Thread: Jose Monserrat Pou questions

I have a series of questions about this company and the later Filarmonica razor as well.
There are razors the are marked Jose Monserrat Pou that are not Filarmonica razors, I presume these are pre Filarmonica razors. What years would they have likely been produced?

The Filarmonica razors come in different models as in Double Temple and Novadur. What is the difference between the different models of the same size?

Is there any difference in the grind between a 13 and a 14? I know there is the obvious width difference but is the 13 a heavier grind?

Thanks
I know there are several out there that are pretty in the know on this subject.

Filarmonica date & model Info.
I found this piece of Info which I'm sure most Filarmonica owners and future owners will find of interest I know I do.

. First Generation: Jose Monserrat Pou's initial offerings - ~1915 - 1967.


Pre-1950 versions will NOT have "FABRICACION ESPAÑOLA / MADE IN SPAIN" stamped on the rear of the tang



Three main iterations of the "Especial" model (in order; transitional anomalies exist)
Tang shows curved Jose Monserrat Pou with stylized eagle (IMPERIAL brand), tall & vertical "14"
Tang shows IMPERIAL brand, straight Jose Monserrat Pou, short & horizontal "14" with lyre
Tang returns to curved Jose Monserrat Pou & tall/vertical "14", but with "FILARMONICA"
These would also have the 'musical' Especial/Filarmonica gold seal on the blade face
New white box with "Especial Para Barbas Duras" - the original EPBD



The original "Doble Temple"
Tang similar to Especial with curved Jose Monserrat Pou, tall & vertical "14", and "FILARMONICA"
A different gold seal on the face, most notable attribute being the "JMP" initials in the center
Collectors will refer to this as a "JMP signature blade", the initials were later replaced by the lyre
See my earlier image for a pristine example; these are more rare and more highly valued by some
The rest of the gold seal might have been generic; I've found a Carl Friedrich Ern Crown & Shield with the same seal design



The "Medallon Taurino" limited edition, bullfighting series was introduced
They're just Doble Temple 13s with six bullfighting themes on the face
Banderillas, Capote, Estocada, Cogida, Muleta, and Rejoneo
Three total iterations found across three generations of Filarmonica (anyone up to collect all 18?)

The "Sub Cero" was a cryo-treated Doble Temple. Tang stamp conventions apply. It stuck around into the next generations.



2. Second Generation: I call it the "Filarmonica Aesthetic Period"1967-1979.

The company seems to have decided that pretty makes profit, and thus updated their look.
New scales (a few versions), gold seals, and tang stamps mark this era.
Tang stamps settled into a uniform style with small horizontal number, lyre, JMP, model, and Filarmonica

The Especial blossomed into the more ornate Especial Para Barbas Duras with laser etching and tang grommet.
The Doble Temple continued as the brand's steadfast workhorse, steady as she goes.
Four more models appeared
TRIDUR Especial Para Barbas Duras - Trivalent chromium coating for less corrosion. It's harder to hone until the outer coating is removed. Name is on the face, otherwise identical to the EPBD.
Novodur Para Profesionales - not much known, though the marketing goal is clear. Notable are the embossed scales from the EPBD, third pin in the scales, model on the tang, and gold seal similar to Sub Cero
Especial Para Corte de Pelo - narrow EPBDs made for hair cutting with attachment. "Corte Cabello" on the face.
INOX / INOXIDABLE - stainless steel Doble Temple. I don't like stainless, so not much to say there. Most were 3rd gen and don't bear JMP's name.



3. Third generation: Jose Monserrat Pou passed away sometime in the late '70s - early '80s. His son took over for a brief period, apparently continuing to sell out the old stock of materials. This is a murky period which I avoid. Straight razors were banned from Spanish barbershops in 1985 (Hepatitis & HIV?) and safety/cartridge razors had taken over worldwide, so the diminished demand (along with JMP's absence) had a direct affect on production. Many people have declared success with these razors, but they are considered hit or miss by collectors.


Key identifier is JMP's name having disappeared from the blades altogether
These are the razors you see in black "Sello Oro" boxes
Quality control was on the fritz with blade faces not matching tang stamps and other issues (lots of these on ebay from Japan)



4. Fourth generation: JMP's son died shortly after his father, then the daughter took over. The company closed a few years later in 1990.

Very hard, brittle steel sourced from Pakistan - takes an edge, but falls apart sooner than expected
No tang marks, only perfunctory "FILARMONICA -DOBLE TEMPLE-" etched on the face
Some have Sello Oro packaging or just plastic sleeves
Simply avoid these unless you're a collector



The first gen blades are considered by some to be the highest quality Filarmónica produced. I believe this is partially a matter of nostalgia, because when examining the first two generations historically & practically (on hones and face), there doesn't seem to be a difference between them with regard to steel and grinding. There is no reason that the earliest third gen razors shouldn't perform as well as previous generation blades, but any razor lacking Jose Monserrat Pou's name is a gamble. For those of you who got the good ones, congratulations! But caveat emptor to anyone on the hunt for a new Filarmónica.

To me it looks like #13 and #14 are both half hollow. AFAIK the blades in the Medallon Taurino line have two grinds a half hollow and a quarter hollow.

For reasons I do not understand I am having a heck of a time with responding. I cannot upload a picture.
I was hoping that Filarmonica in the earlier days would have had made a heavier grind razor, as in a 1/4 hollow. The one 14 first generation I had was very hollow and noisy to shave with. With the 14's I have had from other brands the grind is mostly heavier and thus less noisy. The very thin very wide blades tend to make too much noise for me. I was hoping that a first generation 13 might be a heavier grind, or perhaps one of the models other than the Double Temple or Especial.

Not sure about the Filarmonica 13, but my Iberia 13 is at least 1/4 hollow, not much audible feedback . Nice razor, but not very common.

Sent from a moto x far far away...

I am not sure the last time I saw an Iberia razor for sale when I had cash. There was an Iberia 14 in the classifieds a few months back but my pay issues were extreme at the time.

I think I've honed three #13 Novodurs (Para Profesionales) and one #13 EPBD (maybe 2?) with the tang grommet. All these #13s were singing hollow.

My Filarmonica #14 is also a full hollow and like you said, Shaun, an extremely noisy razor.

Here are #13 Novodur and #14 Sub cero.

@celticcrusader.... Damn!!!!



Amazing info

Part of my line of question was I wanted to try to find a date for this razor. I have had a bugger of time getting pictures to load.

I would like to find an earlier production Filarmonica that is not thinly ground.
Perhaps in time.

Excellent encyclopaedia entry, celticcrusader!

And a lovely score, Shaun. That blade is in superb condition!