Thread: Dont know what i have

Ok so here's what I do know

1 its a 7/8th's and appears to be a full hollow grind, point tip

2 its a german (Solingen) blade with Portugese writing and black plastic scales

3 it seems vintage and in damn fine condition i.e. no pitting, edge is true, no excessive honing or wear.

That is all.

Could someone help me find out what I have? I would like to have this refinished for a daily shaver.

All help greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Adam

Welcome to SRP! There are a bunch of razors around that just have Solingen stamped on them. Most of the time it is not possible to trace it back to a specific manufacturer. I have never come across a vintage razor stamped Solingen that was not a great shaver. I would go ahead and have it cleaned a little and honed. Don't go overboard with the restoration cost. You can always have more done in the future if it becomes your dream razor.

Agree w/ Joed. If your just getting started your knowledge & tastes will change over time w/ the attainment of more knowledge.

BTW- have you ever shaved much w/ a straight razor? You seem to have the razor terminology down pretty well.

Thanks for the reply's! @Joed, ya thats pretty much my plan for now, this is my first vintage lol

@Rostfrei I shave exclusively with straight razor's though admittedly I still have alot to learn!

Side note, the blade really is magnetic! I found that odd, but I wonder if there is a purpose to that or its just a by product of production/honing. Let me know if you have experience with it!

Originally Posted by alb1981

Side note, the blade really is magnetic! I found that odd, but I wonder if there is a purpose to that or its just a by product of production/honing. Let me know if you have experience with it!

It's hard to say with some that aren't marked as magnetic, perhaps they have been in contact with a magnet at some point in the production process and acquired the quality that way. Those marked as such were marketed that way when magnetism was the new in thing. I've not come across a blade in reasonable shape, marked simply Solingen that wasn't a good to great shaver, either.

@AlanII do you know what years they marketed magnetic blades? I havent seen any others with that marking on them lol not going to lie I saw the size, that marking, Solingen and man I had to have it!

There are many others, but the only one that comes to mind immediately is the Carbo-Magnetic razor made by Griffon out of New York and Solingen.

@Utopian well if you ever run into some that are written in Portugeese would you let me know what company manufactured them? I just really like to know the histories of things lol if not no big deal but thanks for the info!!

[QUOTE=alb1981;788106
... snip ...
Side note, the blade really is magnetic! I found that odd, but I wonder if there is a purpose
to that or its just a by product of production/honing. Let me know if you have experience with it![/QUOTE]

Magnetic steel razors are common. At one time the magic of magnets was
used as it is today to sell products.

With steel there happens to be an important temperature
where a magnet no longer holds steel. After holding steel
at or above this temperature long enough the first step
in the heat treatment process starts.

I need to do some fact checking but I can imagine a smith
puling a bit of red almost white hot steel out of the fire and testing it
with a hanging magnet. If it was hot enough the magnet
would not grab.

I can see some marketing guy taking a clue and magnetize
razors at the finishing steps to make his product stand
apart. Remember that at one time making and heat treating
good steel for razors was a serious trade secret. That would
include the magnet.

Some automobile folk will know the trademarked processes
that fall under the topic of "magniflux". In the '60 the hot
rod folk would have crank shafts and cam shafts Magnifluxed to
relieve stress. I suspect that service is still available.

The inspection part that Magniflux markets today applies naturally
to razors. When honing razors that happen to be magnetic
the bits of steel swarf do cluster and make nicks, cracks and other
problems easier to see.

Heat treating would remove any natural magnetism so
the steel has to be magnetized again near the end of
manufacturing. DC electromagnets would have been
ideal to do this so that almost limits the time frame.

Being magnetic is of itself no advantage as best I can tell.

An old time magnetic razor can be a grand shaver.
Hone it up and enjoy.

There are a lot of theories about the number 14 blades. From what I've read...they all seem to be great shavers.