Thread: Genco. Narrowing the Details.

My wife helped me come across this Genco on eBay a little while ago, and I've been cleaning it up & honing it.

Regardless of the future of this razor, I really like to know the past of my vintage items that I acquire! Though I may not know the specific story for this one, I want to narrow down all of the details I can about its birth! I will share my guesses below, along with some of the sources!

Pics! (Before cleaning)











"Genco"
Master Barber Jr.
Geneva
NY U.S.A.

My thoughts: It appears to be all-original, with minimal hone wear, and celluloid scales. Nailing down when it was produced has been quite a task !

According to B&B, the Geneva location was shut down after the Case acquisition around 1936. Some sources say that "Genco" was a trademark used the entirety of 1902-1960's. And what about Case? Would Geneva still be stamped on razors after the buyout (assuming they moved operations to PA)??

That's a great find. I can't add any info but want to subscribe to the thread to see what others have to say.

Also, where do you get one of those wives that finds razors for you? I don't seem to be able to train mine to do that.

Sometimes I even have to convince her that I need more razors and that I don't currently have enough!

That is the problem with trying to come up with a date of manufacture for a particular razor. Straight razors were a mundane household item produced by the thousands over a large number of years. The best you could hope for is narrowing it down to a decade or two in which it might have been produced.

There are some members here with quite a bit of knowledge of Genco as a maker. I am sure they will eventually comment. Genco razors have a good rep and mine is an excellent shaver so you are in luck there.

Bob

Originally Posted by Porl

That's a great find. I can't add any info but want to subscribe to the thread to see what others have to say.

Also, where do you get one of those wives that finds razors for you? I don't seem to be able to train mine to do that.

Sometimes I even have to convince her that I need more razors and that I don't currently have enough!

Hehe. It all started when I went to pay a visit to the closest thing to a haberdashery-ish type of shop we have here in town. It hasn't been around but a few years, I think, and I had only just heard of them. After introducing myself to the owner, we exchanged info. For razors, he only has one or two models of safety razor, and is currently looking into carrying shavettes.

Over the following week, he asked my opinion on a vintage SR for sale. I told him what I thought, and a few days later was discussing the razor with my wife. I pulled up the listing on the Bay, and from there it snowballed into her asking me about razors. This one vs. that one? How much would I pay? Could it be saved/restored?

Mostly, I wasn't interested in either the price, or the condition... or both! But we put a low-ball bid on this Genco, and it was here about a week later for less than $10 after it was all said and done.

I plan on giving it to the owner of that shop I met, as a "The first hit is free..." sort of thing . He can either learn to use it, or it could be the first straight razor he puts up for sale in his shop! Either way, it will hopefully lead to another wet shaving convert.

Originally Posted by BobH

That is the problem with trying to come up with a date of manufacture for a particular razor. Straight razors were a mundane household item produced by the thousands over a large number of years. The best you could hope for is narrowing it down to a decade or two in which it might have been produced.

There are some members here with quite a bit of knowledge of Genco as a maker. I am sure they will eventually comment. Genco razors have a good rep and mine is an excellent shaver so you are in luck there.

Bob

That is true. About all I was hoping for was down to a decade, for a date. The more specific, the better.

I also have a "Geneva Cutlery" that is a fantastic shaver, in spite of the pitting that was too deep to remove completely! Not gonna sell that one. It is older, and was covered in rust when I got it, with no scales. I hand sanded it to a mirror shine, and made scales for it.

It is easier to let go of a razor that didn't require much work, and isn't as old.

Let's see a picture of that pitted razor!

I have a few of those razors that I was determined to bring back to shaving condition, even though they were never going to be pretty again. They're favorites. Kind of like my best dogs -- they all came from animal shelters. The ones you get from breeders are the stuck-up ones, think the world owes them a living.

Some good info on Genco in this thread beginning here

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ml#post1067249

Here is a little info on Genco/Geneva Cutlery;

Straight Razor Manufacturers and Dates of Operation

http://www.taylors1000.com/manufactu...acturers_g.htm

Genco, Geneva and I can't remember the names of the other NY produced razors of the 1800. In their time (1800's) NY razor manufacturers produced more razors then anywhere else in the world. The razors are similar to Sheffields as far as the quality of the steel. They take and hold their edges and are very smooth shavers. I own 4 and keep going back to them because I know I am going to have a really comfortable shave. Can't beat them for the price.