As there is no possibility to make specifications about the age of a Hoffritz slant razor I'm wondering if one could specify the age of these razors through their cases.
Here are posted some pics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Please note the different Hoffritz-logo in the lid of the cases shown on pic 2 and 3.
I assume that the case as shown in the 4. picture is the newest one as Merkur is still selling them here
hi i bought a hoffritz slant in 1974 or 1975 area it came in the leather zip box same as the picture !.
i still have the leather box and metal blade holder the razor was lost during a move to a new house i miss that razor it was my first de and i used it for over twenty years
I own several Hoffritz razors with cases/boxes. All have cases like items number 1 and 2. I couldn't tell you how old they are except they are older than I am. Doesn't really matter as long as they are good shavers. I don't buy, sell, or trade them for investment purposes.
Enjoy your shave...
Best Regards From the Deep South...
Remember; It's Not A Race, It's Your Face...
And As Always, Enjoy Your Shave...
(Racso) Oscar...
Here are some older Merkur slants in their boxes. The gold one is marked Merkur and the silver is stamped Pomco but is made by Merkur. I have heard that Merkur used this cream colored Bakelite box in the 1920s but I can't confirm that. The Pomco and the gold Merkur both have the same box and both have thin handles identical to Gillette razors of that time. Note that unlike the later two piece design with the larger handle these are three piece razors.
Here is another photo with the slant as we know it today in a box later then the cream colored along with the metal box which I think is later still. The black bottom plastic box in your last photo was the last they made before they went to the paper they now use. On the right is the current production slant with the scalloped top cap and the chrome finish. Not white paint and silver plating like the older ones.
Here are two more. It occurred to me after posting above that the OP requested Hoffritz cases. Since they are re-branded Merkurs I posted those to illustrate the various cases. Here are two more with Hoffritz cases. A gold plated 37C and a slant travel razor. IT is not clear in the photo but the hammered case for the travel razor is stamped "Hoffritz" the same as the top cap on the razor. There are no markings on the inside of the case.
I always thought that the leather zip box was older so I've learned now that this is from the seventies. I like this version. Thank you for your post, marsos52.
I have the version as shown on picture 2 and the current Merkur slant. I really like the Hoffritz slant because to me it looks nicer with the plain cap than the version with the scalloped cap. On the bottom of the case is a sticker on which is written "10,00" (maybe a prize-sticker???). I assume this razor is from the late sixties, but I'm not sure.
Slant-Fan,
one of the last pictures you posted shows a case that I've never seen before (the one with the blade-dispenser inside). It looks a littlebit like the case of the Pomco Diagonal-razor.
Another question: Are the shaves with the current Merkur slant the same like the shaves with the Gillette-clone-handle slant or are there differences noticable?
one of the last pictures you posted shows a case that I've never seen before (the one with the blade-dispenser inside). It looks a littlebit like the case of the Pomco Diagonal-razor.
Another question: Are the shaves with the current Merkur slant the same like the shaves with the Gillette-clone-handle slant or are there differences noticable?
I have a few but have only shaved with one. The one I have shaved with is milder then the later model with the heavier handle. I attribute that to the weight as the heads are identical.
It's possible that some of these cases could have been made & sold during the same time period (for example, there could have been a choice of leather case or metal with your razor). I have no idea as to the truth, just suggesting a possibility.
This could be possible, who knows. We can't be sure that the razor, that is offered somewhere really belongs to the case that carries it. It is only a chance to spezify the production-time, nothing is guarantied.
Slant-Fan,
it seems that there were other rebranded Merkurs sold:
I've seen a vintage slant labeled "Zwilling" (http://www.jahenckels.com/) a few months ago offered on Ebay in Germany. It looked like the older Merkur with the plain cap.
I didn't place a bid. They don't come up often on ebay here in Germany, even not the vintage Merkurs. Most DE razors here are from Gillette, they were more popular, so it seems.
