Carl Rader Solingen ?

I was given this razor by my barber. Well I able to choose from a few different ones and this is the one I picked out. On the tang the name is Carl Rader with Solingen and the number 5 and flags in an anchor. It's the largest one I have so far measuring just short of 7/8.

Here she is before I try cleaner it up a bit.

I've done a number of searches, here and Google, and most of what I can find talks about Dovo acquiring them in 1957. There has to be some info before that but I'm having a hard time finding any.

I can't really add much and you may already know this.
Carl Rader also made knives.
The company was listed as a Solingen razor maker in a directory of 1932.
Anker-Flaggen (Anchor and Flags), as your razor is marked, was their main razor brand.
I guess it's impossible to tell if the scales are original, but if they are and made of bakelite then the razor was made after 1910.
I've seen several other Carl Raders, but they were all hollow ground blades. That's the first Carl Rader wedge (and with a barber's notch) I've seen.

I do believe the scales are original and are what looks like celluloid to me. I had read somewhere that when there was no country of origin stamp that is was an earlier model, pre 1892?

Got it cleaned up pretty nice. I wish I had the ability for better pics. It looks better than the pics revel.

Wid said:

I do believe the scales are original and are what looks like celluloid to me. I had read somewhere that when there was no country of origin stamp that is was an earlier model, pre 1892?

Got it cleaned up pretty nice. I wish I had the ability for better pics. It looks better than the pics revel.

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IIRC that treaty regarding country of origin was 1889.
However it wasn't necessary to mark country of origin if you weren't exporting your goods.
Celluloid was being used in the 19th century and the style of the razor certainly looks like it could be that old.
It cleaned up very nicely and should be an excellent shaver. Congrats.

Your pics are like mine. You and I need to make light boxes to compete with the other guys here.

Thanks; I got the bevel set and will continue to hone it up in the morning. It looks like it will hone up petty good.

^ You should take it back to your barber. He might enjoy seeing it fixed up.

Woodash said:

^ You should take it back to your barber. He might enjoy seeing it fixed up.

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I intend too, I think he'll enjoy it.

I got it all honed up today and was able to give it a go. I wasn't sure on the size, this thing is freaking big, but to my delight it was a pleasure to use.

It went through 3 days growth like it was nothing. I wasn't sure if this is a near wedge, wedge or what but with the lack of feedback from the razor it sure did act like a wedge. It was silent as it swept the whiskers away.

I can see the allure of these larger razors now.

I emailed the Solingen Cutlery museum a while back and got an answer to today. Not a lot more info but some.

The Carl Rader company was founded around 1896. The razor was made between 1900-1930, it is not possible to say an exact date.

At least it's bit more info.