Thread: Vintage Puma or new Revisor?

A good number of years ago a fella bought a new Oldsmobile and he was especially proud of it because it contained the "Rocket 98 Engine" which was no ordinary engine yes sir. Then one day he took it into his mechanic for an oil change and was told in fact it was a Chevrolet Engine.

He sued GM and GM's defense was hey, it's just advertising. In that case the court decided differently because they specifically made claims about the "Rocket 98 Engine" when no such thing existed.

So, outfits claim what they can get away with and the longer in time you go back the more they could get away with.

Indeed, when it comes to razor marketing there has been a lot of snake oil.

Magnetic steel, won't need honing, razors for heavy beards, sensitive skin, twice forged, twice hammered and the list goes on.

Originally Posted by RobinK

An excellent question. Would you care to elaborate on the heat treating issue, please? Thank you.

Elaborate? It was a question. Not sure if different mfrs. did their own heat treating after the grind. Did your source mention anything about that?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

A good number of years ago a fella bought a new Oldsmobile and he was especially proud of it because it contained the "Rocket 98 Engine" which was no ordinary engine yes sir. Then one day he took it into his mechanic for an oil change and was told in fact it was a Chevrolet Engine.

He sued GM and GM's defense was hey, it's just advertising. In that case the court decided differently because they specifically made claims about the "Rocket 98 Engine" when no such thing existed.

So, outfits claim what they can get away with and the longer in time you go back the more they could get away with.

At one time each of the GM divisions produced their own engines and the designs were all different from each other even if the displacement was the same. At some point, mid 70s?, GM made a decision that all their divisions would use the same engines across the board.

After that decision Olds still called their engines "Rocket" engines hence the law suit. They really weren't Olds Rocket engines anymore. There was a time when Olds engines were distinctly different and made in their own plant.

Bob

57 Olds Rocket 88, my first car-$50. Sucks Gas like a Rocket. Still runs Excellent. Still blows the doors off the early Dodge Hemi's.

Puma Me. With the wooden casket. 6/8 or wider.

What's in a name? Obscure Solingen makers as well as anonymous makers for American hardware concerns are most excellent razors. I had a few of the fad Pumas. Nice blades, yet begged to be sold for all that money. Because of the name.
They are all equally good, FME

I have one Puma left. From the 20's or 30's. Puma is the least thing visible upon it, TBH.

Post-war, is all about advertising. As most things were, I suppose.

Originally Posted by kelbro

Not sure if different mfrs. did their own heat treating after the grind. Did your source mention anything about that?

You do not need a source for that, just read a book on razor production. There is no heat treating after grinding.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

A good number of years ago a fella bought a new Oldsmobile and he was especially proud of it because it contained the "Rocket 98 Engine" which was no ordinary engine yes sir. Then one day he took it into his mechanic for an oil change and was told in fact it was a Chevrolet Engine.

He sued GM and GM's defense was hey, it's just advertising. In that case the court decided differently because they specifically made claims about the "Rocket 98 Engine" when no such thing existed.

So, outfits claim what they can get away with and the longer in time you go back the more they could get away with.

That is a lovely story, Nelson. I really like it. Only, it has nothing to do with the case in point. A Puma razor is a Puma razor, irrespective of which one of the hundreds (or, over the course of decades, more likely thousands) of people actually ground, finished, etched, or honed one particular razor.

Unlike with your Rocket engine, there would be no discernible difference in performance, anyway.

And unlike with your Rocket engine, there was no wrong selling, either. Everyone knew about differentiation of labour. I mean, the entire Kotten industry is based upon differentiation of labour. Many steps in the production processes were performed by widows, children, or war invalids. There was absolutely nothing glorious, romantic, or beautiful about making razors. It was grunt work, and extremely hard work, too.

I know it is tempting to romanticise vintage goods, and their origins, but believe me, those Filarmonica and Dubl Duck razors cannot be found by the dozen on eBay at any given time for no reason. The reason is that they were mass produced, and mass production back then meant taskwork in really bad working conditions. Señor Pou making all those razors himself? Ridiculous. Same for Fritz Bracht Dovos, to be fair.

So, sorry, Nelson, but the engine story, as lovely as it is in and by itself, has nothing to do with this. Vintage Puma or new Revisor?

Originally Posted by RobinK

You do not need a source for that, just read a book on razor production. There is no heat treating after grinding.

Thanks. Was not aware of that. Just an assumption on what kind of possible value-add that a brand name might add to a generic blank.

I've spent a lot of time standing in front of a forge but nope, never read a book on commercial razor production.

Originally Posted by kelbro

Thanks. Was not aware of that. Just an assumption on what kind of possible value-add that a brand name might add to a generic blank.

I think I have said it a few hundred times before, but I will gladly say it again: The overwhelming majority of Solingen razors has used, is using, and will use the same generic blanks. Like these:


Check out what is called the Bismarck blades. Dovo, Revisor, Aust, Wacker - they all use them. The only difference being the stamping. The rest is up to the manufacturers.

So, those #14 blades? Herkenrath. I asked them. You may choose to believe in a different story, and that is everyone's prerogative. But they were made by Herkenrath.

Originally Posted by kelbro

I've spent a lot of time standing in front of a forge but nope, never read a book on commercial razor production.

There are some in German, if you know where to look. But they are quite expensive, and few and far between, because they are antiquarian (ie you need to be able to read in German in old script, too ).