Hardware for DE Razor

Hello DFS members,
I'm interested in turning a few of my own acrylic razor handles and I'm having trouble finding the stainless steel or plated top and bottom caps that are needed to do so. The top cap would contain the female thread that mates with the standard thread on most razor heads, and the bottom cap would be just what it is, a sort of closed button head cap that cleans up the end of the handle.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
David

You can offer handles that fit the mist common heads like vintage gillettes, muhle d89, etc.
Show us your work.

Check The Golden Nib’s website. I think they have the parts you are talking about.

Packard Woodworks, Penn State Industries, Klingspor's Woodworking shop, Rockler come to mind.

Really appreciate the help, thank you. I checked out The Golden Nib and Penn State so far. Both have razor handle kits that look more than adequate. I haven't turned any handles yet. I'm in a conceptual and research phase of starting a small wet shaving company (maybe via Etsy) that's main product will mash a modern and vintage hardware production technique. I'm getting good feedback so I'm hopeful so far. My plan is to off razors as an accessory item so I'm going to turn a few of my own razor handles to work with a particular graphic application. If everything comes together as i hope, I will certainly share more about what I'm doing later. I'm at least 6 months to a year away from producing prototypes for the main product offering.

This kind of enterprise is always interesting to me. I would be interesting in hearing periodic progress reports.

Anything for the shaving head end with the female threading you need can be sunk into the handle. I have a handle that cooncatbob of Bob's Razorworks made. Sadly he's no longer with us. He died two or three years ago.

Check out his work though. His old website was still up the last I checked it. Anyway. If you can finish the handle at that end thin enough to fit a vintage Gillette Tech head it would fit most other kinds of three piece razor heads neatly. One I have is too thick for the New but fits the Old Type as that's what I had it made with, (vintage head replated also)

Bob in a way kind of started the boutique or "customized" gear,  safety razors, and wet shaving as a niche hobby for me personally.

On the butt end of his handles he custom made knobs out of brass he put threaded rod stock into and plated, if ordered that way. Some of his top ends were extraordinary when made of metal. He turned single and double rings, and a variety of unique fluted razor head handle ends. Usually matched or complimentary of the bottom end. He did custom knobs for Progresses too.

One of the things he did that was especially interesting is, on his three piece handles he would either make the head end completely from scratch or re-use ferules from the original vintage piece if he was customizing a new handle for a vintage replated head. Mostly vintage Gillettes. I don't believe he ever made an actual razor head from scratch. I know he didn't care for the Indian or Chinese kit piece heads and was constantly scouring eBay for vintage Gillettes to replate for his handles. He even for a time used Gillette Knacks and Slim Twists for his TTO razors. I'm pretty sure he just epoxied the heads of those into his handles. There's one in the pictures I linked below.

What he did best was make his pieces modular at the end of the day. He used threaded rod pieces that matched top and bottom. So he did mixed mediums. He made wood and brass mostly. Handle bodies as well as butt end pieces.

Sort of like the Razorock Mamba has recently. A knob. The very end is not permanently attached. So you can mix and match. Balance not to your preference? Try a wooden end knob, a metal one, none at all...

I dug the concept of having a handle nearly custom balanced and tuned like say, really expensive golf clubs.

The fittings he used were probably press fit. I doubt he custom made most of them. The thread size is whatever the metric one is that is most compatible. I can't think of it off the top of my head at the moment exactly what the size is.

The knob ends he made look similar to tiny sized drawer pulls to me. I actually bought the smallest drawer pulls my local hardware stores had to finish the end of a couple of custom handles I made for myself out of wood and bits and pieces of vintage Gillettes.

Should be a similar situation with acrylic as it is with wood to track down the female threaded hardware. Just leave both ends the same female size as you'd use to accept the razor head. Male thread the tops and bottoms and then throw a little variety into the market. Then as your store takes off, your customers can mix and match your work to get their own perfect balance, length, look, whatever they want.

I'd think basically if you buy a nice tap and some threaded rod stock you can make end knobs out of just about anything.

Here's some of Bob's stuff that I have. A Google search would probably yield you better pictures and info about his work.








https://photos.app.goo.gl/ozCNPi6SRLE6NeaP9


Here's his old website. https://sites.google.com/site/bobsrazorworks/

Some of it's kind of broken now.

I think unless you're going all out, selling razors with generic or "off the shelf"  heads will hurt you. Might as well just sell the handles themselves. Most guys have a collection of different brand three piece razor heads already.


Have a look at Toby's work of Triad razors too. His work is all metal I believe, but he often made modular pieces as well.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Triad+ra...e&ie=UTF-8

What I take it you're talking about is making some turned handles as a value added compliment to a wider variety of products. Is that right?


What other kinds of products might you be considering focusing on? Or were you just referring to handle production when you said mash of vintage and modern?

My apology but everything I read says to refrain from disclosure until the products are launched. I'm dying to do so, however. But I will try to say what I can until then. I love the enthusiasm in this industry. I have it, too.

Todd, thanks so much for your suggestions, the beautiful photographs, and the information about Bob's Razors. It's darn sad that he's gone. Probably like you, I love all kinds of quality handmade products. At one time, I dreamed about developing a career in fine, bespoke leather shoe making but it turns out I'm just an administrator in a cubical. I stumbled into wet shaving last year and discovered a niche that's pretty exciting. Time will tell. Anyway, I don't plan to use knock-off razors heads etc. The purpose of the razor handles is not to produce bespoke handles in various metals but to feature an artistic practice that will complement my main product line. To do so, I need to work in acrylic or maybe even a unique ceramic material (I was a potter in a past life). If I decide provide complete razors, which is likely for small gift shop customers, I'll pick a coupe of brands that are well received by the community.

Again, thank you for your comments.

David