Thread: What's the deal with "Solingen" ?

So many razors seem to be called Solingen this and Solingen that.

I get that its a city in Germany with a long history of making bladed weapons.

This is from the wikipedia page about the city:

Solingen is called the "City of Blades", since it has long been renowned for the manufacturing of fine swords, knives, scissors and razors made by famous firms such as Dreiturm, DOVO Solingen, Wüsthof, J. A. Henckels, Böker, Klauberg, Eickhorn-Solingen, and numerous other manufacturers.
In Medieval times, the swordsmiths of Solingen coined the town's image, which is preserved to this date. In the latter part of the 17th century, a group of swordsmiths from Solingen broke their guild oaths by taking their sword-making secrets with them to Shotley Bridge, County Durham in England.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solingen

But why are so many razors still made there today? Blade manufacture is a world wide business, and metals are just as good everywhere around the world. So it is mostly a fashionable selling point to claim a blade is "Solingen"? Or are the majority of them made there and re-sold as blanks to other companies?

Just curious.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by GrumpyCat

So many razors seem to be called Solingen this and Solingen that.

I get that its a city in Germany with a long history of making bladed weapons.

This is from the wikipedia page about the city:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solingen

But why are so many razors still made there today? Blade manufacture is a world wide business, and metals are just as good everywhere around the world. So it is mostly a fashionable selling point to claim a blade is "Solingen"? Or are the majority of them made there and re-sold as blanks to other companies?

Just curious.

Thanks.

Yup, you can get good steel most places today and bad ones too. It is what you do after you have the raw steel that counts. That is where places like Solingen have gained a reputation over several hundred years in the making of straight razors. There are other centers in other countries that have also gained a good reputation over that time too. They do quality work. On a vintage razor the name Solingen stood for quality.

Bob

Other cities are Sheffield and Eskiltuna and Burkburnett. Of course that last one is still a work in progress!

Continuation of tradition and history

Originally Posted by Utopian

Other cities are Sheffield and Eskiltuna and Burkburnett. Of course that last one is still a work in progress!

Runnels might also be added to the list

The garment district in NYC still exists though not that much is actually manufactured there and similar with other historic districts no matter the product be it cars, mining, or whatever.

It's all about history and tradition.

And the best Pastrami is still made in… Oh wrong thread…

But if you are ever in LA, Lable’s Table on Pico, tiny old school, Jewish deli, OMG, just saying…

Moms deli , St Louis

Katz Deli, NYC man i'm hungry now. Now back to our normally scheduled forum thread.

Originally Posted by GrumpyCat

So many razors seem to be called Solingen this and Solingen that.

I get that its a city in Germany with a long history of making bladed weapons.

This is from the wikipedia page about the city:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solingen

But why are so many razors still made there today? Blade manufacture is a world wide business, and metals are just as good everywhere around the world. So it is mostly a fashionable selling point to claim a blade is "Solingen"? Or are the majority of them made there and re-sold as blanks to other companies?

Just curious.

Thanks.

As others have stated, and as you have referred to yourself, Solingen is a city with a long and rich tradition and history in making cutlery. And it's still home to quite a lot of such manufacturers today, especially when considering it's size (around only 150.000 inhabitants).

But what is really special about Solingen is the German "Regulation for the Protection of the Name Solingen" (Solingenverordnung) which specifies in it's 1st article

§ 1 Principle
The name Solingen may only be used in business for such cutting equipment which
1. was processed and finished in all major stages of manufacturing in the Solingen industrial area and
2. is able to achieve its characteristic intended use according to raw material and processing.

A translation of the full regulation into English can be found here: Regulation for the Protection of the Name Solingen - IHK Wuppertal-Solingen-Remscheid

The characteristics (minimum requirements) are further specified in a separate regulation which you can find here: Minimum Requirements for the Solingen Qualification - IHK Wuppertal-Solingen-Remscheid

So, as you can see it's not only history and tradition: if you buy a cutlery item marked with "Solingen", it was made there (OK, at least in all major stages) and is of a high level of quality.

And it's a lovely town too and also home to the fantastic "German Blade Museum" .

I've been to Solingen several times, have visited Meister Wacker in his home and workshop and have also been at several of the many, and often small, local manufacturers.

Strangely enough, my wife and two teenage daughters never want to accompany me on my trips there .

Cheers
Jörg