My heritage

[CatMan]

No, this is not an eBay special. :D
Recently I found out that I inherited this beauty from my late Grandpa, who passed away in 1955. The razor had been "stored" in my Dad's desk drawer since then. When he got to know that I'm interested in straight razors, he remembered Grandpa's one and only razor and sent it to me. Yeah, now it's all mine!

http://kn-dental-ceramics.com/OpasRazor1.jpg

http://kn-dental-ceramics.com/OpasRazor3.jpg

The razor is marked "WALU - Germany" and the other side "ERN". ERN may be the initials of the person Grandpa inherited the razor from. Does "WALU - Germany" sound familiar to anyone?

I'm in the process of restoring it. The scales have been removed, the blade cleaned up and polished. I honed until the chip in the middle of the edge disappeared. Not really sure about the new scales. I made two pair, one of oak, and one pair of poplar. Just wanted to try something different. I'll upload the photos of the finished razor probably by the end of the week, if it's worth showing, that is. I'm a beginner, mind you! ;)

[Queen of Blades]

Very cool, Klaus!

Can't wait to see the pics of it restored.

[IsaacRN]

Very nice pickup :)

[JMS]

ERN would not be the initials, but a well known maker of top notch razors!
Not only do you have a wonderful keepsake, but also a blade that I will bet is going to be one of your top three shavers!

After you hone out that chip of course!

[JMS]

C. Freidr. Ern & Co. 1873-present (this may not be the right company)


ERN is also responsible for the famed "Crown & Sword" straight razors!

[CatMan]

Wow! Who would have thought this! Thank you!

[jbcohen]

I have always like the idea of using the same razor that took care of my family for generations. Unfortunately the generations before me have not really agreed, they tend to regard what ever came before them as trash. I have been able to reconstruct what my pop used (he is still alive), and what his pop used and what my other grand father used. I was a wee one when my grandpop was visiting. I walked into the room where he was staying and found a double edge razor sitting on the dresser. Did not know what to make of it at the time but in my collection at the moment there is a 60s flair tip that is identical to the one that he used.

[CatMan]

I have always like the idea of using the same razor that took care of my family for generations. Unfortunately the generations before me have not really agreed, they tend to regard what ever came before them as trash. I have been able to reconstruct what my pop used (he is still alive), and what his pop used and what my other grand father used. I was a wee one when my grandpop was visiting. I walked into the room where he was staying and found a double edge razor sitting on the dresser. Did not know what to make of it at the time but in my collection at the moment there is a 60s flair tip that is identical to the one that he used.

I hear you!
Wished my dad would have taught me how to use a straight, but unfortunately he never used one himself. He thinks cartridge razors with as many blades as possible are the best inventions ever. Good things sometimes skip one generation, I guess.

[jbcohen]

If you had no teacher for a pop, how did you learn to use a straight? There is no precedence in my family for using a straight, but some of my super speeds bare a striking resemblence to the ones my grandpop's used.

[CatMan]

If you had no teacher for a pop, how did you learn to use a straight? There is no precedence in my family for using a straight, but some of my super speeds bare a striking resemblence to the ones my grandpop's used.

I learned it watching videos online, Lynn's DVD, and reading forums like this one. Not that I really know how to operate a straight, but I'll get there eventually. The results are already pretty good.

[qhsdoitall]

I learned it watching videos online, Lynn's DVD, and reading forums like this one. Not that I really know how to operate a straight, but I'll get there eventually. The results are already pretty good.


+1 I'm working on it.

Unfortunately, all my shaving experience is self researched and taught. My father was tossed out of the house when I was 8, my uncle, one street ove was discouraged from spending too much time with me by my aunt, the witch :D, and my grandfather, who did use a double edge or injector razor had a series of strokes and after several years of never full recovery, he always had at least one piece of toilet tissue on his face. Not very inspiring. God bless him.

[jbcohen]

So which one do you chose to follow the tradition of? I would recommend your pop.

[Mottern Man]

If you had no teacher for a pop, how did you learn to use a straight? There is no precedence in my family for using a straight, but some of my super speeds bare a striking resemblence to the ones my grandpop's used.

I learned like a man

DIY :rofl

[Padron]

Nice blade, Congrats on your family heirloom :D. I have a couple Ern's pretty nice blades.

[PalmettoB]

ERN makes some nice blades. I have a 6/8 round Crown & Sword that is one of my best shavers!

[CatMan]

Thanks for the encouraging comments about the blade!
Trying to make replacement scales, I just screwed up. I tried to CA the scales. Something must have gone wrong. I assume even the top 2-3 layers are supposed to cure? Mine did not. After one day of rest still sticky. Besides the surface looked like the surface of the moon, just without the American flag ;). So, I spent some time sanding them down again, and applied good old woodworker treatment: staining + sealing (at least 2-3 coats, the sealing that is). After the first coat it looks pretty decent. Maybe I can get a presentable razor out of it after all.

