P. Hospital & Co. anyone know anything about them?

maxman · May 12, 2011

In the restoration section I posted a thread about a possible restore that I might undertake.

Now we've all heard of Le Grelot (if you haven't this isn't the thread for you) and we know about TI buying the old blanks.

Does anyone know anything about the P. Hospital & Co. that Le Grelot made razors for?

I can't find anything using Google on here or any of the other shaving websites.

dmcconnell · May 12, 2011

I think you've got it backwards - P. Hospital & Co was itself a straight razor manufacturer whose most well-known brand name was Le Grelot. As you mention TI purchased blanks and Le Grelot brand name from P. Hospital & Co. in the 80's, IIRC.

Luc · May 12, 2011

According to the French forum, P. Hospital was Pierre Hospital who was making the straights. The place was closed in 1985 or 1986...

http://www.coupechouclub.com/t1498-avis

johnmrson · May 12, 2011

P Hospital was the company that manufactured Le Grelot razors. Le Grelot, translated means "the bell".

maxman · May 12, 2011

Ahhh I had it backwards.
I knew about the bell thing.
So why did some have that stamp on the tang and some don't?

dakotaev · May 12, 2011

I know that they're amazing shavers. I prefer the hospital Grelots to the TI Grelots. Even though they're apparently made from the same blanks, the old ones just seem to be smoother...that or I just haven't broken in my TI quite yet.

Noswad · May 12, 2011

HTML:

maxman said:
So why did some have that stamp on the tang and some don't?

I think that the lack of the Hospital mark means that the razor was produced by Thiers Issard. If this is true, then you can date the razors without the Hospital marking as being sold in the last 25 years or so. Either way, they are good shavers. I have not tried one of the new grind Grelots that TI is now producing out of C135 steel, but I have seen posts that several people like theirs. AFAIK, these do not have the bell stamped on the tang, so they are Grelots only in name and inspiration.

dakotaev · May 12, 2011

Noswad said:
HTML:

I think that the lack of the Hospital mark means that the razor was produced by Thiers Issard. If this is true, then you can date the razors without the Hospital marking as being sold in the last 25 years or so. Either way, they are good shavers. I have not tried one of the new grind Grelots that TI is now producing out of C135 steel, but I have seen posts that several people like theirs. AFAIK, these do not have the bell stamped on the tang, so they are Grelots only in name and inspiration.

I think this is right for most cases, however I have a vintage "non TI" LeGrelot without the P. Hospital mark on it.

johnmrson · May 12, 2011

I think like alot of companies, P Hospital just changed their tang stamping at some stage so it didn't have the company name.

Noswad · May 12, 2011

dakotaev said:
I think this is right for most cases, however I have a vintage "non TI" LeGrelot without the P. Hospital mark on it.

Was it made for a store brand? I have seen some of these as well. Most have the picture of the bell stamped on the tang. Picture is an example of a store brand tang stamp with bell on reverse.

Some do not though. I have a 1/4 grind that came in a store marked case with the inside advertising for Le Grelot. I have read some posts that think these are not Le Grelot razors; however, mine is the same size grind and has the same tang stamp as those discussed in this thread. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=134783 Will try to post a picture of it sometime.

DLBconductor · May 15, 2011

THIERS ISSARD:
I have a 6/8 Thiers Issard Le Grelot, which is my very best shaving razor. It does have the bell on it. I also have a vintage 6/8 Thiers-Issard evide sonnant extra, Medaille d'Argent, 1931, 69, 1196 that is outstanding.

LE GRELOT:
I have four vintage Le Grelots, all of which are excellent shavers. They all have the bell stamp.
4/8 Le Grelot NOS (P Hospital on the box but not on the razor)
5/8 Le Grelot P-Hospital, Medaille d'or Paris, 1931, 71 (Best of the four)
5/8 Le Grelot Univeral Cutlery & Co. N.Y., 150
5/8 Le Grelot Univeral Cutlery & Co. N.Y., 150

In my collection I have Case Red Imps, Union Cutlery Spikes, Torrey, Boker, Wostenholm, W&B, dubl ducks, D.O.&H., Thiers Issard, Le Grelot, Dovo, Heljestrand, Strega Eskilstuna, and Hart. I can get "A" shaves with any of the razors. If I had to choose, I would keep the Thiers Issards and the Le Grelots. I just like the way they shave.

Joe Edson · May 16, 2011

Noswad said:
Was it made for a store brand? I have seen some of these as well. Most have the picture of the bell stamped on the tang. Picture is an example of a store brand tang stamp with bell on reverse.

