Nice, Clean 'No Name' Razor... ID help?

Picked up recently and found this razor to have no markings whatsoever. I did not pop it/re-pin it as it was in simply great shape so I guess there could be marks around the pivot but not sure how likely that is. I believe the scales are vulcanite or some type of rubber derivative as they kind of smell a little like old tires. The razor came in a Henckels box that is probably not original to the razor. This razor is quite nice in my estimation... Has great balance/ergonomics, beautiful fit and finish so sure seems to be from a skilled maker but just has no identifying marks.

Originally had this one in my 'To Hone/Sell' pile but after cleaning her up just really liked the look, balance and feel so she is a keeper now. Any way to go about identifying or information/opinions on how razors like this made it to completion without markings?

Thanks in advance for any/all information!

Shawn
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With no markings on the blade it would be impossible to ID the razor.
If it shaves well then you have a winner in your hands.

Much more likely than not, it was made in Solingen, Germany.

It may have originally had a makers stamp and country of origin, but it was ground off during WWI. That kind of effacement happened a fair bit. The second picture has a hint of the sort of marks you'd expect from that, but it could just as easily be pivot wear on the original polish.

@Voidmonster... Thanks! I think that is a bit of corrosion that was left after the cleanup but I am going to take another look under mag as I never thought about it being ground off deliberately. Naked eye I cannot see a thing aside form a line of corrosion that was more difficult to remove as it was so close to the scales.

I just got done honing 'er up and shaving... Really, really, really a good shave! I have been reviewing the JANorton link and tweaked a couple things with my technique and left out the pasted stropping altogether just going right to felt/leather stropping after Naniwa 12K and got a MUCH better shave. Very excited about that and super excited about the quality of this razor! :-)

Many razors from that period had only faint etchings, it might not have any remaining indicator. It's also possible that it was simply completely blank from the factory.

Another alternative is that a manufacturer allowed workers to make one to take home for their own use every now and then. I know of some companies, not razor companies, that allowed such perks. There is also the chance that it was smuggled out in a worker's lunch bucket, but in that case it probably would have been marked before it was tempered and ground. Looks like a well made razor. Hope it performs well for you.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Another alternative is that a manufacturer allowed workers to make one to take home for their own use every now and then. I know of some companies, not razor companies, that allowed such perks. There is also the chance that it was smuggled out in a worker's lunch bucket, but in that case it probably would have been marked before it was tempered and ground. Looks like a well made razor. Hope it performs well for you.

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Actually, if it is Solingen made, most of the workers around the turn of the century worked from home. Solingen was wired up for electricity very early so that the workforce could use power tools at home! No smuggling required. :)

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Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Actually, if it is Solingen made, most of the workers around the turn of the century worked from home. Solingen was wired up for electricity very early so that the workforce could use power tools at home! No smuggling required. :)

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I read that in a knife book once years ago. It was a collection of articles on pocket knives and they referred to the 'cottage industry' in Solingen. I've done web searches to try and find more on that to no avail. IIRC Hen & Rooster (pocket knives) was one of the brands specifically mentioned. In the '60s and '70s they were variously branded C. Bertram, Voss, and Guttmann among others.

@ JimmyHAD... I was listening to Johnny Cash's "One Piece At A Time" the other day and that's what I thought of when you mentioned someone slipping it into a lunch bucket. ;) It is truly a great shaving razor so I'm really happy!

@ Voidmonster... If that practice was common does it make razors that have Nazi/Third Reich/Etc markings/etchings more valuable? Very interesting as I had not considered that at all.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I read that in a knife book once years ago. It was a collection of articles on pocket knives and they referred to the 'cottage industry' in Solingen. I've done web searches to try and find more on that to no avail. IIRC Hen & Rooster (pocket knives) was one of the brands specifically mentioned. In the '60s and '70s they were variously branded C. Bertram, Voss, and Guttmann among others.

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This book covers it in some detail. It's a really, really dry read, but full of fascinating stuff. It does not, however, mention that there was a cutlery industry anywhere in Germany but Solingen... And I just got a razor made in Heilbronn sometime in the 1840's which makes it pretty clear Solingen may not have been leading the charge in quality coming out of Germany.

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Originally Posted by Prahston

@ JimmyHAD... I was listening to Johnny Cash's "One Piece At A Time" the other day and that's what I thought of when you mentioned someone slipping it into a lunch bucket. ;) It is truly a great shaving razor so I'm really happy!

@ Voidmonster... If that practice was common does it make razors that have Nazi/Third Reich/Etc markings/etchings more valuable? Very interesting as I had not considered that at all.

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I'd think, if anything, it makes them less valuable since it drastically increases the chances that they were made much, much later.

It seems to me to be an old Solingen blank. It reminds me of Henckels. Sorry, I did not read. Does it shave well?

@ Sharptonn... Yep! Just honed and shaved with it yesterday and shaves like a dream. Whatever it is, I am putting it in the Damn Fine Shaver category! :)

You will never know the maker, unfortunately. There wouldn't be any markings around the pivot hole and only a couple of manufacturers I know of had single letter or number marks that were usually just hidden by the scales - but you couldn't tell the maker from a single letter or number.

Grinding due to anti-german feelings could be the reason, but it wasn't that common in WW1 - more common in WW2. Besides, the grinding was usually left unpolished, and even when some attempt was made to make a decent job of it it is seldom up the the standard of the rest of the blade so it rather stands out.

Blanks were made for suppliers to mark with their own marks - usually acid etched or electro-engraved on hardened and tempered steel.

Blanks were also made by big concerns for others to hollow grind as well as mark - an example is the Wade & Butcher 'For Concaving' blank with no other marks on it.

Martin103 posted a nice piece on another reason for no marks on blades - 'wash stamp' marks - in the forum if you look for it.

It looks a decent razor and I'm glad it shaves so well - that's all that counts, really.

Regards,
Neil

It is a shame to have that no-name cluttering up your cabinet. I will gladly take it off your hands for a small fee...just to help you out.

Thanks so much for all the information! The one thing I did not consider before getting it ready to shave was the, "What if you really like this one?", angle... Kind of like your Best Buddies blindfolding you, putting you behind the wheel of a car that is just an incredible match for you, letting you drive it around and see how it performs, see how comfortable it is and then having them put the blindfold back on and drop you back off at home without the slightest clue of what type of car that was... I guess that is not completely accurate as I get to keep this razor... But, it is sure nice enough I wouldn't have minded knowing where I might find another one! ;)

@ souschefdude... Man, thanks for your kindness and generosity! If the burden of owning such a nice surprise like this ever becomes too much for me I will absolutely put a tag with your name on it. No worries about the Fee, either... You'll be saving me a mint in Psychotherapy just by taking it off my hands... Whew! I'm glad to have that cleared up! :rofl2:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ce-razors.html

Here is the link Neil mentioned... Thank you! :)

Got some help from local Mentor 'Deighaingeal' (I think I spelled that right... ;) ) and with the right light and the right angle he found the Wet Mark and it is indeed a Henckels! Even after he found it I can still barely see it but it is there... Just very faint.

Very cool time spent on honing techniques, looking at tons of razor candy and getting tons of great information! Thanks Gerrit! :)

AHA! I NAILED it! (little dance!) :D Enjoy! :tu