Mysterious Le Coq - Straight guard bar - Maybe adjustable ?!

[Cha-wing!!]

Hello gentlemen,

Today, let's discover this "scarce and weird" (my favorite kind) double-edge safety razor, from Le Coq, France. I'd like to thank DrAwkward for pushing me to speak about it. I wanted to for quite some time, but never gotten around to it. Well here goes :





I have seen a few during the last years, one I found in the wild, and one which was given to me by the current owner of the Leresche factory. Remember they were the ones to manufacture for Le Coq !

It is very peculiar, I have zero document / information on this razor unfortunately, only speculations. Here is what I think / believe :

- it was a short run, because there aren't many out there
- surely late model, because of the straight guard bar, that I have seen on short-screw models, either in bakelite or metal.

Here are two of them (on the left) next to two different Le Coq "Palmer" Adjustables (on the right) :





Handles are similar, but can't accept the same tube :



Three weird details to notice :

- On one of them, both plates of the head are marked on one end, so that you know which side of the top cap to align with which side of the baseplate. But this feature is usually seen on an adjustable or slant, but this razor is none... See here :



- the center hole, at the neck, has an internal ledge, which you usually see on adjustables...



I've tried to put a spring in (from a real Le Coq adjustable), it fits ! But it pushes the center of the blade, rather than a "tray" which would equalize the tension. Well, just like the real adjustable, actually !



- on one of them, the end knob has markings on the tube, that looks like a spring, as if it used to have a spring close to the tube that marked it. But I checked, it's impossible to make room for a spring there !



So I'm really not sure what this is. Frankenrazor made from scraps at the end of the production era ? Failed set ? Just a fun razor designed to make us think for nothing ? The questions are numerous, answers are not.

More pics, click to enlarge : Le Coq eventuellement réglable ? — Postimage.org

Thank you for your attention, have a nice day !

 

[ajkel64]

Very interesting razors, thank you for sharing. I learned something new today. This is good.

 

[Cha-wing!!]

I'm happy to hear this, thanks

 

[Twelvefret]

Thank you for posting.

 

[romsitsa]

Hello, the spring like markings on the inner tube are machine marks. These are usually left as is if the tube is not visible for the consumer. For eg. two piece RFB Gillettes have the same machine marks.

You mentioned that the sping tensions the center of the blade, but the Palmer also doesn't have an adjusting tray?
I think this is non adjustable razor made from adjustable parts. If it was intended to be sold as an adjustable there should be at least a "zero" mark on the handle.

Adam

 

[BigJ]

Yes indeed, it really does look to be an adjustable!!

Wonderful!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Cha-wing!!]

Thank you gents !

Thanks Romsitsa for the precisions Yes, if it really was an adjustable there would be the zero mark, and both pieces of the head would have the side mark.

 

[lloydrm]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. I wouldn't be surprised if they did it as a response to demand for the looks and not the actual adjustability. Think scallops on a "granton" knife.
ps: what can you tell us about the shave?

 

[matwho]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your collection with us.

 

[Mlee]

My interest in non Gillette's is growing. It's too bad there's not a lot of information available. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Northstonehill]

Gorgeous razors all 4 - and a fascinating read, thanks!

I am very curious to know everything about Le Coq adjustables - especially how do they shave, say compared to a Slim?

 

[tonich]

Thanks for sharing, Cha-wing!!
Great looking pieces! The French created some really nice razors over the years. Their razors have been almost as good as the French football/soccer team on the World Cup 2018 in Russia!

And Leresche gave you a razor themselves? Wow, you must be someone special then!
Congrats!

 

[Witterm]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. I wouldn't be surprised if they did it as a response to demand for the looks and not the actual adjustability. Think scallops on a "granton" knife.
ps: what can you tell us about the shave?

I’d say this is one of the most aggressive, closest shaving razors I have ever used. There is lots of blade feel; the blade extends beyond the guard bar almost like a devette.

I don’t use mine often, but do really like it... they don’t surface often, but if you like aggressive, don’t pass it up given the chance.


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[Hobgoblin]

These Le Coq razors are both beautiful thanks for sharing .I particularly like the head design it looks like it would have a large blade gap.Were the Le Coq razors produced from the 1920s to the 60s ?

Glenn

 

[lloydrm]

I’d say this is one of the most aggressive, closest shaving razors I have ever used. There is lots of blade feel; the blade extends beyond the guard bar almost like a devette.

I don’t use mine often, but do really like it... they don’t surface often, but if you like aggressive, don’t pass it up given the chance.


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Thanks for the advise. Will keep my eyes open.

 

[efsk]

Thank you for showing, and for pointing out all peculiarities.

 

[Cha-wing!!]

Thank you Gents

Glenn, yes that's about it. I have done a lot of research, talked to some of the oldest and biggest collectors in France (more than 20 years in the game !), and none of them have a LeCoq catalogue, or old pricelist. This brand is a big mystery !

 

[DrAwkward]

I’d say this is one of the most aggressive, closest shaving razors I have ever used. There is lots of blade feel; the blade extends beyond the guard bar almost like a devette.

I don’t use mine often, but do really like it... they don’t surface often, but if you like aggressive, don’t pass it up given the chance.

Thanks to Witterm, I found one of these for sale and snapped it up. I then contacted Cha-wing!! to find out what I'd just bought. What an amazing story I learned from him! I didn't even know that Leresche made Le Coq razors, much less that this razor might have been designed as an adjustable.
Anyway, Witterm is absolutely correct in his assessment of the mysterious Le Coq: it is very much like a devette in its level of aggressiveness. It is, however, slightly more forgiving. I'm not sure why; perhaps less blade flex / chatter?
Certainly, it is a wonderful razor if you like them on the aggressive side.

 

[jmudrick]

Mail call. Cannot wait to try this thing.

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[Witterm]

Be sure to have at least 1-cup of coffee (to wake up) but less than 4 (so as not to be shaky).

Have a light touch and use the smoothest blade you have. Enjoy the ride...


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