A New York State of Mind

Some folks dream of going back in time and talking to the Great Thinkers of the past. Lately I've been thinking I'd visit Geneva, New York in 1905.

I picked this up recently, solely because it was made in Geneva. Since there is nothing in the wiki about "The Ontario Cutlery Company" and Goins doesn't give anything more than the dates of 1904-1935, I was risking buying a POS wannabe razor made by a second-rate outfit but, for the few bucks I paid for it, it was a risk worth taking. As ShamWow Vince might have said, "Hey, it's made in New Yawk, and you know dem NewYawkers made good stuff."

It's typically unremarkable in appearance. It might not be exactly ugly but it gets close enough to ugly that phone photos are about all I could get myself to bother with. :) After I honed it up, I hoped for a shave that approached the "nice" shaves I get from Gencos. Well, it wasn't "nice". It wasn't even "good considering what I paid for it". It was mind-blowing-ly good. It was "how is it even possible to get a shave this good for any price?" good.

The "Ontario Cutlery Company"? "Easy Cutter"? <snicker-snicker-tee-hee...>

Really?

I have no idea what kind of magical steel forging juju was going on in Geneva at the beginning of the last century but if I could I'd go back and visit, bow down and thank the masters of the craft. Because as of today-

I'm in a New York state of mind.

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IIRC Geneva cutlery co was Genco ..... or visa versa. Same outfit If manah sees your post he may be able to confirm that. American made razors of that period are usually equal to any of the Sheffields or Solingens IME. Glad you got a winner. :)

If we can take a smal side jog up into the Little Valley area I would like to join you :D

Some of my finest shaving razors come form NY

That area of NY state has a long knife/blade heritage. KaBar knives, a bunch of barber hone manufacturers etc.

They are still around, too - a very popular company for knives and machetes.

Glad you got a good one!

Their site: OKC | Ontario Knife Company since 1889 | Wholesale Knives | Franklinville, NY