Thread: Info on this razor please...

Is this a company split off from Filamonica? Mitchel Mogal Roma 12. The logo on the scales and on the gold leaf along with Double Temple looks like Filamonica.

Has anyone ever seen one of these?

Well, it says on the internet that "Mitchell Mogal importador americano de Filarmonicas".

I got there by searching for "Mitchell Mogal Rasiermesser" ("Rasiermesser" being the German term for cut-throat razor). My rationale was that a) I had presumed that you had already searched for "razor", and 2) that Filarmonica razors were made in Solingen, so why not give that a try?

Interestingly, the brand can neither be found here nor here.

If you play around with the search string a bit, you will come across larger "Filaromos" as well as this "Romo Duck".

If I had to wager a guess, the "importador americano" is spot on, only they imported all sorts of Solingen razors. And, according to Google, lots of knives, too. And strops.

Originally Posted by RobinK

Well, it says on the internet that "Mitchell Mogal importador americano de Filarmonicas".

I got there by searching for "Mitchell Mogal Rasiermesser" ("Rasiermesser" being the German term for cut-throat razor). My rationale was that a) I had presumed that you had already searched for "razor", and 2) that Filarmonica razors were made in Solingen, so why not give that a try?

Interestingly, the brand can neither be found here nor here.

If you play around with the search string a bit, you will come across larger "Filaromos" as well as this "Romo Duck".

If I had to wager a guess, the "importador americano" is spot on, only they imported all sorts of Solingen razors. And, according to Google, lots of knives, too. And strops.

Very interesting. I see that on the Spanish (Ebay) site one was listed for $135 Euros but it looks like the listing ended before it was sold.

Filamonicas are made in Spain (not Germany) right? I'm assuming that means made with German steel but actually manufactured in Spain and then, in this case, imported by Mitchell Mogall with the logo but not the name Filamonica on it so that Mogal could sell it in a Mogal branded box?

Otherwise the markings are the same as the Filamonica that is sold as #12 with the Doble Temple markings.

The Romo Duck thing is interesting as well. I've always assumed that Dubl Duck was just the importer since there are other razors similar to some models of Dubl Duck without that branding just as there are several brands/importers of "Blue Diamond" razors...only one of which is S.R. Droescher (NY importer).

Originally Posted by gcbryan

Filamonicas are made in Spain (not Germany) right?

Wrong. At least if you mean "all of them". I spoke to Solingen craftsmen who said that they made some.

Originally Posted by gcbryan

I'm assuming that means made with German steel but actually manufactured in Spain and then, in this case, imported by Mitchell Mogall with the logo but not the name Filamonica on it so that Mogal could sell it in a Mogal branded box?

If anything, German blanks. I asked Herckenrath. And simple visual inspection will show you that the Filarmonica blades have the exact same geometries as their "made in Solingen" cousins. Could be a freak accident, of course... not.

Originally Posted by gcbryan

Otherwise the markings are the same as the Filamonica that is sold as #12 with the Doble Temple markings.

The craftsmen chuckled, and said, "none of us spoke Spanish, so we put on them whatever we thought would sound cool and sell in Hispanic markets."

Originally Posted by gcbryan

The Romo Duck thing is interesting as well. I've always assumed that Dubl Duck was just the importer since there are other razors similar to some models of Dubl Duck without that branding just as there are several brands/importers of "Blue Diamond" razors...only one of which is S.R. Droescher (NY importer).

Dubl Ducks were made by Solingen apprentices (according to the aforementioned craftsmen). Also "by anyone with production capacity to spare, like Puma razors."

You can either believe the "research" performed by forum dwellers, or you can talk to the people who actually made these razors. I opted for the latter, because I trust original sources more than collectors and their devout followers. Confirmation bias simply is too strong a drug.

Originally Posted by RobinK

Wrong. At least if you mean "all of them". I spoke to Solingen craftsmen who said that they made some.


If anything, German blanks. I asked Herckenrath. And simple visual inspection will show you that the Filarmonica blades have the exact same geometries as their "made in Solingen" cousins. Could be a freak accident, of course... not.


