Thread: Here I am, playing seriously against type: near-mint 7/8 Bismarck

This might be a little more of a Show, Tell & ask... But well, first the telling.

It's been kind of all work and no play for me lately. The great majority of the stuff I've gotten I've gotten to resell (I know some of you saw this coming, surely). This one fell into that category too.

Until I had it in my hands.



Yes, the box label says it's 7/8. By measurement, that means something more like 15/16ths, since traditional measurement counted only the distance between the two points that touch the stone.

It wasn't in perfect condition. It'd been put away with a bit of soap or something near the point, and there's some minor pitting there. By and large though, this thing's kinda glorious.



I took these pictures with my phone and it got the color balance a little off. The scales are more orange than red. There's a tiny bit of rust in the pivot and a mark on the tail, just outside the scales. Even the box is in good condition.

Unfortunately, the directions got used to see how sharp it was, as there's a cut in the paper.

For fun, here's a scan of the paper that was in the box:




Now the question!

Does anyone know when these were made?

My gut feeling is 1930's, more or less, but these new-fangled 'hollow ground' things are outside my usual interests!

That's a Beaut Zak! Keeper for sure as I hear they are great shavers...The Bismarck razor company was in business from 1900 to 1930 according to Goin's Encyclopedia of Cutlery, then came under the Dovo brand. Classic!

Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

That's a Beaut Zak! Keeper for sure as I hear they are great shavers...The Bismarck razor company was in business from 1900 to 1930 according to Goin's Encyclopedia of Cutlery, then came under the Dovo brand. Classic!

Yeah, I don't THINK this one dates to the Dovo years... And it feels a bit modern to be much before 1930, especially with those crisp, shallow etches.

I haven't shaved with it yet, but it feels real nice in-hand. Not quite as real nice as that Fili you loaned me, but not far off!

And in my cursory searching, I couldn't find any other model 604s.

That's a gorgeous razor!

I don't normally go in for this 'less than a hundred years old' stuff, but I kinda like this one!

Welcome to the 20th century [emoji2]

I don't believe it :<0) Next your going to be telling me you've been eying my Ducks. That is a really nice, not so olde, but goody though. It's too bad they didn't follow the instructions but never the less it's in great shape.

Zak, it's junk.

What's worse is that it's NEW junk. Get rid of it quick.

It hasn't got enough steel in it to make a tang of a REAL razor, and the scales ARE PLASTIC!

In addition to all the above, IT'S GORGEOUS (new fangled junk)!

Thanks Wullie. Makes all my pill cutters safe from him :<0b......

That's gorgeous Zak!!!!!!