Thread: Fake Filharmonica?

It looks pretty real to me but I don't think I'd be looking to buy it.

real apparently

My thinking is that its a real Filarmonica circa 1950s.
The grinding marks on their blades vary from very fine to deep gouges from my experience.
It looks like someone reground the spine to make it pointed and put a French point on it for laughs.
$10.00 is cheap by European standards for any razor.

Originally Posted by bonitomio

My thinking is that its a real Filarmonica circa 1950s.
The grinding marks on their blades vary from very fine to deep gouges from my experience.
It looks like someone reground the spine to make it pointed and put a French point on it for laughs.
$10.00 is cheap by European standards for any razor.

If it had been up for $10 I probably would have bought it.

The asking price was $40, it was in South America, and the seller had some dings on his record.

Three strikes, you're out.

Originally Posted by Crotalus

If it had been up for $10 I probably would have bought it.

The asking price was $40, it was in South America, and the seller had some dings on his record.

Three strikes, you're out.

Good call umpire :

Originally Posted by jcsixx

I know fake razors have been discussed numerous times, but has anyone definitely found one? I think the quality drops in razors comes from different manufacturers purchasing the trademark names and using them. The quality doesn't always follow the trademark from one owner to the next.

I would say it's real. Maybe poorly reground or just beat up in general.

I spotted a W.R. Case and Son with a Little Valley address that the stamping looked very crude. To my knowledge. Case and SON knives was produced at Bradford, PA and that tang stamp was used on their knives from 1902 to 1905. I do not know if they made razors at the Little Valley location during that time frame. The razor was relatively cheap, but the shape and grind looked different than what I'd expect to see of that era. I'll post the link when the auction is over. I may be missing a sleeper, but I'm sitting this one out. It had a bid on it and I hope the gent that gets it will win the real deal.

Case stuff is very sought after and I've seen WAY too many Case knives phonied up and outright counterfeited and sold for BIG $$ to swim in that water. I do have a W.R CASE and SON, Bradford PA knife that belonged to my great grandfather and I know it's the real deal. Out of four hundred or so old pocket knives that I have, three of them are Case knives.

The auction has ended.
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

It's real - no doubt in my mind.

Filarmonicas were made as a cheap alternative to other razors. That is a why the scales often are of poor quality and the grind can be a bit off. If anybody would make a fake razor at the time this razor was made you would think they would have made a fake Puma or other high end razor.

Given the prices Filarmonicas go at now I would be more reluctant bying a "like new" Filarmonica from an unknown source.

Originally Posted by Unicorn

It's real - no doubt in my mind.

Filarmonicas were made as a cheap alternative to other razors. That is a why the scales often are of poor quality and the grind can be a bit off. If anybody would make a fake razor at the time this razor was made you would think they would have made a fake Puma or other high end razor.

Given the prices Filarmonicas go at now I would be more reluctant bying a "like new" Filarmonica from an unknown source.

I have read many disparaging comment about how "cheap" Filarmonica scales are and "what were they thinking" by not using a luxury material to match their superior steel and grind.
My understanding is that Filarmonica understood their market place in the world and did the best razor they could given economic constraints.
My reasons for thinking this are based on these observations:-

i) Filarmonica started making razors and other cutlery items in 1917, where as their competition in Solingen, Sheffield, Eskilstuna, Little Valley NY, etc had between 100-300 years of expertise, prestige and reputation by that time. This put them at a great disadvantage, so how could they command the same prices as the world famous marks?

ii) I am yet to see any one brand of Spanish razor (and there are many) that used a luxury material for their razors. In contrast it is of no surprise to see German and English razors made with scales of ivory, turtle shell, bone, horn etc etc including hand etching and precious metal inlays. I have a copy of documentation of a guild of cutlers from 1834 numbering 90 odd members from Barcelona/Catalunya alone, but not all of these were razor manufacturers.

iii) Around this time Gilette was introducing the disposable razor in the US which was marketed as being cheaper, easier and as good as a "real razor." Again this created economic pressure on all razor manufacturers.

iv) I make a distinction between "cheaply made" and "cheaper" scales. While the earlier model Filarmonicas used bakelite almost exclusively (at least from what I have seen), they changed to the more modern/low cost plastics around the 1950s. Most people who own and use Filarmonicas, even if they don´t like their original scales would agree that they are fully functional and well balanced for comfortable shaving.

v) I would agree that the later model Filarmonicas are more likely to have "flaws" in how well they are finished (eg grind marks, imperfections in the jimping etc) which are rare in other manufactureres. Again my guess is that this could be due to financial/market pressures of the time.

I am posting these observations only to give some balance to the "Filarmonica bashing" that some people adhere to.
If these razors were "cheap" in every respect it would be ludicrous to pay big money for a razor no different to a Gold Dollar for example.
Just my €0.02

Originally Posted by Unicorn

It's real - no doubt in my mind.

Filarmonicas were made as a cheap alternative to other razors. That is a why the scales often are of poor quality and the grind can be a bit off. If anybody would make a fake razor at the time this razor was made you would think they would have made a fake Puma or other high end razor.

Given the prices Filarmonicas go at now I would be more reluctant bying a "like new" Filarmonica from an unknown source.

Thanks. I didn't know that Filharmonicas used to be a cheap brand. I was just going on what they charge for them now.