Thread: New Boker razors

This may be old news, but I was looking at the German Boker website and it looks like they're serious about getting back into straights. They have 3 new razors becoming available this month and July. Here's a link.

Böker Solingen - Taschenmesser, Fahrtenmesser und Küchenmesser made in Solingen :: Rasiermesser

Though I think this is great news, I doubt I'll be able to afford even the least expensive, priced at 99 Euros. Guess I'll continue to shop the classifieds and the bay for original, antique blades.

Yes, there are some old brand names popping up again.
Puma did, Revisor did, too.
The new stuff is not comparable to the vintage blades though.
Currently there are only five or six workshops for hollow grounds left.
So most of these blades come from the same source.

Did you notice in their description:

"A guarantor for the highest quality is the successful "finger nail test". Only the edge of a perfectly ground blade can be visibly bent on your thumbnail and returns immediately to its original shape when released. Cheap blades are too thick to do this, and for that reason they are refered to as "axes" by the experts."

* Interesting! I've never seen the TNT referred to in this way, ..."can be visibly bent on your thumbnail and return to it's original shape..." then, of course, the comment about cheap blades and axes, etc., etc. Hummmm, I actually prefer some of those axes, i.e., "Wedges", 1/4 Hollow, ...

These statements in their description seem odd to me - What do you think?

Steve

I think this happens when someone buys, resurrects or inherits an old brand name and pretends to manufacture blades.

Originally Posted by zepplin

Did you notice in their description:

"A guarantor for the highest quality is the successful "finger nail test". Only the edge of a perfectly ground blade can be visibly bent on your thumbnail and returns immediately to its original shape when released. Cheap blades are too thick to do this, and for that reason they are refered to as "axes" by the experts."

* Interesting! I've never seen the TNT referred to in this way, ..."can be visibly bent on your thumbnail and return to it's original shape..." then, of course, the comment about cheap blades and axes, etc., etc. Hummmm, I actually prefer some of those axes, i.e., "Wedges", 1/4 Hollow, ...

These statements in their description seem odd to me - What do you think?

Steve

If that is true, then we are not experts.

Pure marketing ploy and clearly erroneous.

Originally Posted by Leighton

If that is true, then we are not experts.

Pure marketing ploy and clearly erroneous.

I dont know about 'cheap' blades, but I have looked at pics on SRP that were posted by members that showed the steel of a razor blade actually being deformed over a thumbnail.

The idea is that this type of grind takes alot of skill to achieve. An ultra thin grind like this also produces a relatively fragile blade that may have trouble lasting for generations in the wrong hands.

Personally, I have never held one of these fine grinds in my hands... although I am very interested to try one out.

It is my understanding that the craftsmen who make blades like this are few and far between... with most of them being deceased; taking their craft with them.

Also, I've never heard the terminolgy of 'axes' being use to describe a blade. That doesn't mean this terminology isnt used, though.

Originally Posted by zepplin

Did you notice in their description:

"A guarantor for the highest quality is the successful "finger nail test". Only the edge of a perfectly ground blade can be visibly bent on your thumbnail and returns immediately to its original shape when released. Cheap blades are too thick to do this, and for that reason they are refered to as "axes" by the experts."

* Interesting! I've never seen the TNT referred to in this way, ..."can be visibly bent on your thumbnail and return to it's original shape..." then, of course, the comment about cheap blades and axes, etc., etc. Hummmm, I actually prefer some of those axes, i.e., "Wedges", 1/4 Hollow, ...

These statements in their description seem odd to me - What do you think?

Steve

An interesting thing happened this Friday. I stopped by the local knife sharpener and then my barber to show them some of my razors and they both performed this thumb nail test. Both the knife sharpener and the barber told me that barbers believed that an edge that wouldn't flex wouldn't shave well. I told them that wasn't necessarily true and they were both surprised. Apparently, this used to be one criterion of a good shaving razor.

Maybe it's what people can remember (within living memory) of what was told to them by the guys who hawked the current (then) new razors?
I'd say it is just a test of a very finely ground blade,maybe? In theory, a super skinny grind should give the closest shave. Fellows here have found they can get a big old wedge of steel to do just as good a job with some very attentive honing, but if I didn't have "the Net" to "pick your brains", I'd rather try to sharped a skinny slice of steel.
I have feeling super thin grinds were an effort to make things easier and more effective for us shavers. The makers were able to do this on a large scale, towards the end of the "open" razor era because of more accurate grinding machines - probably.
M

Originally Posted by zepplin

Did you notice in their description:

"A guarantor for the highest quality is the successful "finger nail test". Only the edge of a perfectly ground blade can be visibly bent on your thumbnail and returns immediately to its original shape when released. Cheap blades are too thick to do this, and for that reason they are refered to as "axes" by the experts."

* Interesting! I've never seen the TNT referred to in this way, ..."can be visibly bent on your thumbnail and return to it's original shape..." then, of course, the comment about cheap blades and axes, etc., etc. Hummmm, I actually prefer some of those axes, i.e., "Wedges", 1/4 Hollow, ...

These statements in their description seem odd to me - What do you think?

Steve

I think it's just the usual marketing BS , written by someone who has most likely never honed , shaved with , or even touched a straight razor .