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- #21
WOW just WOW.Like this.
View attachment 604419
If it is that deadly, I may have to send it packing..........or not!
Don't buy Genco razors
- Thread starter mtnredhed
- Start date
That's going to be a tough sell to those of us that live in/around the part of the world they were made, and look for them specifically since they are sort of locally made goods. lol
Very nice blade, Mark!
Thanks!
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- #26
Thank you all for the warnings. I guess that'll just stick to my very inferior Swedish steel razors. I'm indebted to all of you.
I hope you don't suffer too much!
Wow. That's a beautiful Magnetic Steel mycarver!
Mike
Mike
Don't buy them on the bay, don't buy them at antique stores. Particularly stay away from the Henry's X and XX and Expert models. They're um..horrible. The metal is terrible, won't take an edge and will shred your face like you dragged broken glass across it. Of greatest danger are those that don't have corrosion near the edge and little hone wear. Horrible investments. You should stay with fine British and German steels.
As a public service, I'm attempting to take as many off the market as I can so as to protect the unsuspecting buyer.
Purchasing a razor from somebody that doesn't know anything about it is not a good idea unless you can supply the expertise. Auctions and antique stores are often handled by such people.
I have had a couple of very good Genco razors. Geneva Cutlery started in 1902 as a straight razor company and sold to Ekco in 1934. Peak production was 3600 razors a day, but it had trouble competing with the new Gillette safety razor. The Geneva Historical Society puts out a .pdf outlining the history.
The problem with this make of razor is that the newest one is now 81 years old.
I have no doubt the ones you found are in the condition you described. But to be in business 32 years some people were buying them.
The majority of mine are either plain Jane black or white but these 5 from the wood grain with bolsters candy stripe and the next 3 down are neat. Unfortunately it appears as though the last one with the greenish /gray ribs is gassing. Gotta go.
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- #32
I guess I need to use <humor></humor> tags. I'm in search of Genco's and was jokingly trying to discourage others from bidding them up. I just recently bought my first (Genco, not first straight) and am loving the shaves I'm getting. Actually the razor division was bought by Case in 1935 and moved production down to Bradford PA.
Most got the joke if you read the following posts.
It's a dirty job but someone has to sacrifice himself.
May I keep this one?
They are great razors!
I've got one just like this. The problem with it is the edge seems to crumble, not sure why. It looks like it's nickle plated, which I'd read somewhere wasn't necessarily a good thing. But, after reading this thread I'm going to bread knife the edge back a bit and see if I hit good steel.
I have done my part in safeguarding the public from these (Master Barber, Easy Aces, Next, Henry's XX):
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I just picked up a Genco pyramid #7 from the bay. I got it for about 15 after shipping.
Hoping it was a good-decent deal but I’m new. Let me know if I did alright. Thanks!
Hoping it was a good-decent deal but I’m new. Let me know if I did alright. Thanks!
Genco are excellent razors. If properly honed, they will give you an excellent shave and will last a long time.
Nice pick for 15. Proper honing and care and it'll last another 81 years.
Coincidentally, this 7n came up for use tomorrow. Can't wait!
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
GREAT razors, those Gencos. All of the mass produced American razors from the early 20th century were very good razors but Genco leads the pack IMHO, and there are lots of them around. Probably the best buy going, in vintage razors.
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