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Italian straights??

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
Mastro Livi are currently make straight razors. I've seen some vintage Omega straights in the past.
 
Not many. Considering that England, France, Sweden, Germany and Spain - to name a few - made them, I'm curious whether or not Italy had a straight razor industry.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
I wonder if the razor industry was similar to the car industry now, where the technology needed was such that most countries relied on just a few for production.
 
I have one. 6/8 Caudano Torino. A very nice shaver.

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From what I have read the razor industry in Italy was virtually non-existent. Razors were considered inexpensive utilitarian items that were not a high priority and cheaper to import. Most of the razors purchased and used were from Germany, Sheffield, France, Belgium and Sweden in that order. Some German companies set up branch manufacturing facilities in Italy (Marx & Co. and Dorp & Voos were two).
Steel manufacturing is a very large industry in Italy and was state controlled until the 1990's. Production was allocated according to profitability and state priority.

There are some Italian made razors that are somewhat known and show up from time to time.

1. Mastro Livi
2. Caudano
3. Amodeo G. Rigoletto
4. Garibaldi

Most others with Italian origins were re-branded German, etc. razors

There were some artisan manufacturers making razors in Campobasso which were stamped Campobasso.

Anyone who is fluent in Italian could probably find out more at the Italian straight razor forum
 
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i have a G. BARONE CASERTA ... i know nothing about it, except that it is very sharp and shaves great. it sure sounds italian though.
 
Il Goldollarino
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I was looking for an Italian made straight quite a while ago and only saw Maestro Livi's which are beautiful but a little rich for my blood. I will keep my eyes open for a Caudano though. I'm guessing they are sort of hard to come by?
 
i have a G. BARONE CASERTA ... i know nothing about it, except that it is very sharp and shaves great. it sure sounds italian though.

Definitely Italian. Whether it was made in Italy or re-branded from somewhere else, I don't know.
Caserta is a town in the Caserta province of the Campania district of Italy (near Naples).
The maker/seller would be G. Barone. Unfortunately there appear to have been hundreds of G. Barones in business in Caserta over the years. :biggrin1:
 
I've seem quite a few straights with Italian sounding names but when you look closely at them, they are made in Germany. I'd love to find a genuine Italian straight to add to the collection to put in my "Other Countries" drawer.
 
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