Thread: Let's Have a Contest.

Well, the summer is drawing to a close with labor day approaching and the end of vacation season. So, either it's back to school or back to the grindstone at work.

We have had many discussions concerning American made razors and how underrated they are. Personally I think Torrey made some of the best. Most of the cutlery outfits in the U.S were located in New York State in the Olean and Little Valley Locales though there were others scattered around the country.

So, in order to win this contest I want you to write a short piece on why you think American made razors were the best. What? you don't think they were? Well, the pox on you then. So in that case write why you think they weren't the best.

All entries will be judged for originality and this is open to everyone (except staff of course) and if you disparage American made razors just be advised we have some real experts on staff who will check your facts-har har.

Oh a prize you say?

Well, if YOU are the winner you will be the proud new owner of:


No that isn't spine wear it has a scalloped spine and there is no frown the edge is dead straight and the razor is shave ready.

We'll let this run until 9/20. Extended until October 01.

Just put your entries in this thread.

Okay I'll bite. Though I'm sure there are far more erudite writers on here that will do this far more justice than I ever could.

I could never say the vintage American made razors are not well made or don't shave well. It must also be said that there are quite a few examples of some truly excellent modern American Craftsmen making some truly great razors these days. For the purposes of this writeup, I am talking solely about the vintage American razors.

The only negative thing I can say about the vintage American made razors (though to some it would be a compliment) is about their utilitarian appearance. For the most part, these razors are fairly simple in their outward appearances. The razor being offered here as a prize in this thread is actually one of the finer looking ones that I have seen yet!

I don't doubt their ability to hold a fine edge or shave exceedingly well. But, the vast majority I have seen are a little bit plain in their appearance. Again, this could be a part of their charm for some.

I myself don't like a razor to be overly garish in appearance but a certain personality can really come through by the craftsman in the materials used for the scales or the etching or gold wash used on the blade itself. I find the vintage American razors to be lacking a bit in personality for the most part and there is a certain uniformity to their looks.

That would be my only criticism, if it can be called that. Hopefully this is not taken as disparaging. It was never meant as such!

American razors are as good as they are due to timing in my opinion. While I don't have the background that many do in metallurgy, I believe it's all about the steel and the craftsmanship. To me, the soul of a razor is the quality of the steel, the design for function, and the heat treatment. Yes, there are more elegant razors made in other countries but the fact is that most all razors made in the United States, predominately New York, are truly top notch shavers. Why? The American Industrial Revolution was getting into full swing and smart folks from the U.S. would learn from the masters of older countries like England & Germany, not to mention the craftsmen from those countries who were coming to American for a fresh start. These were the times when a quality product was the only product that would succeed as marketing was mostly word of mouth, a poorly made product simply wouldn't make it no matter of what trade name it had as these were times when American made truly meant something. Pretty much any tool from this era was built for function and longevity, which is why Hardly any tool back then here in the U.S. was made for style, but more for function and the razors of this era were just that: Top notch razors. Unfortunately for the shaving world today, this timing was towards the end of the great "gentleman's shave" era. I for one would wish the disposable razor wouldn't have made it's entry for at least another 20 years so we would have more of these great American razors available to us now.

Its a point of pride to own a piece of Americana. The tools of my trade are American made, my truck is a Ford, and my wife is as American as apple pie. I know there are likely higher quality pieces made outside our borders but I like the idea of keeping the craftsmen of our country held in esteem. Those are my reasons. Not a very complicated or scientific reason.

To be completely forthright and honest, my collection contains but a few American made razors. Those that I do own are part of a dedicated few that make the "cut" as part of my shaving rotation on a regular basis. There was a time that I believed in the gospel of Solingen from the book of Sheffield that great blades were manifest in distant lands by craftsmen of the highest caliber from steel mined from the mountains of Moria, Mithril. As maturity and experience replaced the exuberance and wonder of youth so did the belief in magical wonders and dreams of far away lands. I have come full circle in my search for the "best and finest" of razors. Europe had the history, mythical mines and craftsmen of elegant blades but the Americas had ingenuity, quality steel, drive and optimism as well as the ability to draw from the wealth of history and the artisans that migrated to create new lives for themselves and their families. The fact that American made razors only touch a infinitesimally small segment of the straight razor time line but has left an indelible mark on the history of such is an amazing and compelling commentary on the strength of American ingenuity.

