Thread: Could you please help to identify this razor?

Hello there!

I switched from my Gillette super-duper-mega-machx50000 razors, to a cheap and cheerful shavette, just over a month ago. I've been getting on quite well with the shavette and barring the need to be delicate, haven't had any trouble with it. It occurred to me that I would be missing out if I didn't try a 'real' straight razor, so I scoured eBay and watched multiple razors come and go which were either far too expensive for my budget or had obvious defects that even I could see.

Eventually, one cropped up that was within budget and seemed to be in order. Not fantastic, cosmetically but it seemed to be what I was after and with a bid placed, I won it. There is "Christel/ Germany" stamped onto the tang and the scales appear to be made of horn. On the reverse side of the tang is stamped "Extra Hollow Ground".

I wondered whether somebody would be so kind as to share some information about this razor? I must confess that it is beyond my field of study and I don't really know where to begin looking for information but perhaps the combined knowledge of this forum might be able to assist me?

Sadly, I haven't had a chance to sit down and properly polish it and even *gasp* shave with it but I hope to be able to do so in the next few days - it certainly looks pretty!

Thank you all so much!

Well, with a hone and some stropping, I enjoyed quite a nice shave with the razor this morning. There's more weight to it than the shavette and I find it nicer to shave with - although my stropping technique likely accounts for the fact that it wasn't quite as sharp as the shavette.

I had another look online but couldn't find any information about Christel razors and aside from another that sold at auction, there wasn't anything I could dig up. There are still some discoloration marks on the blade which should hopefully be sorted with some metal polish when I get some time but other than that, it seems to have been a good purchase.

Scales are bone!

Ah, thank you! I assumed they were horn but bone would make sense - they seem to have lasted very well and the condition looks good.