Thread: Ralf Aust Razors

Hey Mike,......
Congrats,
You now qualify as a member in good standing for the "Ralf Aust Owners Club".

There are good pics of RA razors and some custom scales

Couldn't agree more with the positive comments on Aust razors, I have a 7/8 square and a 6/8 spanish, love when they come around in the rotation (the one shave usually turns into a full week). They hold an edge beautifully, and maintaining the edge is a cakewalk.

Just an FYI for those of you in the US that want to order direct from Ralf Aust. Make sure you make your PayPal payment in Euros. Otherwise, you'll be on the phone with Paypal getting them to reverse the payment, deposit it into your account, convert it to Euros, then making the payment again. Easiest way is to deposit the money into your Paypal account, then convert it to Euros, then make the payment. (Some banks won't make the payment directly to Euros. Mine was one that wouldn't).

Originally Posted by liepins

I decided to put some pictures in so you can see it immediately without going into the links.
Do you know if this is some local symbol or just somebody is creating the handles for different razors in Solingen and people buy it?

Interesting question that it doesn't seem anyone answered. I've seen on a few other posts that people said most (or all?) Solingen razors come from the same blanks. What exactly is a blank for a razor, and if they are the same, where do the differences come in between the different makers (is it grind, polish, scales, etc.? Though the scales on these two even seem to be the same. Or are there more differences?). From what I've read, the steel on an Aust and the steel on a Dovo should be the exact same quality... but people seem to favor Austs over Dovos. Can anyone clarify?
Thanks!

*Note: Sorry, the photos didn't get quoted; you can see the on the first page of this thread

A blank is a proto razor. It is made by a third party in a drop forge. More precisely, Hugo Herkenrath.

Since making a die for a forge is very costly, most independent razor makers buy what Dovo is having made en masse. Hence five 6/8 round point razors with thumbnotch (one by Dovo, by Wacker, ...).

So, the steel is the same, the blanks are mostly the same (I know of one independent razor maker who has his own blanks made). The rest is grinding.

Now, while most "artisan" razors are wedge type razors, hollow grinding has been turned into an art in Solingen, and the well known and well established manufacturers have mastered it. Aust, Revisor, Heribert Wacker - all capable of producing razors that can easily vie with the best vintage razors. Add to that superior* steel, and you have a winning product.

Scales are either vintage, or new. The standard new ones are mostly made by two Solingen based companies. The high quality ones are made by various independent manufactures all over Europe.

*Yes, seriously. Despite claims to the contrary, steels have actually got better, not worse, since the 1920s...

Originally Posted by RobinK

I know of one independent razor maker who has his own blanks made

That would be Thiers-Issard fyi
And it's good steel too!

Originally Posted by Wxman2000

The only complaint that I can find with it is that the scales are horribly loose to the point that stropping is quite an adventure.

Tighten your pins brother!

Originally Posted by RobinK

A blank is a proto razor. It is made by a third party in a drop forge. More precisely, Hugo Herkenrath.

Since making a die for a forge is very costly, most independent razor makers buy what Dovo is having made en masse. Hence five 6/8 round point razors with thumbnotch (one by Dovo, by Wacker, ...).

So, the steel is the same, the blanks are mostly the same (I know of one independent razor maker who has his own blanks made). The rest is grinding.

Now, while most "artisan" razors are wedge type razors, hollow grinding has been turned into an art in Solingen, and the well known and well established manufacturers have mastered it. Aust, Revisor, Heribert Wacker - all capable of producing razors that can easily vie with the best vintage razors. Add to that superior* steel, and you have a winning product.

Scales are either vintage, or new. The standard new ones are mostly made by two Solingen based companies. The high quality ones are made by various independent manufactures all over Europe.

*Yes, seriously. Despite claims to the contrary, steels have actually got better, not worse, since the 1920s...

Who are the two Solingen based companies that are making the scales? And who would some of the "artisan" makers of wedge-type razors?

Originally Posted by decraew

That would be Thiers-Issard fyi
And it's good steel too!

There had been some other german companies too that produced their own blankets Wim. For example Friedrich Herder Abr. Sohn build up their own drop forge after WW1 to be independend on the market.

I have narrowed down my razors to 3 companies. Ralf Aust being one of them. I have vintage Genco's, 2 Mastro Livi's with another in the works and the Austs (picture attached) I really like the quality and it is very low maintenance. Holds a great edge with very little stropping. You can't find better razors for the price. I have owned Dovo's, Bokers and some I can't remember and got rid of them.