Thread: Need help IDing a blade

I picked this up for a very reasonable price at an antique market but have so far been unable to actually identify it. I don't usually buy a blade without at least 10 minutes of research on the smart phone, but there was another potential buyer lined up right behind so I did not have much time to think about it.

Its a 5/8" with a barbers notch and has the inscription of "Barbers Special - German Hollow Ground". The trade mark is E S B K in clockwise diamond pattern with a diamond around the E. I have no clue what the trademark stamp is on the reverse side.







Maybe my google-fu is rather weak, but any help would be most appreciated.

I didn't find it here.
Maker Marks



Maybe Neil or Manah will know.

Kayser Ellison best steel as someone suggested in your other thread about this razor. Seems like Kayser Ellison & co sold steel to many different makers like the picture bellow

As far as the makers stamp its not familiar to me and didnt find it anywhere.

Thanks for the help all. I've started digging on Kayser Ellison best steel, can't find anything on the trademark stamp.

Originally Posted by AceOfSpades

Thanks for the help all. I've started digging on Kayser Ellison best steel, can't find anything on the trademark stamp.

I've got a half dozen or more Kayser Ellison steel razors by various makers. All of them are stamped with the maker's mark and Kayser Ellison steel is prominently noted. That stamping on your razor may be that but it is unusual for them not to tout the steel IME. Either Neil or manah may be able to shed some light. Hope it shaves well for you whatever it is.

Like Jimmy said, Kayser Ellisons mark was very prominent. I have only ever seen it in block capitals, in full, as "Made From Kayser Ellisons & Co.s Best Sheffield Silver Steel' - never seen 'Best Steel' or just initials. Even the Lauterjung Pumas they supplied the steel for had their mark in full. The blade itself seems to have "German Hollow Ground" on it (in the shield) and no makers mark or name. I tend to think that the 'E' in a lozenge is an indicator of the real maker, maybe someone like Ewald Kron, Solingen, but his marks had 'EKS' in the lozenge, so maybe the 'E' is the surname?

And that mark on the back of the tang - I can't decide if its some sort of bird, butterfly, tulip or a pair of clogs!

Regards,
Neil

I can't be sure, but I think it's
"K B S" - Koken Barbers Supply Co., St. Louis, USA.
And "E" - Ernest.
The Koken name started in 1874 with Ernest Koken selling custom-decorated china shaving mugs. In the late 19th century, Koken began selling chairs to barbers as a sideline. Ernest and partner Louis Boppert began making tonsorial chairs and in 1881 the company received a patent for the first Koken chair that reclined for shaving. The first hydraulic-lift chair was patented in 1892. When Ernest died in 1907 his son, Walter, eventually took over. The company continued to refine it's top of the line chairs, adding patents for improvements and creating some of the most magnificent marvels of comfort and engineering imaginable.
I've seen Koken razors with stamp "Solingen, Germany".
So. Solingen makers made razors for this company.