Thread: 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
-----

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.