Thread: ID on this blade - Soviet?

the Bay is full of them. Most look mistreated badly. Maybe I should go look again. I haven't looked in a while. I can use a 5/8 round point, but its so much more fun to use a 6/8 or a touch more. Holds the lather better.

I think I have only seen one larger sized Russian razor but I haven't been looking all that hard. I get the impression that Russian consumer items from that period were made to the standard of nothing more than was necessary to get the job done. Hence mostly 5/8 sized straight razors. Seems most western barbers had the same outlook on straight razors in the time they were allowed to use them. Not a too exciting attitude but very practical.

Bob

It's really soviet pre-WWII era razor.
It's not STIZ.
It's 2ГПЗ = The state ball bearing's plant #2 in Moscow (2-й государственный подшипниковый завод).
40 = year of item manufacturing 1940.
Rare model and good condition for russian vintage market.

And first four symbol НКСМ = People's Commissariat (Department) of the middle-level machine-building industry (Народный комиссариат среднего машиностроения).
This Government Department was head-level manager for 2ГПЗ plant in USSR.

Originally Posted by ShaveAndTravel

It's really soviet pre-WWII era razor.
It's not STIZ.
It's 2ГПЗ = The state ball bearing's plant #2 in Moscow (2-й государственный подшипниковый завод).
40 = year of item manufacturing 1940.
Rare model and good condition for russian vintage market.

Originally Posted by ShaveAndTravel

And first four symbol НКСМ = People's Commissariat (Department) of the middle-level machine-building industry (Народный комиссариат среднего машиностроения).
This Government Department was head-level manager for 2ГПЗ plant in USSR.

Beautiful! Many thanks. I love to have precise information, and this nails it down completely. Looks like I was lucky!

Sorry my mistake, razor is WWII era of course. Not pre-. 1940.

Originally Posted by ShaveAndTravel

Sorry my mistake, razor is WWII era of course. Not pre-. 1940.

Didn't the Soviet Union join the war after Hitler unilaterally terminated Germany's non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union in June 1941? So in that sense, this razor is pre-WWII! In any case, I'm sure razors didn't change much between 1939 and 1940.

About the war: formally it's true. But we know and other facts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German..._Brest-Litovsk

And about the razor: I also add that according to our local enthusiasts, Soviet razors of pre-war years are better in quality (primarily steel) and shaving feel than post-war.

Originally Posted by ShaveAndTravel

About the war: formally it's true. But we know and other facts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German..._Brest-Litovsk

Interesting!

Originally Posted by ShaveAndTravel

And about the razor: I also add that according to our local enthusiasts, Soviet razors of pre-war years are better in quality (primarily steel) and shaving feel than post-war.

Hopefully mine is just old enough to be a good one. I am about to leave on a long trip, and I won't hone it until I get back, but I will be sure to come back here and post the update when I do.

Soviet razors are no frill razors doing the job, taking a good edge easily. There's a good many on the bay, IMHO perfect razos for beginners. Good quality and relatively cheap.