Some do not though. I have a 1/4 grind that came in a store marked case with the inside advertising for Le Grelot. I have read some posts that think these are not Le Grelot razors; however, mine is the same size grind and has the same tang stamp as those discussed in this thread. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=134783 Will try to post a picture of it sometime.

I picked up something similar yesterday. A double thumbnotch store brand razor with the bell stamped on the tang. Bid on it thinking it was a Le Grelot, but we'll see on arrival how she shaves. I'm a sucker for double thumbnotch razors.

dakotaev · May 17, 2011

Noswad said:
Was it made for a store brand? I have seen some of these as well. Most have the picture of the bell stamped on the tang. Picture is an example of a store brand tang stamp with bell on reverse.

Some do not though. I have a 1/4 grind that came in a store marked case with the inside advertising for Le Grelot. I have read some posts that think these are not Le Grelot razors; however, mine is the same size grind and has the same tang stamp as those discussed in this thread. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=134783 Will try to post a picture of it sometime.

Sorry for the delay.

I don't think it's a store brand but I could be wrong. I think it's a later model that didn't have the P. Hospital branding:

johnmrson · May 17, 2011

Harvitz81 said:
I picked up something similar yesterday. A double thumbnotch store brand razor with the bell stamped on the tang. Bid on it thinking it was a Le Grelot, but we'll see on arrival how she shaves. I'm a sucker for double thumbnotch razors.

I wondered if anyone here picked that up. I was going to have a bid on it but I've already exceeded my self imposed monthly allowance. Roll on June.

Joe Edson · May 18, 2011

johnmrson said:
I wondered if anyone here picked that up. I was going to have a bid on it but I've already exceeded my self imposed monthly allowance. Roll on June.

I was hoping it'd fly under the radar as the bell stamp wasn't obvious. I should know better coming from here - in addition to it being a double thumbnotch that will get noticed regardless.

Unicorn · May 18, 2011

dakotaev said:
Sorry for the delay.

I don't think it's a store brand but I could be wrong. I think it's a later model that didn't have the P. Hospital branding:

That is a very nice looking lotus you've got there :thumbup1:

permafrost · Jan 18, 2020

How does Le grelot feel when you shave? More like soft or hard? By the nature of shaving, which brand is more like?I have joseph elliot, Wade & Butcher, Cv heljestrand, Wostenholm, japanese kamisori.Kamisori harsh, Elliot and heljestrand-soft shave, Wade & Butcher-slightly above average, Wostenholm the middle, and Le grelot P. Hospital to what they look like? Some say that they are hard, others that they are soft-who is right?

First interesuut such...

totorlekiller · Jan 18, 2020

permafrost said:
How does Le grelot feel when you shave? More like soft or hard? By the nature of shaving, which brand is more like?I have joseph elliot, Wade & Butcher, Cv heljestrand, Wostenholm, japanese kamisori.Kamisori harsh, Elliot and heljestrand-soft shave, Wade & Butcher-slightly above average, Wostenholm the middle, and Le grelot P. Hospital to what they look like? Some say that they are hard, others that they are soft-who is right? First interesuut such...

There are different models.
Most LeGrelot are made from French Steel from Thiers, but they also have models made from Sheffield and Swedish steel.
Although, I have to say I have not noticed much difference between the 3 kinds.
In general, LeGrelot are softer than Thiers Issard, but harder than Opinel.

permafrost · Jan 18, 2020

totorlekiller said:
There are different models.
Most LeGrelot are made from French Steel from Thiers, but they also have models made from Sheffield and Swedish steel.
Although, I have to say I have not noticed much difference between the 3 kinds.
In general, LeGrelot are softer than Thiers Issard, but harder than Opinel.

How will this one shave?

Коллекционная прямая бритва Le grelot тирс 196 5/8 Франция | eBay

It is a collectible and original razor, in a very good condition.

www.ebay.com

permafrost · Jan 18, 2020

Closer to which of the razors I listed will she shave?

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P. Hospital & Co. anyone know anything about them?

maxman

dmcconnell

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".

johnmrson

maxman

dakotaev

Noswad

dakotaev

johnmrson

Noswad

DLBconductor

Joe Edson

dakotaev

johnmrson

Joe Edson

Unicorn

permafrost

totorlekiller

permafrost

Коллекционная прямая бритва Le grelot тирс 196 5/8 Франция | eBay

permafrost

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