Thread: Unknown razor maker- fishy?

Originally Posted by RMarsh

Totally agree, I have a couple Robert Williams', a Sandor Jenes and and an order in for a rodrigue, I understand the risk on this one, maybe it will work out

Forgot to add Williams to my rant...sorry...lol

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If the cost is comparable to well know makers, I would think that it makes a lot more sense to buy from a well known maker. After all their name is probably worth something.
Just like a Puma or Filarmonica razor will command a much higher price than a "Gebruder Bauer" (a brand name I just made up), which shaves exactly the same.

But at the end of the day it's your money - there isn't much risk because the seller would take it back if you end up not wanting it. So you get to try it and then decide if it's worth the money to you, if not return it.

The lack of mark is a deal breaker to me. To me, that looks like either the maker did not think much of his work, or he does not want to be associated with it (like the Charlie Lewis knockoffs that don't have a mark). If the price is in the same ballpark as one of the 'known' customs makers, then I would go to one of those instead of taking a nameless brand.

Btw, this is also because I make blades in the hope that they will someday be cherished like we cherish the John Barbers, Mappins, and other vintage blades. If someone finds one of my blades in 100 years time when I am long gone, he can figure out that I made it with some basic research. And then he can probably figure our when it was made, if there was anything special about it, where it came from, who I was, etc. Someone cherishing my razor 100 or 200 years down the line would be awesome. My mark gives the blade identity.

Without a mark, that razor might be old one day, but it will never be anything more than 'just some nameless razor of unknown origins'.

Originally Posted by Catrentshaving

Forgot to add Williams to my rant...sorry...lol

+1, I forgot to add Max Sprecher and Charlie Lewis ......

Originally Posted by Bruno

Without a mark, that razor might be old one day, but it will never be anything more than 'just some nameless razor of unknown origins'.

It will also be a bit more difficult to get your money out of should you ever decide to thin the herd. "Great no name shaver for sale" wouldn't bring a premium price in the classifieds IMHO.

Well My name is Paul but I don't know this guy. All the makers I know have a makers mark.
If the person is saying there is some thing wrong with it and will not give his name and "knows someone" on SRP. RUN AWAY!!!!!

Wrong Paul!

Well I got this razor in hand, and it is much like the pics describe...


While it is a bit of a derivative style similar to other "known" makers, I did get his name and found others here who use his razors. The blade face almost looks cast rather than ground, but that's neither here nor there. It came with an edge, which I improved on a naniwa 12k, and it shaves very well, for now. I'm happy with it as an initial impression, but that said I'll be sticking to the makers I know in the future.

Maybe one day he'll find his own style and maybe then he'll put his name on his work.

Originally Posted by Catrentshaving

Maybe one day he'll find his own style and maybe then he'll put his name on his work.

Agree completely and I want to be clear that I'm not implying that this is the caliber of the names we all know... but it's something, and I will at least give the guy that much.