The craftsmen chuckled, and said, "none of us spoke Spanish, so we put on them whatever we thought would sound cool and sell in Hispanic markets."


Dubl Ducks were made by Solingen apprentices (according to the aforementioned craftsmen). Also "by anyone with production capacity to spare, like Puma razors."

You can either believe the "research" performed by forum dwellers, or you can talk to the people who actually made these razors. I opted for the latter, because I trust original sources more than collectors and their devout followers. Confirmation bias simply is too strong a drug.

I'm not arguing. Just trying to learn a little here. That particular one that I posted the picture of says "made in Spain" on the tang. Actually I just found it unusual that I couldn't find out more about that razor that looked to be a Filamonica "Doble Temple" without it actually being marked "Filamonica" anywhere on it. I used the "sold" search feature on Ebay and couldn't find any like that that had sold. All that came up where the ones marked "Filamonica".

I was having lunch today, logged into Ebay and saw that one listed at $35 with one bid and ending in 15 minutes! I had little time to do research but I bid on it and won it.

If I like it great, if I decide to resell it, I'd like to know how to truthfully market it/list it.

It's really hard to tell from the picture, because it's so blurry. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you that that is why the entire edge looks rusty. If not, that razor is toast, because it is too narrow to sensibly remove one millimetre. If so, you just made a very nice catch, in which case, enjoy!

Originally Posted by RobinK

It's really hard to tell from the picture, because it's so blurry. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you that that is why the entire edge looks rusty. If not, that razor is toast, because it is too narrow to sensibly remove one millimetre. If so, you just made a very nice catch, in which case, enjoy!

It was a gamble but there were several other pictures and I copied some of them into a photo editing program and blew them up and sharpened them.

It looked to me like it was surface "rust" rather than actual pitting that would need to be removed. I agree, if it is more than just a matter of wiping with Mother's aluminum polish, it's toast.

My "logic" was that if it was long-term rust that the rest of the blade would look worse. The seller said that the box was moist (or something like that) and that was why there was a piece of cardboard still stuck to the toe of the scales.

The cardboard box looks to be in good condition. Cardboard should deteriorate before steel I would think. It was a gamble but the indication in the listing was that the blade/razor was in very good shape other than some moisture issue with the box.

I've been lucky lately in receiving inexpensive razors where the blade looked like I might have issues and then when it arrives it turns out that the camera was exaggerating the situation.

I just got a F.W. Engels Special for $20 including shipping were I had some questions about the blade. When I received it and used a little Mother's polish it ended up looking new and it honed up very nicely.

I try to avoid any pitting on the edge of the blade. In this case I'm betting that it will just wipe off. I could be wrong however. There's always a first time for that!

You may be right though. I going back through the pictures now. The sell mentioned that little parts of the box stuck to parts of the blade.

I can't see anything on the side of the blade so anything stuck would have to be on the edge. Some of that "rust" may be cardboard as well. The pictures aren't really sharp enough.

I'll know soon enough I suppose.

The razor came in today and the stuff on the edge of the blade was just (formerly) wet cardboard for the most part. I'm in the process of honing it now.

I'm going to add more info as I find it in case anyone else finds this interesting.

I found a Filarmonica #12 today (a picture) that doesn't say Filarmonica next to the emblem on the scales, that doesn't say Filarmonica on the gold leaf on the blade, it just says Doble Temple, like mine.

It also only says "Made in Spain" on one side of the tang, like mine. The only difference is the other side of the tang which says #12 and then Filarmonica with the guys name and all that whereas mine says #12 Romo with an arrow through the Romo.

I found a reference to Mitchell Mogal, a NYC importer in the 1920's with Romo being a brand linked to him. My box looks like a white Filarmonica box but says Romo #12 on it along with Mitchell Mogal.

I have to think (at this point) that this is a rebranded Filarmonica #12 from the 1920's. I need to find that picture again though to see if that picture of the Filarmonica was a more modern one or one from the 20's.

By the way, the blade honed up nicely and the shave was good as well.