USA manufacturers?

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Cleburne, Oct 10, 2018.

  1. Cleburne

    Cleburne New Member

    I'm trying to source a quality USA manufactured safety razor and blades. All I find in the big box stores are either from China or Germany. Any help is much appreciated.
     
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  2. J 5

    J 5 New Member

    As far as I know, these companies are US based and manufacture here:

    Above The Tie
    Blackland Razors
    Paradigm Shaveware
    Timeless Razors

    Of those, ATT, Blackland, and Timeless are readily available. Paradigm is harder to come by.

    Also, many vintage Gillettes were made in the US, and Weber was also. I believe they still make handles.

    Blades are tougher. The only one I know of are Personna Lab Blues, and not all of those are made in the US.
     
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  3. brit

    brit in a box

    hello and welcome. one of my favorite u.s. brand adjustables is the rex ambassador from razor emporium...on my saving up for list..well built, u.s. made ,good reviews..so far i use vintage gillettes..
     
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  4. Lord Gillette

    Lord Gillette Active Member

    Try the rex ambassador. IMO it's the best looking razor out there.

    But the problem is the price. At $249, I'm not brave or rich enough to pull the trigger.
     
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  5. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Maggard, Rockwell, Fine, Razorock, and Karve are also North America based and all offer exceptional value. Some manufactured locally, some overseas.

    The Karve, Game Changer 84, and PAA Ascension SS are particularly mind blowing value. The Fine Marvel is Chinese manufactured and Zamak but nonetheless a great shaver worth its price.
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2018
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  6. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    Just about every vintage Gillette was made in the good ol' USA. Start there.
     
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  7. Badgerstate

    Badgerstate Well-Known Member

    For blades, the only ones you are going to find are Personna Blues. For razors, youre going to have to drop $150+ for a stainless one like ATT or Timeless. Theyre out there but they arent cheap (although a good stainless razor should last you a lifetime and then some).
     
  8. Terry

    Terry Tool Admirer

    Uh well......
    IMHO
    I find that the vintage US made SE are old but work very well. I know some of the blades are hard to find or you have to modify a avalible blade. I would have a hard time believing this months ago, before I shaved with one. There are the GEMs that have blades avalible and give a nice shave. The Valets are nice and require small mods to the blades and the like. I have blades that are said to fit that I'm waiting on, but are pricey.
    Most nice vintage SEs can be had for $30 or less.
    You should check TSD forms to make sure blades are avalible for the SE razors first, unless you are handy at making a blade fit the razor.

    Now the vintage US DE razors work well and the blades are abundant.
    Most nice ones can be had at $40 and under, unless you want a popular one like a Gilette Fatboy or a completely re-done one.

    2 cents worth
    ;)
    tp
     
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  9. dmshaver

    dmshaver Well-Known Member

    Rockwell, Razorock, & Karve are excellent choices. All 3 are Canadian, however. I believe the OP was looking for American products.
     
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  10. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Yes we'll I'm hoping he can look past his ultra-nationalist tendencies and embrace our brothers and sisters of the northland who are also not Chinese or German.
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2018
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  11. brit

    brit in a box

    it would have to be really good for me to spend $250 u.s. would rather buy a mint rare brit gillette personally. but future may change..
     
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  12. Pete123

    Pete123 Well-Known Member

    I've heard nothing but good about the Blackland Blackbird.

    You specifically mentioned safety razors, though there are many craftsman making nice straight razors in the US. Most of them won't be a full hollow grind, though are still very popular.
     
    Frijolero likes this.
  13. NoWeepers

    NoWeepers Member

    I don't think they've been made recently, but I think Tradere is another US manufacturer.

    Also Rod George. Search Etsy for his shop.
     
  14. NoWeepers

    NoWeepers Member

    It's interesting there are so many Canadian manufacturers: Karve, RazoRock, Rockwell, Wolfman.

    Oh, and I think other US manufacturers are: Charcoal Goods, Raw Shaving, and Standard Razors.
     
    brit likes this.
  15. Lord Gillette

    Lord Gillette Active Member

    I wish American companies would release affordable, quality made in USA razors like Gillette did decades ago.

    But times have changed. Affordability is not synonymous with American made products anymore unless you're buying a car.
     
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  16. kfbrady

    kfbrady Well-Known Member

    Yes but cars are complex propositions indeed. For 2018 the car with the most USA-made content is the Jeep Cherokee with 72% USA made parts. But Jeep is an Italian owned company with headquarters in London.

    Four of the top 10 cars with high USA made content in 2018 are manufactured by Honda. And the Buick Envision is assembled in China with only 2% USA made content.

    At least according to Cars.com.
     
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  17. Orville

    Orville Active Member

    I just avoid the sweatshop countries. I really don't care what country it is as long as they treat their labor well.

    I just buy used Gillette or something since there's really no reason to reinvent the wheel at this point. You can actually buy really nice restored vintage razors that will last the rest of your life and beyond from right here in the US as well. No need to waste energy producing new and gamble with dissecting the hype from the facts either. That checks most of the boxes right there.

    That being said, each to their own, we all have our preferences.
     
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  18. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Labor relations in the US were not a holiday picnic in the first decades of the last century, with unsafe and sweatshop conditions commonplace. I haven't found anything pertaining to Gillette in particular but it would be a mistake to project backwards our current conditions. While King Gillette had a socialist bent, he wasn't calling the shots after 1910. Their treatment of workers may well have been exemplary, but I don't know that.
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2018
  19. Orville

    Orville Active Member

    "Labor relations in the US were not a holiday picnic in the first decades of the last century, with unsafe and sweatshop conditions commonplace. I haven't found anything pertaining to Gillette in particular but it would be a mistake to project backwards our current conditions."

    You forgot private armies and mass murder, but yes, I'm aware of the fact we had one of the most violent labor movements of any "civilized" nation of that time.

    I think you missed my point. The fact is buying those old razors restored is good for the US economy and buying from non sweatshop countries supports labor on a global scale which in turn makes it stronger.

    Time will tell if we see a total return to the robber baron days or not. I certainly hope not.
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2018
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  20. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Fair enough :) .
     
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