U.S. made razors...

I find I'm more interested in the US made razors lately. 2 of my top 3 shavers are US made and I find I do searches for the US makers I know about.

Is there a resource that lists the US companies that made razors? Or is it something that would be to big to worry about? Or to small for that matter...

My Shumate and Robeson razors are fantastic and I'm looking for others like them. They pop up on Ebite all the time so I keep looking for new styles I haven't seen.

Anyone else keeping their focus on this side of the "Pond" for their razors?

You can just go through the Uniclectica. When I did a search on Torrey, on the same screen, I had 7 US manufacturers show up on the same screen. Torrey's definitely one US brand you should aim for and Geneva (Genco) is also top-notch.

U.S made razors are very underrated. They tend to all be fantastic shavers that hold their edges a long time and with the exception of Case razors tend to be pretty reasonable on Eboy. There are really many many brands but the golden age of U.S Razors was probably from the late 19th century to the early 20th.

If anyone would like to add names to the list of US makers of razors they deam worthy. So far I have ...

Shumate Razor Co.
Robeson Cutlery (various name types)
Torray
Geneva (Genco)

I think it would be interesting to see all the different names and makes.
I have one each from the green ones :D

Most definitely add Kinfolks to your list! fantastic shaver

Challenge Cutlery Co. Bridgeport, CT
Ontario Razor Co. Geneva, NY
Union (both made in NY and GA)
Hess(? are these US made or German?)

I really like the U.S. made razors too. Great shavers.

Let's not forget the H.M. Christensen company, Brockton, Mass.

Truly great razors.

Just did a search on these names, some interesting razors for sure.

One thing I noticed though, there seems to be a comon style among the US made blades. Very square 5/8 to 6/8 with a rounded front of the spine. I saw a few that veared away from this but many more in the square style. Lucky for me it's something I've grown to like :D

Lets keep the list going :y

Updated list...
Torrey
Geneva
Robeson
Shumate
Kinfolks
Challenge
Union
H.M. Christensen
...

I don't have the book that lists makers and all. Is "Northfield Cutlery Co. Conn" a maker or importer?

I'm really trying to keep these seporate as the "imports" are still based on where they came from with a new name stamp. Not that they are not good, just not what I'm after at the moment.

Cattaraugus and Waterville are two more.

Jordan

Ack!! How did I miss Cattaraugus??

My Northfield came intoday before anyone was home... have to wait till morning to get it from the office...

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Originally Posted by jnich67

Cattaraugus and Waterville are two more.

Jordan

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You beat me to it. :D Watervilles are the ultimate, IMO. Hard to find, but worth it. I have 3. :D I have one really nice Cattaraugus, too. Great blade, crap handles. I got it as a resto project, and never got around to it.

I just finnished cleaning up and honeing the Northfield Rattler tonight. I'll see if I have enough to shave tomorow (curse this slow beard growth)...

I've taken the list of makers from Uni... something... and I'm clearing out all the over seas names. See what I come up with. I'll add tag lines to each one I have and any reports I get from others here. This will be much easier to follow :p

Eyes bleeding... Fingers numb... List finnished...

Wow 25 pages of US companies or to little info to ID origen. I'll be doing searches bassed on what I have here and see what I find. So far I've come across some really nice razors. See what happens :D

Just shaved with the Northfield Rattler, well that makes 4 out of 4 US made blades that shaved great first time. The only one I did not keep was a Peerless due to a weird hand feel while shaving. I'm sure it had everything to do with the type of scales or the material, just weird.

I've also noticed from the list that there are some SMALL companies that didn't stick around long. Would be interesting to find out why. Could be some good sleepers in that group... as well as duds :p

I'm setting up a list of interesting companies to check out, a few here on the west coast as well, haven't seen any of those yet...

Did you see this link?
http://www.uniclectica.com/misc/manuf.html

http://www.uniclectica.com/misc/manuf.html
WOW Matt - I guess I missed your post by mere minutes....:rolleyes:
Check out this link to Manufacturers of Straights from US and Europe. Has dates and a lot of listings.
:D

Yup thats the listing I used to make my list. I just removed all the non-US makers.

I have a (fleamarket) Clauss made in Fremont, Ohio. They still make tools, but not razors.

All US made razors except Joe's and Robert's are terrible. Nasty shavers and hard to hone. They rust easily and micro chip out all the time. They are really junk and nobody should ever own one...............:w

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. You guys have just upped the cost of these razors on ebay by 150%.........:rant:

Have fun........:roflmao

Lynn

AHA! Now I get it. That's why all the bad mouthing of the Zeepk razors. The cognoscenti want to keep a good thing all to themselves.:cen

I think I'll order a couple letter openers:y

"peering cautiously around the open door in the darkened hallway, the double agent quietly listened and learned..."";" --Bruce

OK, OK, now what don't the Pakistanis use for hones?:cool: :cool: :cool:

Lynn was the one who gave me a heads up on Genco's. I now have 6 Genco's, 2 Ontario's and 1 Geneva. Being from New York I was amazed at the history of the razor industry there. Genco's are as good as any vintage razor you will find. I purchased a vintage unused Genco from an estate in Canada. Belonged to the lady's grandfather and is about 100 years old. Found it in his night table when he died. Don't use it just love to look at this beautiful new razor. They really hone easily, hold their edge and shave nice and smooth. Can't beat the price either.

