Thread: Flea find brings me back in the game!!!

So every week on Saturdays in Alameda,Ca around the corner from my house is a flea market. I stop by good or bad just to look around, and very rarely if ever does anyone have anything shaving related. I wasnt really in the mood to go today but something forced me there so of course I went. I pulled in and the first booth I went to was a gentleman that I hadnt seen before so I took a look and what do you know he had about a half dozen straights a few double edges. I kept my hopes low as the prices around here have gone through the roof. He started by telling me each of the straight razors are $15 and as I looked he handed me two strops to look at. Without looking at names I could feel right away that the leather and such was great quality and it wasnt till i got to my car that i actually looked at the names, I didn't think i was going to take them home assuming(yes i know what it stands for) the prices would be high for such great quality strops, but to cut the story short I only paid $10 for both of them. Needless to say I was quite pleased, one is a red imp and the other says genuine imported leather with deep cut diamond Russia back makes it extra soft. I dont know much at all about either I only know by the feel that i believe them to be very good quality and am extremely happy with them.
As for the razors, I ended up taking 3 home for $15 so if they are descent fabulous if they are crap, or I ruin them somehow I'm not broken hearted. Something about the scales drew me to them(I love the look of ivory, couldnt tell if its ivory or plastic but still like the look), and a couple of little things like the $2.00 on one that I hadnt seen before. The razor that says Solingen on the scale says GUTUN on one side of the blade and Gustav tunnermann Solingen Germany on the other side the next one is the fancy ish design scales on one side says Genco GRANT Geneva NY USA and the other side of the blade says $2.00 and lastly the one with the scales that look like like bone or a finger only has the word SERVICE on one side of the blade and nothing on the other.Sorry for the poor pictures
Id be grateful for any information on the strops or the razors.
Sincerely
Christian

Christian, Good finds! The razors look like they just might be keepers. Are you into doing your own honing or are you going to send them to a pro for evaluation and honing?

As for the strops. I don't know much about the Red Imp but the imported Russian one (does it say imported leather on it) I am familiar with. Generally if it says Russian on it, it is horse shell. They are usually referred to as Russian leather (you can tell by the textured back). I have two such strops by two different companies and they are outstanding. One has a whisper quiet draw and the other just a little louder. Treat them right and you'll have them for years. Actually I meant to say that the two have different distributers printed on them. One from an out of business barbers college in Seattle and the other from an old barber supply company in NYC (and wildly the company is the same as my last name - a personalized strop by pure chance.) Enjoy them.

If the blade is straight I can clean and sharpen pretty well. If bad nicks cracks scale issues I'd send it off. Or in the case of a frame back that ill send off so I don't screw it up, until I get lucky enough to find a mentor. I find it pretty soothing cleaning the steel. And I absolutely love the leather in these.(hopefully get a saddleback backpack one of there days..sorry to get off the topic)

Great find! Both strops look to be in good condition even the linen side, razors are not bad at all, The Genco is will definately turn out to be a great shaver. Enjoy!

Thank you Martin, that's why I was so excited about the two strops their conditions were great. The linen is as thick and strong as the leather. And I didn't really know anything about the razors especially one saying $2.00 on it.
Respectfully
Christian

Very nice score! Those strops look to be in perfectly restoreable condition!

Can anyone give me any history or info with regards to the razor? I'm not familiar with Gutun or Grant razors? Good? Bad? I'm wrestling with the concept of just keeping a few and selling off my small collection or just continuing to pile them up till I eventually have the time to dedicate to them.

Search Genco or Geneva Cutlery Corp and you will find a ton of information as they were a very popular US cutlery company.

Originally Posted by TwistedOak

Search Genco or Geneva Cutlery Corp and you will find a ton of information as they were a very popular US cutlery company.

Thank you, now to dig for info on the other

Case owned the red imp trademark, I do know that much, nice razors, everything looks to be in nice shape