Thread: F A Koch

Unusual razor I bought sometime last year......Believe it or not, I had forgotten about it in the pile.

I have found (on a knife forum) that F A Koch began in 1874 on Chambers St in NYC and sold knives, surgical instruments, scissors, and razors from Germany. The company was moved to Broadway in 1904, where it lasted until 1933.
As the box would indicate this is from 1904 to 1933.

I dunno if this is a surgical razor or not. No stamps, but pretty certain it is carbon steel, a tad of decoration and bottom jimps.
Blade is 6/8 and about the size of an average straight razor. Seems like a good stropping is all it needs..

Shiny!



Somewhere, there is an F A Koch catalouge, and an item # 5044!

The Original Western Ground Kamisori hey ??
certainly has a hook to the tang
looks in top nick a very nice piece indeed, great score Tom

I find this fascinating Tom, simply fascinating....I don't know what to make of it?

What tomfoolery is this razor?

Or is it a "razor"....

Interesting for sure. Nice belayed find.

Originally Posted by Substance

The Original Western Ground Kamisori hey ??
certainly has a hook to the tang
looks in top nick a very nice piece indeed, great score Tom

Never thought about that! It might well predate any production 'western kami' !

Originally Posted by Phrank

I find this fascinating Tom, simply fascinating....I don't know what to make of it?

What tomfoolery is this razor?

Or is it a "razor"....

Oh, no doubt a razor, made by a good German maker. The blade is downright normal for a top-notch double-ground Solinger. Look at the end of the tail. Just like a normal razor. A different thing, for certain!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Never thought about that! It might well predate any production 'western kami' !


Oh, no doubt a razor, made by a good German maker. The blade is downright normal for a top-notch double-ground Solinger. Look at the end of the tail. Just like a normal razor. A different thing, for certain!

I think you made that in your laboratory and posted it here to confuse us....I saw the thread with just the tail of that peeking out of some cauldron.

Some type of German / Japanese Frankenstein razor you've created?

Maybe an OOOOPS when they quenched it?

Originally Posted by Phrank

I think you made that in your laboratory and posted it here to confuse us....I saw the thread with just the tail of that peeking out of some cauldron.

Some type of German / Japanese Frankenstein razor you've created?

I did think it looked as something a fellow might make for himself on his lunch break if he was working at a factory.
He might have needed a few friends there to help, however!

I think a surgical prep razor which could be sterilized..No scales! Seems most of the surgical razors we see are with metal scales, even WAY back. Maybe they got concerned about the gunk at the pivot?

At any rate, I doubt if it has been used. It seems to have languished in the box since new.
Gonna hone this thing up and give it a go!

Very cool find. I'm interested to hear how it shaves.

Originally Posted by Mrchick

Very cool find. I'm interested to hear how it shaves.

Yeah, just polishing it and trying to get a picture without a fingerprint on it has been tedious, I suppose it is that I have been trying to be careful with it. The tail swoops a lot, so honing and stropping may need some adjustments.
TBH, the tang is slicker than snot, with exception of the jimped bottom. I suppose the palm against the tang will be key. Perhaps what I deemed as decorations are actually 'side jimps'?
It may have a little rubber grip in it's future. We shall see.