I have the following American made straights,
Union Cutlery Co - 5/8" Spike this is my favourite US str8 by far
Camillus Cutlery Co - 5/8" spike point it a very nice Str8 but is currently in the sin bin for biting
Geneva - 6/8" Round - PIF'ed this to the son in-law
Cattaraugus Cutlery Co 4/8" (corn razor maybe) in the shed awaiting a clean up

As I am not a US native I have a non-bias opinion and with that I would have to confirm the 3 shave ready blades are all excellent shavers equal to any other of their size that I have in my rotation.

but since there is a the chance of winning a very nice looking scalloped spined Torrey with a covered tang & I don’t want no POX
I would have to say they are the best razors I have ever used and would sell others in my collection first before parting with them,
except my hierloom GAMERX of course
and maybe my Sheffeild’s and a couple of the Solingen’s
ah screw it I don’t intend to get rid of any,
so a beautiful Torrey would be a nice addition to support my findings that the US steels are as great as the rest of the superior blades produced around the world.

I'm in!
I have a few US made razors. I also have a Boker, and a Germania Cutlery blade. The Boker is in a class by itself, IMO. But a couple come really close. One of my favorites is simply marked 51 The Victor. I have the box original to the razor. The Victor Razor Company, Chicago, Ill.
The 9/16" Torrey I own is no slouch, either.
As to the "utilitarian" look, sometimes there is grace in simplicity.
I enjoy my American razors just as much as any others I own. And the quality comes at a very modest price, especially if, like me, you're willing to hunt for them "in the wild", and do the work yourself that is necessary to bring them back to do the job they were originally intended for.
Love them, and look to add as many more to my stable as I can find.

Rightly new to this forum, and fairly new (> 4 years) to straight razor shaving in general.
but, as anyone who meets me can attest, i am a red blooded American.
when it comes to my humble collection of razors, i appreciate the shaves of many blades. I find that, like a vehicle or perhaps a woman, each razor has a certain feel to it. Many countries have knowingly built a name for themselves and the things they produce. i've owned and driven Volkswagens, The same as ive shaved, and continue to shave pretty frequently with Pumas, Bokers, ERN's, Wade and Butchers, all good blades, all good shavers. I scoff at most japanese cars i see daily, and i have noe Japanese razors to speak of. To me, these cars represent the end of a great age in America, the age where putting good, hardworking American people to task creating something to proudly bear an American company name has been traded for making lesser quality products because it can be made cheaper somewhere else. my heart breaks a little every day as i drive past countless closed and abandoned companies, warehouses, and factories, all which in times past employed good, hardworking Americans, building, creating, growing. Gent's, its a sad day and age we live in, and i guess that's why i appreciate my torrey razor, the only American razor i own (though it gets the most use). does it shave better? not that i can tell ( i haven't been doing this very long). Is it better looking? No, most definitely not. I use this razor most often because this razor gives me the best feel. it is reminiscent of the razor my great grandfather used every morning. it is reminiscent of a time when good, hardworking people built and created things, then proudly stamped them U.S.A. It is reminiscent of a time when being made in America meant something. In the end, it's all opinion. Like driving my Detroit made jeep, To me, its about a lingering Pride i have for a country which changes every day.

Tough. Dependable. Durable. Efficient. Simple. Underrated. Classic.
All accurate adjectives of the American straight razor.

After having owned a few of the fancy European blades with the gold etching and scalloped spines paired with exotic woods and horn scales, I've found that my utilitarian U.S. Steel gives a shave on par with anything our friends across the Atlantic have to offer. What those elaborate razors cannot offer, however, is a link to the history of my ancestors here in the States.

When I pass a Torrey, a Robeson, a Geneva/Genco, or my personal favorite, the Shumate, across my face, I'm filled with a sense of nostalgia and a connection to a simpler, prouder time in our young country's history. A time when things were made as a labor of love, not just a means to an end.

I think of all the lives and families that were supported by the wages earned in the factories that produced these little works of art. I think of the men who forged these blades and then later used them to shave themselves with.

American straights offer so much more than what is seen on the surface. What they have runs deep into the pitting of our souls as Americans. Their patina adds to their appeal. Something that cannot be buffed or sanded away...

A fine idea for a contest, Spendur! Great entries so far as well! A pleasure to read. Please continue, Gentlemen!