Thread: NOS German Army Razor (post WW2)

Today arrived one of two German Army Razors i found and directly bought
Its a very nice 11/16"+ (nearly 6/8") stainless Razor (rostfrei), hollow and good balanced.
I didnt came sharp (sharp by my opinion what sharp means) but welded in its original package, i was never
so sure to be the first user of a Razor and cant wait to use this evening.
Its a post WW2 Razor used by the Bundeswehr (german Army) and shows the Registration/Depot Number on
the Package and the Scales. Also there is the Y Sign on the Tang, a Sign that is used for Army Supplies in Germany
similar to the Broad Arrow in the UK.
I dont know the Manufacturer but as theres no Solingen in the Razor im sure that it wasnt Martin from Tückmantel & Martin,
im pretty sure that Brothers Martin from Tuttlingen made this Razor. Tuttlingen ist famous in Germany for its medical Supplies
since the 1920s, Aesculap Razors that were used for the german army had been made there too.

Hey Helge

That is a great score. I have one aluminum scale blade (made by Geezer) that I really like. It will be my SOTD tomorrow.

Let us know how it shaves.

I did nothing wrong buying this Razor
It was easy to hone and got an Edge that exactly fitted what i like, crispy but smooth as if i had used an Escher (in fact i dont use my Thuringian, i prefer the LaLune).
Usually i have my Problems with stainless Razors, dont know why but i allways feel as if their edges dont become crispy enough, the only one i really loved (before it damaged) was a Twinworks/Zwilling 72 1/2 and the army Martin shaves similar, i love it
Its thin but rigid enought and easy to handle, a bit heavier at the Scales but that is no problem.

The most interesting thing to me is that these razors were still being issued after WW2 - I can't believe that there was much demand for them given the alternatives and preferences at that time. It looks quite similar to the Polish Wapienika which, I assume, was even later.

As far as i know the Razors had been used by Barbers, before and after WW2, there hadnt been official Razors to be used in the soldiers personal equipment like the Gillette Old Types or the Broad Arrow marked british Razors in WW1. Also the Razor were used by the medical divisions of the german army until the open blade razors had been replaced by shavettes (Aesculap). I guess the Razors after WW2 had been stored mainly because of strategical thoughts. Talked to my Father who was in the german Airforce around 1970 and he cant remember having seen a Razor during his military time, but he was stationed at NATO HQ Mid-West, where no german medical or barber services were stationed .

My second one (although i dont know why i bougt two) arrived today and im fascinated as it seems to be the same one like the first but with other stamps

Very nice find. I like these a lot, but have never seen one for sale. I've only seen at a meet where somebody else had similar.

Thank you
I guess they come from a depot and have been sold to make place for new Razors (possibly Gillette ones or Replacable Blade Straights), i dont think that the usually end on the free market so that its luck to get one. The Seller from who i got them told that they come from the collection of his father, maybe he had good contacts.

Like the Wapis, being all stainless they can be autoclaved, which is why the Army Medical Services would have used them.

After the first Shave with the Last, the likely newer one, i think there are some light differences.
As the "Rostfrei" marked Razor in the first Post shaves similar to a Henckels to me, the "newer" shaves more like a 1/2 hollow Dovo,
have to consider if i like it by thinking of the many half-hollows in my collection.