Thread: Old Manufacturers Making New Razors

So I've noticed some old manufacturers have started making new razors. Boker, Fromm, Timor, (Geisen and Forsthoff?), and maybe Case.

My question is, how do they compare to the vintage models? I assume Boker is still good but I've heard not-so-good things about the others and nothing of Case. [Apparently Case only makes them occasionally as part of their knife collectors club and sends them out in limited edition offerings]

All things considered, would anyone recommend a new model for the $100+ they're selling for or would one be better off putting some effort into an older one?

I am of the opinion that putting the effort into vintage is always the right answer.

Some big names are starting to make razors again - and that's good. The problem is that some of them didn't make them for decades and the knowledge and craftsmanship necessary to make a good razor has virtually disapeared. To make new razors new craftsmen have to be trained. If they have the chance to learn with the old men, great: the knowledge passes down through the generations. But if the old men aren't there... the new guys have to learn sort of by themselves. Of course, these big names cannot afford to put out a bad product - they have a reputation to keep. So I guess that we can be fairly safe with new razors from big names. There are some quality issues, apparently - but garantee works them out (so I suppose... and hope!).
However, good vintage razors or NOS razors are the best bet. Having said that, I must say that the razor I always have as a "go to" razor is a new Dovo.
All in all, brand names today tell us a lot - just don't buy anything pakistani or chinese and beware of some weird sounding Solingens.
Hope this helps.

Böker is still great, I have had a new one, the Celebrated, and a few old ones. The new Revisors are also good, but I haven't tried any of the new ones from the other brands that you mention.

I wouldn't be a guinea pig. I always have doubts when an outfit brings back old designs or models no matter the product. I would wait for reviews from several people and still be inclined to get the vintage piece. I don't think any of the new production pieces equal the old. They may be good but there is a difference. My opinion of course.

I'm of the opinion that just a few (read that as one or two) companies are making blades and other companies are adding scales and boxing them for sale. So, a new Revisor could have a blade made by Dovo but marked Revisor. This is just my thoughts based on seeing the Revisor site and various Dovos for sale on the net. This isn't saying anything bad about either company.

Given the choice, I'd opt for the vintage razor.

Thanks for all of your opinions. The main reason I ask is that I had the opportunity to buy a new Case razor (limited, special edition). It is made to look like a vintage model and is very beautiful with 100% authentic MOP scales which I assume is very rare to find.

I asked because I had my doubts that a razor made to appease knife collectors may not be of the quality many of you look for. If anyone is interested in the razor I'm talking about and have not stumbled across it send me a PM and I'll send you a link. I've decided against being the 'guinea pig,' as bigspendur puts it.

Originally Posted by GeauxLSU

I'm of the opinion that just a few (read that as one or two) companies are making blades and other companies are adding scales and boxing them for sale. So, a new Revisor could have a blade made by Dovo but marked Revisor. This is just my thoughts based on seeing the Revisor site and various Dovos for sale on the net. This isn't saying anything bad about either company.

Given the choice, I'd opt for the vintage razor.

The way I think it works is, the blade blanks are stamped at DOVO, but the individual companies do the grinding and finishing. So a revisor blade is made from the same steel stock as a DOVO, but all the after-work is still done by the crafstmen at Revisor. Same with Wacker, I think.

I have a new Boker Edelweiss and it seems to shave as good as all my old Soligen razors.

I think some of it is the structure of the steel of old razors as opposed to new razors. As an example, I have a set of 19th century gouges made in Sheffield. The spark patterns from grinding show they're high carbon steel. They're easy to hone and hold an edge well. My newer gouges hold an edge well, but are harder to hone. I think this would apply to old versus new razors as well.