Thread: Real or fake

I'm not looking for an appraisal, but I do suspect this thing is a fake/counterfeit, due to no spacers, silkscreen on blade labeling—that is, no etching.




No spacers between scales and blade:

Very interesting! I hope that some of the more Veteran Members will be able to help!

Yeah, I am interested what they think, too. Here is another photo, followed by links to higher resolution versions. Maybe it's real. Maybe it's an elaborate counterfeit (hopefully high quality counterfeit). Other than the spacers and silkscreen, the jimping seems good, and it centers. Hopefully it will be a good shaver whether or not it is a counterfeit .


Larger version of all
Larger version of blade
Larger version of spacers.

I have never seen a fake razor, and that doesn't look like one to me.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I have never seen a fake razor, and that doesn't look like one to me.

While I'm quite new to the Straight Razor World, I trust what Dylan has said. My reasoning is that with the enlarged photos, I could read the attached User Information. That looks like it would have come from the factory!

Dylan, could the photo that seems to show that there are no friction washers simply because of corporate deciding to either eliminate them for cost saving, or--incorporate them in to the scales themselves?

I have a 8/8 Friodur and with a casual glance, I can't see any inside washers, however using my loupe I can see the washers!

I wish I could find the guy who planted the idea of "fake blades" in people's heads and kick him in the kiester. To my knowledge, no one on this board has ever yet confirmed a "knockoff" of any known brand. The closest thing was there were allegedly some Pakistani blades marked "Solingen."

That razor there is a Henckels. Probably mid to late 20th century, meaning Post 1960, judging by the box which I've seen on razors dated as late as 1980. That's not silkscreen on the blade, it's enamel, and not at all uncommon on newer razors. Revisor uses it, Henckels used it, I wouldn't be surprised if Boeker did/does as well.

Think about how much money it would cost to counterfeit every single part of that--the box, the paper inlay, the well-made pins.

Originally Posted by JimR

Think about how much money it would cost to counterfeit every single part of that--the box, the paper inlay, the well-made pins.

You could be right. I have no way to know. But I've been to China. They counterfeit $0.25 bottles of water there. In some parts of China, labor is unbelievably cheap, to the point that they counterfeit antiques. I just now read a story about fake cartridge blades (mach iii etc.). Some person has set up a website on it (yeah, that doesn't mean it's true). I have seen other counterfeit goods, e.g., integrated circuits. There are stories out there about Mach III etc. blades being counterfeited, e.g., I just googled a Hindu Business article on it.

Granted, in these other instances, it is high volume products, or high margin antiques.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Dylan, could the photo that seems to show that there are no friction washers simply because of corporate deciding to either eliminate them for cost saving, or--incorporate them in to the scales themselves?

I have a 8/8 Friodur and with a casual glance, I can't see any inside washers, however using my loupe I can see the washers!

Not all vintage razors have the thrust washers or whatever they are called. I haven't taken apart nearly enough razors to figure out any patterns, other than they don't all have them.

Originally Posted by MikeMN

You could be right. I have no way to know. But I've been to China. They counterfeit $0.25 bottles of water there. In some parts of China, labor is unbelievably cheap, to the point that they counterfeit antiques. I just now read a story about fake cartridge blades (mach iii etc.). Some person has set up a website on it (yeah, that doesn't mean it's true). I have seen other counterfeit goods, e.g., integrated circuits. There are stories out there about Mach III etc. blades being counterfeited, e.g., I just googled a Hindu Business article on it.

Granted, in these other instances, it is high volume products, or high margin antiques.

Just the machinery and skill needed to do full hollows is probably enough to make counterfeiting non-feasible. And if the steel was bad it would not be long before they were exposed - you cannot fake good steel except with good steel. And if you have good steel and the ability to grind it, you could go into business yourself. It's not as if there's much competition these days.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Not all vintage razors have the thrust washers or whatever they are called. I haven't taken apart nearly enough razors to figure out any patterns, other than they don't all have them.

Thanks Dylan! I always trust your info/judgment!

I've never seen a fake razor either but on the things that I have seen that have been fake, a good way to tell is to read the instructions. Do they read as they should? Is the English version poorely written? From what I could read of the instructions on the sheet, they looked good.