Ever used a cheap straight razor you've really liked?

[Brutus]

Here's a thread where it's discussed, the screencap is a book from around the turn of the 20th century.
Ran across some interesting historical tidbits today... - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/ran-across-some-interesting-historical-tidbits-today.610676/

View attachment 1328599

Revisor alludes to it as still being a practice in the 1950s on their website:
It‘s notable that around 1950 in Solingen there were circa 600-700 razor manufacturers in the market. The razors were mostly produced by homeworkers for the manufacturer.

Here's a fascinating thread from SRP about Paul Drees and a Werner Breidenbach (with some cool video links):
So why this? It helps to understand to know something about the organisation of the working and factory business in Solingen in the 19th and 20th century. In Solingen a lot of workings have been done by homeworkers in one-man-business units. The grinders had their little workshop – in Solingen called „Kotten“ – with all necessary equipment, often in the basement of their homes or in barnes in the neighbourhood. Sometimes a couple of single homeworkers shared a workshop. Paul Drees was such a homeworker. As many others, he worked for different companies as straight razor grinder. He got the blankets from the companies, took them home to the workshop, ground and polished them and returned the finished razors to the factories. Sometimes the grinders also mounted the razors in scales and honed them. But in general, the job of scale-mounting and honing of the razors was a different business and teaching profession.

Take it for what it's worth.

Thanks,
maybe the term ‘homeworker’ ought to be better defined, as this is how your last source expands on the meaning:

In Solingen a lot of workings have been done by homeworkers in one-man-business units. The grinders had their little workshop – in Solingen called „Kotten“ – with all necessary equipment, often in the basement of their homes or in barnes in the neighbourhood. Sometimes a couple of single homeworkers shared a workshop.


So we both agree that there were small business units with workshops located in or near their homes.
The idea of a homeworker sitting at home (e.g. in the living room, while the fire crackles in the stove), as is often associated with 19th century makers of wodden toys and cuckoo clocks, just did not sound right.




B.

 

[mattps1]

I've used a low-cost Bengal Cadman & Sons razors, it's excellent. I wouldn't classify it as cheap though.

To me, life being short leads me to higher quality, even if it costs more

 

[Gabor]

So we both agree that there were small business units with workshops located in or near their homes.
The idea of a homeworker sitting at home (e.g. in the living room, while the fire crackles in the stove), as is often associated with 19th century makers of wodden toys and cuckoo clocks, just did not sound right.

It was not unusual in other countries either, in London several big manufacturers of goods had an army of "homeworkers" who picked up the materials from the factory, took it home, made the things and delivered back to the factories. Powder boxes, match boxes, sewing, comb making, cutting up packaging, embroidery, etc. the majority were being made like this and the worker was payed per QC accepted piece, hence the long long working days (12-16hrs a day) to make enough money to make ends meet. It was a huge exploitation of the lower classes for long-long time and opportunity for women to earn

 

[Guest2023]

As others said, vintage SRs are reasonably priced. I never paid more than $20 on any of them and they were all good after honing and stropping.

 

[DrStrange]

I chuckle when people say something like "those are great shavers"

I think everybody is serious when they write that,
but after you've seen it written about ten thousand different razors
it does seem like an inside joke.