Don't forget Mahr & Grosh. I am partial to these since they were made in Toledo, Ohio where I grew up.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Does anyone have pictures of original makers marks. I too have begun searching for early americana razors and its easy to get fooled and had by a phoney. Possibly some key areas the makers did certain things different?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by honemiester

its easy to get fooled and had by a phoney.

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Is it? I'm still waiting to see a single fake razor...

I'll throw a name out there. Burrell "Top Flight" Ellicotville NY. Have 3. Two 5/8ths. One 6/8ths. Very thin Extra Hollow grind. Blued tang. Cool wing logo. Love em. My .02$
Ken

Quote:

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Is it? I'm still waiting to see a single fake razor...

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It is funny how perception changes things. I read that and thought about all of the rebranded German made razors. Not fake razors but not American made just marked by American companies. I wonder now what the statement was really about.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RezDog

It is funny how perception changes things. I read that and thought about all of the rebranded German made razors. Not fake razors but not American made just marked by American companies. I wonder now what the statement was really about.

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Thats what i was thinking as well, be very wary of American razor co, with only an etched stamped on the tang.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RezDog

It is funny how perception changes things. I read that and thought about all of the rebranded German made razors. Not fake razors but not American made just marked by American companies. I wonder now what the statement was really about.

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Such as Carl Monkhouse, were his not re-branded with Peter JMichels of Boston?

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Originally Posted by TomP30

Such as Carl Monkhouse, were his not re-branded with Peter JMichels of Boston?

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Carl was a German and his blades were sold in the US by PJM until the late 30's as he moved to the US.
German-made goods were not so popular soon, so Carl began in California and moved to Ellicotteville with his family and workers to join Burrell making razors, knives, and surgical items for the war effort. His razors were made in San Francisco, Ellicotteville NY, and Allegheny NY. He sold his name to PJM in the early 60's, I believe and the fancy, later ones were from Germany with his name on them, just not made by him.
One of his companies, Cutlery Associates, is still run by his grandson in Allegheny.
I have spoken to Carl III on the phone and have met Carl IV personally.
Carl III assured me that Burrell was a knifemaker and Carl Monkhouse was directly responsible for Burrell razors as well. I have a phone # for John Burrells grandson, have not called him up yet to learn more.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...onnection.html



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Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

If anyone would like to add names to the list of US makers of razors they deam worthy. So far I have ...

Shumate Razor Co.
Robeson Cutlery (various name types)
Torray
Geneva (Genco)

I think it would be interesting to see all the different names and makes.
I have one each from the green ones :D

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IF you have lots of time.....Read through this thread!
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...llow-conn.html

Attachment 247211Attachment 247210I purchased 2 razors from Jerry Starks and they are first class. Made in AZ. Can't beat the price. Great guy to work with.

C-Mon had some made in the US, some made in France, some made in Spain, some made in Germany. There was also S.R.Droescher, I think his stuff was predominately made in Germany, however as a reseller I doubt he was choosy. There was also Hess Hair Milk, Shapliegh Hardware, Dubl Duck, and that is just what I can think of off the top of my head. There were many hardware, barber supply companies and even hotel chains that had razors made and branded for them in unknown areas. They often look like they are marked as US companies but a closer inspection, often on the back of the tang, shows they were not made in the US, and other that don;t say where they were made.

Often over looked is Western States Cutlery. Great razors with a long history in US cutlery industry.
V/R

Tim

I think that America either produces excellent quality stuff, or it produces junk for quick sale. I'd go with American knife & razor equaling the best German craftsmen, or they're so darn close to Germans that difference is negligible. Who knows, maybe American knife craftsmen are of German ethnicity. Who cares? As long as quality is excellent, it's all good. An almost insurmountable advantage Germans have is Solingen steel, the best in the world.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TreeBrand

I think that America either produces excellent quality stuff, or it produces junk for quick sale. I'd go with American knife & razor equaling the best German craftsmen, or there so darn close to Germans that difference is negligible. Who knows, maybe American knife craftsmen are of German ethnicity. Who cares? As long as quality is excellent, it's all good. An almost insurmountable advantage Germans have is Solingen steel, the best in the world.

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Actually, it was a combination of Germans and Sheffielders that immigrated here to work and teach in many cutlery factories. I hear about the steel on this forum, what steel was used, German, Sheffield, etc etc, fact is that it is much more about how the steel was correctly hardened and ground then its provenance.

Then you have Simmons Hardware Co. with their Keen Kutters and I have also found that the Landers Frary & Clark "Universal" razors will take an edge and hold it. I have 6 with 2 more on the way.

My 2 cents.