Two razors from my great-aunt

Galeocerdoshark

Galeocerdoshark

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May 21, 2011
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I'll commence with a bit of a backstory. My great-aunt is currently aged 86, but her health conditions have been worsening. Doctors said she couldn't live in her house anymore by herself (she's a widow) and since she lives far away from the rest of the family, she will move into a retirement home nearby. She said herself that she can't live on her own anymore and that she needs help. The retirement home where's she's going now is only a few blocks away from where she was born and lived until she was 19, so she's happy to come back to a known environment close to her relatives.
Of course, she can't take everything with her and together with her we're sorting through her stuff. What can she take with her and what does she want to take with her? Among her personal possessions were two straight razors that belonged to her husband. He was a barber until 1979, when he retired. He died back in 1996 or 1995, can't remember since I was 5 or 6 years old then.
Long story short: she didn't really care for the razors anymore and she seems to be more fond of pictures and the like to take with her. I could have them.
So here they are!

I'd like to show these two razors in this topic, but I'd like to ask for some information on them as well since I can't find a whole lot about them. Anyway, enjoy the pics. Any comment or info is very welcome!

First up is the one that's been used the most. There were even little hairs left in the pivot and all that. It's stamped 89 Fram, Solingen on one side and Mandler, Solingen-wald on the other. What I found on the web was that -among other brands- it was made by C. Friedrich Kratz & Co. That's all I know. I don't know anything about the quality of the products by this maker, year of production or anything. This one does need some cleaning up. It has red rust all over it.

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Next up is a straight razor made in Belgium. The stampings say J.J. Maes, Bruxelles, and on the other side: World-Master reg, 165. World-Master Trademark is stamped on the box. I've found no info at all on this one...

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Some side by side pics...
First, thickness compared. The one by J.J.Maes is a lot thicker:
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Full front blade shots... Fram:
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JJ.Maes:
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And together... Notice the wider blade of the J.J. Maes.
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So, I hope you guys enjoyed these two razors! Any input is very welcome.
 
Beautiful razors...! As a suggestion: for a far greater audience regarding info on your two finds, Badger and Blade dot com is a dedicated shaving site that would get you more replies as to value and restoration advice. Kudos to BladeForums for having this sub-forum too...many of us knife nuts are razor fans as well! G'luck in finding your answers.
 
Two great looking razors. The story behind them makes them even better. I don't know anything about them other than the fact that they look like they would be great users.
Are you going to have them honed and use them?
 
Thanks Protourist. In the end, yes I plan on using them but I do not want to jump right into it unknowing of the right techniques and the like. Hence, I still have a lot of reading and purchasing to do (decent strop, hones,...). I already found ywo courses I can take. One on sharpening a straight razor and one on shaving with a straight razor and maintaining the gear. Both courses are being given only 30km from where I live so it's well worth driving to and back again. Not yet sure on when to join these courses since I'm jobhunting like crazy now so I do not have an eye on my future agenda in one or two months from now, when the courses start.
 
Thought you guys might like to know that we found two additional World-Master razors while cleaning up the place... Here are some pics ;)

The new 'old' guys in town...
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Opened up
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Makers marks
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We found them in the red box you'll see in the picture below. It's and old gift-box from Solingen, Germany, made to display straight razors.
It's now the home of these two used World-Masters, the Fram and the Tückmar. I keep the NIB JJ Maes World-Master inside its own box (was the only one that still had the original box). Obviously, that won't fit in the display gift box :-). Hope you guys enjoyed!
I was also wondering if there are some databases with model numbers from these brands and pics coupled to it? Would be interesting to see how many different types were made by one maker and what every model looked like...

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Cheers,

Jerry
 
Congrats on the amazing find! Those will certainly be wonderful users.

My heirloom (my grandfather's) is one of my favorite razors to hone because it is rewarding on so many levels. It achieves one of the highest levels of sharp of all my razors and it singings.

Looking at your finds, I'm guessing they will sing also.
 
Those are all very nice razors. If you are interested in shaving with them, then you have one simple thing you need to do...

Box them up, put them away, and don't touch them for at least six months. During that time, buy a couple of other razors that are not family heirlooms. Learn the various ways a razor can be trashed with one that is not a family heirloom. Only when you feel more competent with shaving or honing or restoration of random razors should you bring out your family jewels.
 
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