel imported from Germany, Sweden, England, and probably other places as well. Also, many European razor manufacturers made them for various American department stores, hardware supply hourses and others. It's very confusing.

It's a moot point anyway since the Wester's have a rep as good shavers & that's all that matters. That's a nice looking razor but only you can decide if it's worth that price to you.

rs,
Tack

I was just curious, i stumbled on this after I talked a guy down to $11 and free shipping. He had terrible pictures but after about 10 back and forth messages I decided I'd take the risk.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/181053513214?...#ht_500wt_1203

The scales are apparently unbroken which is a +, zooming in on the blurry picture shows me that the blade extends past the stabilizer which is a +, the price of $11 and free shipping is a huge +.

The seller, when asked, also said that the blade is silver and shiny and that it was just a bad picture. Apparently it was his grandfathers? Anywho, this could be a good buy, no?

Yeah it ought to be good if the blade has no cracks or serious corrosion. I have a few of the Westers Manganese and they are all good.