C. Friedr. Kratz Sicherheits Rasirapparat Safety Razor

[Tom]

The Friedr. Kratz & Co safety razor has a unique spring-loaded blade lock and release. The razor head also has two blade adjustment screws that also hold the razor head together. The safety razor is protected by the D.R.G.M Patent No.157285 dated June 3, 1901. The razor head and the lithographed tin also have the trademark with the two sawing men, the trademark was registered on August 29, 1900 for Friedr. Kratz & Co, Wald Solingen. Friedr. Kratz received the US patent for the razor on June 23, 1903 under Patent No.731562.

 

[andreajamboree]

Complimenti bellissimo!!!!

 

[efsk]

This is a beautiful razor @Tom Never saw one like it, with this fascinating spring. Like the dude with the pie too

 

[Jayaruh]

That is a very interesting and beautiful razor @Tom . I would love to shave with it. I am guessing you can use modern Gem blades or even vintage wedge blades with it. Great find.

 

[Tom]

That is a very interesting and beautiful razor @Tom . I would love to shave with it. I am guessing you can use modern Gem blades or even vintage wedge blades with it. Great find

You need wedge blades for the razor.

 

[Tom]

This is a beautiful razor @Tom Never saw one like it, with this fascinating spring. Like the dude with the pie too

You are right, the spring action is very interesting and also the adjustment screw construction

 

[Jayaruh]

You need wedge blades for the razor.

I am just thinking that it may use wedge blades, too. Modern Gem blades will probably work fine. My 1905 Gem Jr. will use wedges or modern blades. I like using wedge blades whenever I can. In fact, I have scheduled my 1902 Kampfe/Star lather catcher with a Star wedge for tomorrow's shave.

 

[Walid]

Add this to the long list Thomas

 

[sɐǝɹpu∀]

Friedr. Kratz received the US patent for the razor on June 23, 1903 under Patent No.731562.

Lovely razor.
One comment: The US patent was awarded to the inventor Franz Josef Halbekann and only assigned to Kratz. So Halbekann received the patent, but Kratz owned the rights to it. Splitting hairs - I know.

razors.page - US731562

razors.page

I love how those early patents were concise and to the point. It must have been before patent lawyers were invented.

 

[Tom]

One comment: The US patent was awarded to the inventor Franz Josef Halbekann and only assigned to Kratz. So Halbekann received the patent, but Kratz owned the rights to it. Splitting hairs - I know.

Your hair splitting was very good. In my description of the safety razor and tin, I based my analysis on the things that were there, D.R.G.M. Nr. and trademark sign. Both were issued to Friedrich Kratz & Sons. The US patent was only of secondary importance to me and not really relevant to this razor. But your comment made me take a closer look at Franz Josef Halbekann. Halbekann was a mechanic, inventor and manufacturer. He got his first patent 1883 for a pocket knife with a cigar cutter. Halbekann got patents for razors later on. For the USA, the patents were assigned to Koeller & CO, Solingen, Kratz & Sons, Solingen and Wolferts & Co near Solingen. Only the last US safety razor patent was granted for Halbekann. The witnesses are also remarkable. Some of them got Solingen roots.

English patents were granted to Halbekann.

I have not found any German safety razor patents granted for Halbekann. I have not yet found the time to search the relevant D.R.G.M. pages for Halbekann.

His last safety razor patent was in 1908.

Franz Josef Halbekann invented some fantastic safety razors and should be honored with his name here.