Thread: New user question on tang decoration

Just joined the site a month or so and do love this place. I jumped in broke most of the rules, purchased some razors on ebay, tried to hone them, finally got a shave ready razor from the classified - should heed the good advice here.

Anyway on ebay I got some good ones, got a couple duds but no big deal, I am determined to teach myself to hone so I have some to practice with. One thing that I had a question on is the tang decoration. I picked up a Fried with Engels (great deal!) only to received it and find I got a Wester Bros with a FWE box - too few pictures, pictures not terribly clear and I was on my phone instead of the computer.... But what got me wondering is the tang decoration, it is the same between some brands and part of what made me think I was buying a FWE was the cross hatch and circle design. Apparently this is not specific to 1 brand. Does it mean something? Is it the mark of razor-ness? Just curious as it would seem each maker would have their own look but these are virtually identical. Any thoughts from the experts out there?

Thanks,
Scott

I think you answered your own question, it is just decoration and means little of consequence.

Bob

Friedrich Wilhelm Engels and Wester Bros, were both located in New York City, and both were importing cutlery from Solingen Germany.

STRAZORS.com - all about classic razors - Home page

Try this web site. You may find it on this or something similar. I agree that it might just be decoration. One of my Dovo's has a similar decoration. Good luck. Nice razor

Originally Posted by Martin103

Friedrich Wilhelm Engels and Wester Bros, were both located in New York City, and both were importing cutlery from Solingen Germany.

Huh ? Didn't know that Martin. I thought they were both Solingen based cutlery companies. So it is possible that the blanks, and maybe even the finished razors came from the same sub contractor.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Huh ? Didn't know that Martin. I thought they were both Solingen based cutlery companies. So it is possible that the blanks, and maybe even the finished razors came from the same sub contractor.

That was more in line with my thinking. 2 brands with the same 'logo' next to the makers stamp? Perhaps some connection I didn't know about. But it could be what Bob said, a similarity which I am trying to read more into than actually exists. People didn't sue over every perceived infringement back then, they could have just thought it looks cool and replicated it and nobody cared.

I agree with Martin and Jimmy. I have razors sold by Droescher, Kron (not Korn), Steinan, Sunbury B.S., and Schuttelhofer all with that design. And I am sure that there are many more out there.

Regards - Walt