Historical Straight Razor Marketing

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by TestDepth, Feb 6, 2021.

  1. TestDepth

    TestDepth Well-Known Member

    I enjoy seeing these old marketing materials, especially how they provide hints or tips. I didn’t see a thread capturing these bits of history, so thought it would be fun.

    Feel free to add as you see fit, but hoping to keep it to the straight razor side of the house (razors, strops, pastes, hones, etc).

    Also, I would love you to highlight the interesting parts to you... as this stuff probably created the basis for some of our theories.

    I’ll kick it off with this Clauss pamphlet... always hoped there was a tie to Santa Claus. :)
    AEA02D30-6A51-485E-BE7C-C0461D5CDF03.jpeg
    Started with a couple pages on how much you could save by shaving yourself : 15 cents a day, and could pay for your son’s college.
    A8C10BA4-4E04-4719-9DBD-0E7CA715C60E.jpeg
    Ah yes, the breakdown of the 3 types of men- busy, society, and working man.
    BAB3DA21-37C7-4402-9AE7-47523D17F6CE.jpeg
    This page tells you the benefits over a safety razor, and instead of YouTube videos & 100 shaves to get proficient, all you need is a Claus razor, this book and 30 minutes. Of course the best hint: get a Claus Razor and a Claus strop.
    8E36BE5A-1605-4D39-B8E6-F806564F5A0E.jpeg
    Talks to benefit of a flat angle, short strokes, with the grain, 1 vs 2 hands, and other tips. Interesting tip on stropping... they are a fan of after, not before the shave, as it is a “peculiar fact” that the edge will be better the next day after stropping.

    A page on stropping - pretty boring, but proponent of only 15-20 strokes. And then this page to get you to buy a 2nd razor, in fact some men have, “a different razor for every day of the week.” Who would be crazy enough to do that???:innocent
    4BD2ADFB-BC08-43D3-963A-C7C2C6BA5F6F.jpeg
    Finally, the back cover... what is up with the scary little girl?!?!?? :)
    CC5F62B8-D27C-4B47-8D95-8873A3568D8A.jpeg

    Hope you enjoyed and please post what you have.
    Tom
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2021
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  2. Steve56

    Steve56 Hone Hoarder

    Thanks for posting Tom. I particularly liked ‘Use hot water whenever available’.
     
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  3. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    That is really cool Tom. Thanks for sharing it.

    Now I gotta get me one or two of them Clauss razors.
     
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  4. TestDepth

    TestDepth Well-Known Member

    Probably my current favorite bit of marketing... Robeson Cutlery “The Razor That Fits Your Face”

    Here is the link: http://robesonsrme.com/razors.php

    Just some pics that I enjoy...
    71DDF28D-BC27-4814-88F1-F9618BD4B023.jpeg
    They definitely feel you need to match the razor to your face, even recommending a round point for “the nervous man.”

    Here is the model I have been lucky to have purchased (twice :))
    F912714E-4843-4D2A-A5B0-91FCCAD6218E.jpeg
    Medium beard, skin exposed to weather... sounds good to me.

    This page has verbiage very similar to the Clauss on shaving, almost exact wording:
    0F6E4222-9EFB-41F3-823A-08EB5E250303.jpeg
    Bay rum and witch hazel comes up for tender skin and post shave. I like the prep to run the razor under hot water to “ expand the teeth.”

    Finally, you need that Robeson hone to match your razor!!!
    720F5D4E-5393-41DE-80C0-C8D3D75A6125.jpeg
    Just one of my favorite pamphlets. :love055:
    Tom
     
  5. Karl G

    Karl G Well-Known Member

    Very cool - thanks Tom :happy088:
     
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  6. Rkep01

    Rkep01 Well-Known Member

    I have several of the Clauss razors and several of the Robeson razors as well. They are, indeed, all fine shavers.
     
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  7. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    Just thought I Would Stick this Up as a Historical Perspective on German Thuringian Stones,,This is Primary about Escher Stones..They Came Under Different Sister Brand Names as @Karl G will Know as he has One..Some the Otherwise Branded Thuringians Range from 8000 K..Some Un Branded Thuringians are as Good as Eschers But are Bit of a Lucky Bag in My Experince..:D

    The 1st Article Grit Rates the Escher Stones..All My Eschers have a Finishing Capacity 0f 17 K Plus in My Hands..Above the Estimated Grit Rating Stated Here..Thought it was an Interesting Article..I have a Fetish for these Stones..I Use them Purely as Finishers after a High Grit Synthetic Finisher..:happy088:
    https://shop.tsprof.com/blog/info/SHARPENING_HISTORY_THURINGIAN_SLATE/
    And.. :eek:
    http://strazors.com/uploads/images/articles/escher.pdf

    Billy..:chores016:
     
  8. TestDepth

    TestDepth Well-Known Member

    Thank you Billy for posting... I really enjoyed the color comparisons on the last page of that 2nd article. :eatdrink047:
     
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  9. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    Glad Ya Liked it..They are Cheap Over Here..I Got a Couple for Scott..He Loves Em.:).

    The Yellow/Green Type Ones are the Dogs Bollocks..Most Razors are Optimal around the 16 + to 17 K Mark in My Experience..Few Can Handle My Higher Grit Surgical Arkansas which Can Knock Out Way Over a 20 K + Edge & then Some when Maxed Out..I Mostly use it for Vintage Stainless Blades or Just Dont Max it Out for Some Other Blades..My Carbon Steel Dorko Solingen Also Handles a Maxed Out Surgical Black Arkansas Edge Very Well..One of My Best Shaver..Scotch & Ice..:happy088:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
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  10. Tedolph

    Tedolph Well-Known Member

    I see that they are fans of the shallow angle-me too!
     
  11. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Yes you did. Excellent stones. Easy to work with too.

    .
     
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  12. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    I definitely enjoy seeing that stuff. how do you post pictures on here? I was going to post one of an issue I had but never could get it on here
     
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  13. lindyhopper66

    lindyhopper66 Well-Known Member

    Great stuff!
     
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  14. John Beeman

    John Beeman Little chicken in hot water

    Just click “upload a file” beneath the text box and then choose the file (photo) you want to add
     
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  15. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    thank you
     
  16. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    If the file for the picture is too large, decrease it first. That seems to be the biggest obstacle to posting pics.
     
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  17. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    any idea what size they need to be?

     
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  18. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    imageedit_1_5367137431.jpg 600x600 works for sure I'll make the next one a little bigger till I hit the break off point
     
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  19. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    there's nothing about that picture it's just the first one I came to so I resized it. but if anybody can look at it and see what's right or wrong about it it's one of the first ones I've done I haven't hung it yet I just sanded it from 800 to 1500 5 minutes on each grit about 700 strokes. I don't think this is a picture after I was done though I think it's the picture before I started? because it does not have any of those spots looking at it in my hand? that's weird and that spot down at the toe I worked on that for a long time and it does not show in my hand but on the picture it doesn't look right. oh well I finally got a picture to post now I just need something worthwhile to post
     
  20. neiasden

    neiasden Member

    imageedit_1_7162729082.jpg 700x700 works. these are some of the first scales I made with a coping saw. leopard wood I think was this one
     

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