Thread: Horn coming from where?

Looking at a ralf aust straight razor with horn scales. My question is what animal are horn scales from? Want to make sure it's responsibly sourced and I'm not getting rhino horn made with baby seal tears.

Most horn or generic horn is cow horn. If it's ram or some other they usually specify.

Originally Posted by Lumberjack55

Looking at a ralf aust straight razor with horn scales. My question is what animal are horn scales from? Want to make sure it's responsibly sourced and I'm not getting rhino horn made with baby seal tears.

No Unicorns were harmed in the production of your razor...

Well, seeing as Rhino horn is highly sought after by certain individuals and more and more rare, both as a result of decreasing numbers and higher international awareness and efforts to stop trafficking, it does not come cheap. It also does not get slapped into a product without letting the buyer know (often through implication) exactly why it is so expensive & "exotic". So if you are not going out of your way to deal with unscrupulous/shady black market types I think you're pretty safe. The millionaires that get caught with $100,000 Rhino horn cuff links and baby-seal lined purses are full of crap when they say they didn't know what it was.
Second, the city of Solingen, Germany is famous for it's centennial history of fine, high quality razor and knife making. To keep this title and not dilute it's brand, every blade stamped proudly with "Solingen" must be made to high quality strict standards, including strict regulation as to exactly what types of steel/ores may & may not be used, as well as where they may be sourced from = the blade itself MUST be made in Solingen, proper and cannot be a "blank" made in China, Vietnam, or anywhere else and then just "finished" or assembled in Solingen. (As a matter of fact rather recently there was rumors of just that happening, but that was the topic of another thread and discussed at length, so you can search for it and read up on it if you're interested). They also have strict regulations (even stricter than the German & European CE standards) over what types of materials/sourcing may be used for the other parts of the razors/knives (including the horn for the handles). I tried to do a search for the specific regulations on that for you, but didn't find anything that wasn't in German and I'm currently at work, so cannot do deeper research right now for you.

As far as the baby seal tears go, those could probably be procured for the right kind of money and responsibly sourced through tummy tickling if so desired.

Great thanks, I'd have to give my wife an answer or she would probably throw it out when I wasn't home.

Originally Posted by Lumberjack55

Great thanks, I'd have to give my wife an answer or she would probably throw it out when I wasn't home.

No problem. Enjoy your razor!

FIL

Most of mine are Water Buffalo Horn from India - I think most of the Ralph Aust Razors are the same