Thread: Rangoon anyone?

Anybody heard of Rangoon razors? I got this one on the bay for $1. It was advertised as a boker (probably because it came in a boker box) and there was some rust, but it was a buck so I gave it a try. Turns out that the only markings on the razor is "RANGOON." Anybody know anything about this one?

sorry, pic didn't go up the first time

Hm, I've heard of Crab Rangoons, a Chinese food appetizer that seems indigenous to Boston, but never a Rangoon razor.

From the stamp on the tang, she looks like an older blade. Is the tail short and stubby? She might be a sleeper that gives a great shave.

I still have no info on this brand, but I can update a few things about the razor.

To answer holli..the tang is kind of stubby. Also, I did hone this up using a 1200 diamond to set the bevel, then used a BBW/Coticule progression to finish up... this sucker is SHARP! Man I wish I could find some brand info... oh well, the search continues.

I have just bought a Rangoon razor as well and all I can find is in Goin's Encyclopedia : Henry Keidel & Co 1877-1926 "The Celebrated Rangoon Razor"
But I am not sure at all that it's the same razor. The one I bought looks like the one in your picture.. Only marking on the whole razor is RANGOON

I did also find a Kropp razor that was made for a company IN Rangoon but with no Rangoon markings on the razor.

Since Rangoon is another name for the city Yangon in Myanmar (Burma), I would guess it's an English made razor, perhaps made with the Colonials living in British Burma in mind some time between 1850-1930.. Maybe it was not made in England as there is no Sheffield/Sheffield England stamp on it. But it seems likely that since Burma was a popular place among Brits in the 1920s and favoured by people like George Orwell and Somerset Maugham..

Just a wild guess of course. I would love to find out more about it. Good to hear that it seems to be a quality razor. I have to send it out to honing when I get it.

BTW, I bought it mainly because of my love of South East Asia in general and especially South East Asia in the early 1920s and 1930s and if it is a fantastic razor or not is not that important to me. It would be a plus if it did turn out to be a decent shaver though

Here's a pic of the one I got. From the Classifieds: