Thread: First Post... And some questions about a vintage razor

Greetings All,

I had been researching straight razor shaving for some time, and was lucky to receive a German razor as a Christmas gift. The buyer was told that the razor was honed, and just needed to be stropped. The strop she purchased appears to be of low quality, and is not terribly smooth on the leather side. On the back, it appears to be some sort of suede. I plan to purchase a quality 3" strop prior to my first use of the razor. I'm also thinking that I'll send the razor to Lynn for honing, so I'm sure to be starting off with the proper edge.

The razor is marked as being made in Germany. On the tang, it has "The Alpha Co" on one side, and "Wm Penn" on the other. From my research, I am aware that many hardware and shaving supply stores purchased German razors and sold them under their own names. I also found that the store was on Passyunk Ave in Philadelphia. Does anyone know any more about this razor, as far as time frame, quality, etc.? The razor seems tight, has no pitting, and the scales appear to be in great shape.

I'd also appreciate any suggestions for a relatively affordable, high quality 3" strop.

EDIT: I've attached pictures of the razor.

Thanks in advance for any help!