Looking for a murder weapon for a novel

[joglander]

I need some help from straight users. I am pretty much a newbie to the site (just past 60 days) and a total newbie with regard to straights. I am beginning to write a novel and I need a very specific straight razor to use as a murder weapon. I hope someone here can help me find a perfect weapon.

The straight I need would have been in use in a high end barber shop in Germany in 1944. It would have been valuable enough that a barber/soldier from the US would have been willing to steal it, but not so rare, because the plot requires that there be three of these in the shop at that time. I like the blades that have engraving/art on them, but it must be a top of the line shaver. It should be extraordinary enough that a non shaver would recognize it is a thing of value and beauty, and sharp enough that a shaver will use it regularly, and cherish it. One of these will be used by a woman to shave her legs. The handle will have to be durable enough to survive more aggressive use than the average shave, with no more than a hairline crack. I was looking at an Engels, but I am hoping for something perhaps more exotic and rare. Extra credit if the company that made it is not in business post WWII.

If you give me a name, I can do the research, however, a picture would be worth my eternal gratitude. Can you help me? Thanks

 

[johnmrson]

The two brands that immediately come to mind are Boker and Puma.

 

[ouch]

A duck.

 

[Slowhand]

I'm also a newbie, but I'll be interested to see what people come up with for you. And, I think your book sounds like a good one. Good luck!

 

[joglander]

Thanks

 

[SliceOfLife]

Three of a Joseph Rodgers Seven Day set, Ivory handles.

 

[joglander]

Why is there a seven day set? That Joseph Rodgers certainly makes a fine razor. It's almost enough to get me to try a straight. Thanks!

 

[Mysterion]

A quick Google search (search terms: "Third Reich straight razor") yields a few interesting possibilities. One that seems to fit your parameters is Gottlieb Hammesfahr. Per a post on another forum, this company was absorbed by a competitor after WWII. Here's a bonus link to a pic of a (badly worn) G-H made for the SS.

 

[Slowhand]

Here's a good list of manufacturers and their dates...

http://www.uniclectica.com/misc/manuf.html

 

[joglander]

This forum never ceases to amaze me. The SS razor fits perfectly with the question I asked, but would not be used by my characters. But the non-SS version is another perfect choice. Wow. Thanks to all!

 

[KaiserKrebs]

Well, one possibilty could also be, and one I'm partial to for obvious reasons is Solingen Knife maker Carl Julius Krebs ( no known realtion). He was a prolific manufacturer of daggers and knives for the Reich, ( among many).... SS daggers, SA daggers, Luftwaffe, Wehrmacht, Hitler youth etc. Perhaps a custom seven day set was created with special handles, blade engraving, gold wash etc. Although not known for razors, there's no reason why you couldn't create them for the story....Maybe for some wealthy Prussian Baron, a WW1 veteran, pehaps the wooden case is lined with blue velvet, and has a Pour Le Merite' inlaid in the lid ( Blue Max)

Something like that would certainly attract my attention, if I happened to see it. Maybe your barber was given the set by his fiance' who inherited it from her father ( the Baron) then was tragically killed or some such thing....I don't mean to run away with an idea, for your novel, but I'm a military history buff, and your post really gets my creative juices flowing.

Best of luck with the story.....

 

[SliceOfLife]

Seven Day sets have a lot of reasons. First you don't need to strop before every shave if you strop seven razors on Sunday. Two, less touching up if you rotate seven razors rather than use one every day. Three, you can afford it and you want to bask in your wealth by buying seven pricey razors in a fancy leather and silk case.

 

[Legion]

Why is there a seven day set? That Joseph Rodgers certainly makes a fine razor. It's almost enough to get me to try a straight. Thanks!

I'm thinking that it would be less likely that a German in the 40's would be using a Sheffield razor.

A nice Puma or Goldedge Dubl Duck with fancy scales would be my recommendation.

 

[raisindot]

This may sound a little flip, but why not make up a brand?

After all, you're writing fiction, aren't you? Why restrict yourself to things that exist? Why not make up a fictional brand the has all the elements of the 'real' brands you're looking at? Then you could create a great backstory around the brand and give it attributes (like it contains the soul of the inventor) or other things. No one reading the novel other than anyone here will care whether it's real or not.

After all, if Steinhausen can do this watches in real life, why can't you do this straight razors in fiction?



Jeff in Boston

 

[icedoverfire]

This may sound a little flip, but why not make up a brand?

After all, you're writing fiction, aren't you? Why restrict yourself to things that exist? Why not make up a fictional brand the has all the elements of the 'real' brands you're looking at? Then you could create a great backstory around the brand and give it attributes (like it contains the soul of the inventor) or other things. No one reading the novel other than anyone here will care whether it's real or not.

After all, if Steinhausen can do this watches in real life, why can't you do this straight razors in fiction?



Jeff in Boston

I agree!

And, TBH, I did a double take when I read your thread title "Looking for a murder weapon..." (WAIT? WHAT?!), then saw "for a novel" (OH! )

 

[Grizzley1]

Gottlieb Hammesfahr -Remember that name,I came across mine about five weeks ago and
have never used anything like it before,and Ive been using straights for more years than I care to admit (30). I have about seven or eight straights,including,W&B,Boker,Henkels,and a couple of other German brands that I cant remember at the moment,but this thing is the best thing Ive ever put to my face,and nobody's more surprised then I,I had never heard of them before,but it seems that they were allowed to stay in business by the Nazis because they liked there knives which they made for them.Know I don't know if they are all this nice or they were afraid for there lives,but if you can find one I highly recommend trying to get your hands on it. yes I know its a Henkels box ,thats what it came in,my wife got it for me in a flea market.

 

[Mama Bear]

oh, that's easy.. a Butcher and Wade 8/8... I believe Joel owns at least one......

oops.. Wade and Butcher.. sorry.. always think Butcher first with that one...

an interesting thread...

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?82934-Wade-amp-Butcher-Razor-History

 

[joglander]

Gottlieb Hammesfahr -Remember that name,I came across mine about five weeks ago and
have never used anything like it before,and Ive been using straights for more years than I care to admit (30). I have about seven or eight straights,including,W&B,Boker,Henkels,and a couple of other German brands that I cant remember at the moment,but this thing is the best thing Ive ever put to my face,and nobody's more surprised then I,I had never heard of them before,but it seems that they were allowed to stay in business by the Nazis because they liked there knives which they made for them.Know I don't know if they are all this nice or they were afraid for there lives,but if you can find one I highly recommend trying to get your hands on it. yes I know its a Henkels box ,thats what it came in,my wife got it for me in a flea market.

Gottlieb Hammersfahr is perfect for the story line. Thanks for all the suggestions. Joglander

 

[stobes21]

For those suggesting a Dubl Duck: would those have been available in Germany at that time? My understanding of the company's history was that it was an American corp that imported German (Solingen) razors from different manufacturers and branded them as their own. So it would seem that the razors sold in Germany would have been branded by their actual maker (Puma, DOVO, etc.) instead of by the American company. Or did Dubl Duck re-import the razors back to Germany and sell them under their own brand name?