Thread: Need razor info.

Hey folks, it's been awhile since I been on here. How are my fellow razor lovers doing?

Now to the point. I purchased a razor today at a flea market along with another item that appears to be a portable strop? Not sure what it is. The manufacturer of the razor is Joh. Engstrom. With an Arrow along with JE 1874( prob the company founding date ) and Made in Sweden. Utmost like William Webster, Shumate, Boker and the like I have never heard of Engstrom. On the reverse side of the tang it says Ran-tan-Ka-rus Red Devil. The Scale has the image of a devil with the same Ran-tan-Ka-rus text.

I will include pics of both items. Enjoy.

Nice find! I have one or two from this manufacturer and they are great shavers as are all of the Swedish razors I have used. Congrats on a great find.

Thank you. The edge is in fine shape and may just need a slight touch up. Now I need to find out what that stick is and if its leather. If its leather and it kinda looks like leather I will need to revive it with some neets foot.

It looks like an old paddle strop. It should be leather. Sometimes the leather can rot off leaving the wood behind. If the leather is still there and intact you should just have to condition it.

Yeah its still there. It seems to have 2 sides. Black or dark brown and Red or light brown. Perhaps a fine and course side? I am new to paddle strops. I use the barber chair variety. But it would be nice to take this on trips and not a full size strop.

Oh, and this paddle strop is only as big as a razor coffin.

nvm, I figured it out. It's one piece of leather wrapped around. One side just appears to been used more than the other. Grabbing the conditioner now . Thanks guys

Enigma, I've not quite dialed in the recipes for bringing the best out of the Swedes, but they are absolutely tall timber amongst blades. Swedish steel has been revered, and rightly so, along with the best of steel makers in the world. I've been in many industrial environments where nothing else will be tolerated. I hope this lovely blade gives you its best, and many happy shaves.

I can't tell you much about the Ran-tan-Ka-rus Red Devil but Joh. Engstrom is a great Swedish razor maker. I've got a boxed pair of Joh. Engstrom framebacks and they are fantastic razors.

Enigma, congrats!
You're the owner of very good razor, that was made by great knivemaker Johan Engstrom from Swedish Eskilstuna.
He founded the company in 1874. In 1918 the company was renamed to Swedish Steel Forging Co.(Svenska Stalsmides Aktieb or SSA).