Thread: Is this a fake?

I have a new acquisition which appears to be pre-1800.....or has been made to appear that way. Not sure. The main thing that makes me suspicious is that the shank is very thin. Much thinner than the spine. Second the scales are horn, but rounded. I had thought that all scales from this period are flat. Third the blade is near wedge, a straight edge placed against the blade shows a very slight hollowness. I am suspicious that someone has ground a later razor into the characteristic shape and thinned the shank sufficiently to remove the original stamping and then stamped Cast Steel on the shank. Also there is no spacer between the scales but I don’t know if period razors should or should not have spacers.

Would like to have your thoughts on this before I talk to the seller. Especially the very thin shank. Typical?

Post a picture if possible

Originally Posted by rodb

Post a picture if possible

Here I go. Had to search for how to upload.

AFAIK that looks appropriate as far as scales and pins go

Another clue for you: once a razor has been hardened and tempered there's not much chance of stamping anything into it. It would probably just shatter.

I have a pre 1800 razor that is pretty much the same. There is a lot of taper in the tang and the tail is very thin. It looks to me like someone restored the blade a long time ago because of the way the blade flows into the tang along the cutting edge and bottom of the tang. It would not be a deal breaker for me. It may also not be true because I am not particularly well versed in the era of straight razors.

Ah, the fake razor question. The only "fake" razors I've ever seen are the once that claim to be ancient Chinese razors. Other than that, I'm still waiting for any photo evidence of any fake razor ever existing.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Ah, the fake razor question. The only "fake" razors I've ever seen are the once that claim to be ancient Chinese razors. Other than that, I'm still waiting for any photo evidence of any fake razor ever existing.

I think those are called Zeepk and other RSOs ...

French razors into the late 1800s had very tapered tangs, as did some Torrey models. They also tapered top to bottom. The Japanese Eiko '14' also had a quite tapered tang.

Cheers, Steve

Originally Posted by Steve56

I think those are called Zeepk and other RSOs ...

Zeepk and such may have made false claims about what they are, but there has never been, as far as I know, a razor such as a Zeepk that was marketed as a razor from a legitimate brand, past or present (other than the fake ancient razors that I mentioned previously). As such, I am still baffled as to where the idea of a "fake razor" comes from.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Ah, the fake razor question. The only "fake" razors I've ever seen are the once that claim to be ancient Chinese razors. Other than that, I'm still waiting for any photo evidence of any fake razor ever existing.

If you’re referring to razors like this, they’re not fake. They’re antique Chinese razors. This style of razor was produced and used in China into the twentieth century.


I also see no reason to suspect that the razor in the original post is a fake.