Thread: One of Gramp's straights I'm seeking info - Boker Knock off?

So one of my Gramps straights, has me scratching my head and I just can't find any further info about maker

The razor design etching, King's Cutter, is very much the same as Boker except, King is plural.

My other Boker has no town or "made in" markings.

My questions are Does the "made in Germany" & Solingen mean that it was made in Solingen?

It seems to me that this is a knock off Boker razor.

Or is it possible that this razor may have been made by Boker for another company

I thought It should say "made in Solingen" to actually be made in that area.

Can anyone shed any details or thoughts about this razor? Is this a quality razor?

Gramps has been gone since the early 70's so I have no idea when he may have acquired it

Thanks

Rob

looks like a newer model razor, I have had one with similar tang stamps but no etching on the blade.
it looks to be in very good so either way clean it, get it hone up properly & give it a go
using an inherited str8 has a different feel (JMHO) due to the nostalgia connected to it, this is my excuse anyway

Thanks, appreciate the reply,

Do you think the Solingen and Made in Germany stamps indicate it is probably a razor of good quality?
When you say newer model, is there a specific time frame for that style?

Thanks

I need to dig out mine...
But I think the Boker is a "King Cutter" and this is a "King's Cutter"

There where hundreds of razor makers in Solingen before WWII and they made razors (great shavers) for retailers, Barber Supply Companies, Hardware Distributors and the like.

It Heirloom- it's priceless...

Smooth Shaving

Originally Posted by MJC

I need to dig out mine...
But I think the Boker is a "King Cutter" and this is a "King's Cutter"

There where hundreds of razor makers in Solingen before WWII and they made razors (great shavers) for retailers, Barber Supply Companies, Hardware Distributors and the like.

It Heirloom- it's priceless...

Smooth Shaving

Yes, in my original post, noted that King's is plural,
Since the etching around the "King's Cutter is exactly like the original Boker etching I wondered if this razor may have been made by Boker, OR its a knock off,

Because of the "Made in Germany" and "Solingen" stamps. Does this indicate the razor is what is says?

Originally Posted by 4freek

Because of the "Made in Germany" and "Solingen" stamps. Does this indicate the razor is what is says?

Honing and shaving with it would be a pretty good test.
But odds are that if it came out of your Grandfathers collection/use it was made in the huge block of time in the mid 20th century.
If I recall correctly there where 600 razor makers in Solingen in the 1930's.
Since some large companies sold blanks to smaller shops the trail gets hard to follow.

If you had bought it off the 'bay last week and the only stamp was Solingen or some other spelling I'd be second guessing.

And don't forget that your Grandfather could have gotten the razor from someone else.

I have two razors that my Dad gave me that my Grandfather gave to him. Grandpa was an Italian Barber who immigrated to the US after WWI. One of the razors, in used but excellent condition, is an HM Christensen that was made before WWI.
So he bought it used or NOS years after it was made. Unless someone can tell you more it's hard to tell, you could be the fourth generation and not the third (note that I don't know if you are 30 or 70, so there is a wide range here)

One of the members may chime in with more info, the depth of knowledge around here never ceases to amaze me.

Enjoy it, and remember you are the current custodian - and will pass it on.

Yes the razor was most likely made in Solingen. Thus made in Germany. As to the maker you will not really be able to find that out as they did not deem this razor worthy of there mark.
Solingen was full of straight razors makers up past WWII all where trying to make a buck so copying other well known brands happen all the time.

As has been said its an heirloom so priceless on that front.
As a razor made in Solingen the steel is fine steel and back when it was originally made it was probably an apprentice maker who made the razor. He still had way more knowledge of how to make a razor then many production makers do now and made it mostly by hand.

Thanks folks, I appreciate the info. Although I did as much searching as I can and with Gramps long gone, and me at 58 years old now, I can't question when, where and how.

Of the now 12 str8's I own, 10 of them belonged to Gramps, Plus his leather shave pouch, 2 strops, 3 hair clippers.

I've got a few of them back into use, and I plan on making sure they are kept in the best condition I can.

Thanks again for your help

Regards

Rob

Rob, whether the company that made that was trying to capitalize on Boker's King Cutter, or not ........ that is a Solingen made razor and in good shape. I'd bet $100.00 to a donut that it would shave as well as any once it is honed up properly. They didn't make junk razors back in those days.

One thing Boker did on some of their razors would be to put a small tree at the end of the tail. I have only seen it on razors that were made for another company that would have that companies name on it instead of Boker.