The right razor is a Zwilling and has a Merkur-like handle. The razor I've seen had a slanted head. The razor shown on this pic has not a slanted head, I couldn't find another picture.
[quote="Slant-Fan"]Here are some older Merkur slants in their boxes. The gold one is marked Merkur and the silver is stamped Pomco but is made by Merkur. I have heard that Merkur used this cream colored Bakelite box in the 1920s but I can't confirm that. The Pomco and the gold Merkur both have the same box and both have thin handles identical to Gillette razors of that time. Note that unlike the later two piece design with the larger handle these are three piece razors.
I just picked up a NOS Merkur slant like the silver one in the white case. It has a very thin 1/4' crack in the handle at the top but works fine. It's really neet with the thin handle.
oel wrote:Here I found a pic of a Zwilling safety razor:
(picture)
The right razor is a Zwilling and has a Merkur-like handle. The razor I've seen had a slanted head. The razor shown on this pic has not a slanted head, I couldn't find another picture.
It looks as though the Zwilling (Henckels?) company had double-edge razors produced for them by Merkur under contract. Many companies did the same in that time period.
is a pic of another slant. The screwing is different compared to these razors and I assume, that this is an old travel-slant or older than the vintage slants offered at the moment. Maybe prewar???
Slant-Fan wrote:Here are some older Merkur slants in their boxes. The gold one is marked Merkur and the silver is stamped Pomco but is made by Merkur. I have heard that Merkur used this cream colored Bakelite box in the 1920s but I can't confirm that. The Pomco and the gold Merkur both have the same box and both have thin handles identical to Gillette razors of that time. Note that unlike the later two piece design with the larger handle these are three piece razors.
Slant-Fan,
here I found a pic of a really old Progress that was in this box:
The Progress looks different to the current one at the head and I wonder if this box is even older than the cream coloured boxes posted above (assuming there are 1920's boxes and 1950's boxes made).
Maybe they used older and newer cream coloured boxes with different design???
is also older one than the golden slant posted above, because the screwing is different. So just a thought would the "Progress-box" belong into the area that this slant was made?
Or is it possible that this slant is an early travel-razor?
The Progress looks different to the current one at the head and I wonder if this box is even older than the cream coloured boxes posted above (assuming there are 1920's boxes and 1950's boxes made).
Maybe they used older and newer cream coloured boxes with different design???
is also older one than the golden slant posted above, because the screwing is different. So just a thought would the "Progress-box" belong into the area that this slant was made?
Or is it possible that this slant is an early travel-razor?
What do you think?
I have no idea. If there are old illustrated supply catalogs out there we could get an idea of when the different models in the various boxes were produced. Perhaps contacting Merkur directly and asking if they have some records available would be a definite solution.
oel wrote:These vintage slants are really nice. How is the finish compared to the current slants?
Btw here
(picture)
is a pic of another slant. The screwing is different compared to these razors and I assume, that this is an old travel-slant or older than the vintage slants offered at the moment. Maybe prewar???
This appears to be the same razor as the one in the white box, but the parts are re-arranged. Could it be that the one in your new picture had some press-fit parts come unstuck?
... and with the older Progress you show, it appears to be the same design we're all familiar with, but with the base plate (and therefore the guard bar?!) made of plastic.
This might explain the very different look and feel of the current Progress guard bar compared to other older designs of theirs. Maybe the indentations are wide and simple so that the original plastic bar wouldn't have any serious weak spots, or it felt right with the texture of the plastic to make it that way.
oel wrote:These vintage slants are really nice. How is the finish compared to the current slants?
Btw here
(picture)
is a pic of another slant. The screwing is different compared to these razors and I assume, that this is an old travel-slant or older than the vintage slants offered at the moment. Maybe prewar???
This appears to be the same razor as the one in the white box, but the parts are re-arranged. Could it be that the one in your new picture had some press-fit parts come unstuck?
I'm not sure, but for me it looks like a complete different slant. Here is another pic, look at the screw:
