The Heinrich Kaufmann & Sohne, India-Werk, company was founded in 1856. This metalware business proved to be a large and important business in Solingen. It originally concentrated on the export of its products to the East and West Indies. From 1902-1910, Ernst Kaufmann was granted many patents that protected various methods of locking their rotatable blades and lock-knives. A nineteenth-century letterhead featured their focus-on exports to the: East India, China and Japan. Kaufmann also concentrated on the manufacturing and sale of: all types of cutlery, pen and pocket knives, razors, scissors, tableware
This razor is fairly light at 31 grams as it has quite a thin blade (spine 3.3 mm) and scales, but is of normal size, blade height is set at 14 mm or 9/16ths, delivering a bevel angle of 13 degrees. It has no spine wear, but the blade has some marks and spots where we removed contamination, it has a named engraved on the blade. Before working on the blade, we tried to locate 'P. Panaino' (as you and I would have liked someone to do the same for us), but got no replies from the folks we managed to find on Facebook. The scales, wedge and pinning looks fairly good and presentable. The bevel is not perfect, but it was honed in a manner that will be easy to maintain; up and down the stones, no X-strokes or the application of pressure on different parts are required
The razor strops fairly easily on a paddle and hanging strop. The shave was...(to be tested)
*Vintage razors are priced according to model and availability, time spent cleaning and reconditioning and time/level of honing. Please enquire if you need additional work done to this razor prior to purchase. All straight razors will require a stropping on a leather strop before every use. Pics are unedited (detail) and provide a true image of the condition of the razor.