Thread: Proof vs Myth

I was going to bring up what Vern just did. The resting of the blade. Sounds ridiculous to me.

I don’t think those Japanese razors are actually the Henckels twins but look super similar. Perhaps intended to trick people into thinking the were Henckels. I have not been able to find a good picture of one tonight. I was intrigued by them at one point as I am a wee bit of a Henckels fan.

Dovo bought out a number of razor makers. Just a handful listed in Wiki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOVO_Solingen

I recently picked up a Western States Cutlery razor in a lot purchase of a bunch of antique tools. The razor was in a box with Starrett rules and some brace bits and I did not notice it until I got home and sorted the lot.

I paid $100 for a lot of over 200 items, that included 2, 8-foot fluted wooden columns, a 12-inch Starrett, machinist level and a lot of Stanley planes and tools in between. So, I paid about 50 cents per item.

The razor was in great shape with little to no hone wear, perfectly ground and finished, it cleaned up nicely and It honed up and shaved a treat.

Turns out turns out, Western States was started by Charles Platt, the same Platt that married Debbie Case and started Case Cutlery with J Russell Case in 1904, after working at a host of the big names of Little Valley cutlery companies. He met Debbie while working at Cattaraugus, the Platt and Case families had family working in many major cutlery companies through the years.

He left Case in 1911 selling his interest and moved to Boulder, Colorado for his health, Grinders lung.

He saw an opportunity to supply the western expansion with knives and tools and started Western States Cutlery. During the early years, Case was making knives and razors under the Western States brand, until a facility could be built, and production started in Colorado. Western was eventually purchased by Coleman and then Camillus and was a popular and prolific knife maker.

It is very possible this razor was made by Case, which would explain the expert grinding, finish and collarless spun pinning. Even if it was not made at the Case factory, Platt as Case’s partner was responsible for the manufacturing of all the cutlery, Russell Case handled the sales and marketing. Platt knew how to make razors.

Bottom line, if you come across a Western States razor, you might want to pick it up, you may be buying a Case razor, for a song, though maybe not for 50 cents.

It was probably common for one manufacture to make and stamp razors with other names either temporarily or under license.

It is said of Eric Anton Berg, a prolific Swedish tool and cutlery maker, that if a customer ordered 45 copies of an item, he would produce it under their design and brand. He would make 100 items. The remaining stock would go into his catalogue and sold under his brand.

Eric Anton Berg razors are excellent razor, he insisted on the best steel and that they be perfectly ground and finished.

I have a box for that Western States somewhere!

Originally Posted by RezDog

I don’t think those Japanese razors are actually the Henckels twins but look super similar. Perhaps intended to trick people into thinking the were Henckels. I have not been able to find a good picture of one tonight. I was intrigued by them at one point as I am a wee bit of a Henckels fan.

I did wonder when I posted whether youd be able to shed some light on it.
I have also seen Kikuboshi and Puma that are almost identical....

I've been wary about many of these Japanese offering highly famous German brands, it feels a little strange

I have bought a lot of Henckels from all over. EU, USA, Japan, Canada and UK. They are all absolutely identical. I was at one point going to buy one of the Japanese razors with the logo that looks very similar to the Henckels but did not. I’m sorry for that today. I am now tempted to go look for one.

Like This, Rez?

That’s the very similar logo that I was thinking about