[jbcohen]

Wish I had a tradition like that in my family.

[Mottern Man]

Wish I had a tradition like that in my family.

2 words.

Start one.

[jbcohen]

Oh, believe me Mottern Man I am going to. My son is three and as such does not shave as yet. When he does I intend to pass on the knowledge that otehrs in this forum have taught me as well as other forums.

Here is an interesting and related question, in order to pass down the tradition I will need to select one of my Super Speeds as a starter razor. I would like to ask forum members opinion on the matter of which is a starter. My own opinion is that the 40s is more of the starter razor then the others with the most advanced being the 70s one, it can be a bit harsh on me from time to time. I have a 40s, 50s, 60s, 60s red tip, 60s blue tip, and a 70s. Would have loved to have a 80s and 90s models if there had been such a beast. Which do you think is the best starter razor? My opinion is the 50s.

[Hawkeye5]

The razor is marked "WALU - Germany" and the other side "ERN". ERN may be the initials of the person Grandpa inherited the razor from. Does "WALU - Germany" sound familiar to anyone?
It would actually be WALD, I believe.

[CatMan]

It would actually be WALD, I believe.

You're right, John. The top part of the "D" has not been imprinted clearly. Therefore it looked like a "U". "Wald" as in "forest" (translated to English), or maybe a production location with this name? I'll have to do some more research ...
Thanks John!

[CatMan]

Grandpa's ERN razor is restored. As I mentioned before, I made two pairs of scales, one of oak and one of poplar. I decided grandpa's razor deserves the oak scales. So, the poplar scales were used to re-scale one of my (back up) Wapis 9/16". After the disaster with the CA, it went pretty smooth. It's not a professional restoration by a long shot, but I'm quite happy with the result. Wanna see them? ;)
I'll take photos tomorrow, I promise!

[CatMan]

And here we go:

Grandpa's ERN razor with oak scales:

http://kn-dental-ceramics.com/ERN1.jpg

http://kn-dental-ceramics.com/ERN2.jpg

http://kn-dental-ceramics.com/ERN3.jpg

Parallel to this restoration project I rescaled one of my Wapis. It got scales made of poplar:

http://kn-dental-ceramics.com/Poplar.jpg


And here are both razors side by side:

http://kn-dental-ceramics.com/2str8_1.jpg

http://kn-dental-ceramics.com/2str8_2.jpg


In about an hour from now I'll try shaving with grandpa's ERN. This will be the first time it's been used after spending more than 50 years in its box in a drawer.

[CatMan]

Whoever said ERN razors are special was absolutely right. The shave with grandpa's razor was incredible! I could clearly hear the whiskers cutting off, but I felt almost nothing on my skin. I never had such a gentle shave in my life! Amazing!
Now, why would I want to have any other razor besides this one? Right, there is RAD! Better than no excuse at all! :D

[2Sharp]

Very nice Klaus. I know you are proud.

bj

[CatMan]

Yes I am. Thanks BJ!

[Queen of Blades]

Nice restoration, Klaus!

And congrats on the lovely shave! ;)

[Bill]

Very nice... I like what you did with both of them. Grandpa has to be smiling...

[CatMan]

Thanks everybody!
Am I happy I bought your CD, Bill! It's worth every penny!
Yes, I think Grandpa would have liked it. The oak is Germany's national tree. Therefore, and because I liked them just a bit better, Grandpa's razor got the oak scales. Working with the poplar was an interesting experience, though. It is very fine grained, very easy to sand, and compared to the oak very soft. I was afraid to get some undesired green coloration in the poplar, but my treatment with "Golden Oak" stain apparently prevented that. One more Wapi to rescale. Don't know yet what to do with it. I'll wait and let some ideas grow ...

[fritz]

It would actually be WALD, I believe.
Yes. From wikipedia here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOVO_Solingen):
"According to the documents held by the magistrate's court of the then independent local authority of Wald, near Solingen, the company DOVO Steelware was founded in 1906. At the beginning, DOVO was purely a factory producing straight razors, with a forge and hollow grinding shop. The founders, Mr. Dorp and Mr. Voos, employed 13 staff.
"By 1930, Solingen had become bigger through the incorporation of outlying villages, (including Wald), and the law passed in 1938 to protect the name of Solingen gave it greater pride and security as well as a still greater sense of local identity."

Never realized it's the first two letters of Dorp and of Voos for DOVO.

[CatMan]

I found some document (in German):

http://home.arcor.de/maramut/02arc/koti14e.htm#Ern

It says that Carl Friedrich Ern (1850 -1924), coming from a family of razor honers, took over his father's razor honing company that not just honed for other companies like Henckels, but soon started to produce its own razors. He moved his company to Wald near Solingen in 1876. In 1893 he was the first to produce hollow ground razors with a new machine called "Hexe" (= witch). Daily output 1000 straight razors.

The company Ern still exists, but only as a mail order seller for other cutlery products. It is about to be liquidated.