Despite industrial advancements since the founding of the Böker factory in 1869, some historical manufacturing techniques are still used in the production of a Böker straight razor. What remains constant is the passion, experience, and dedication to perfection in the selection of materials and the execution of each production step, which we are pleased to describe below. In the forge, the starting material is a round bar, which is cut to length – this is called the split piece. The split piece is heated to red heat and forged in a die using a 690 kg drop ram. Afterward, the blanks must cool in the annealing furnace for two days until they reach 200°C. On a press with 200 tons of pressure, the blanks are straightened before being sent to the hardening shop. Here, the heat treatment creates the optimal combination of edge retention and elasticity in the steel. In the grinding shop, the blanks are hand-ground in 18 individual steps, from coarse grinding and fulling to polishing. We grind our straight razor blades exclusively with an extra-hollow grind and a rim (the Vienna scraper being an exception). The rim is located in front of the deep hollow and just behind the edge, which itself has a small hollow grind. Only with this rim can the blades be ground to this extremely thin thickness while retaining sufficient rigidity despite their elasticity. Worldwide, only a small handful of highly specialized grinders master this pinnacle of straight razor making. The blades are then riveted by hand with nickel silver rivets, washers, spacers, and scales. The natural materials wood and horn require a delicate touch, as they can crack under excessive pressure. Finally, the last honing is done by hand on several bench stones with progressively finer grits. After the final stropping, the razor's sharpness is tested on a strand of hair held freely on the head. Each straight razor leaves our workshop ready for shaving.
Widths and head shapes
The shapes of straight razors are largely determined by national and local traditions as well as personal preferences. Nevertheless, each shape has its own advantages. Blade widths are traditionally given in eighths of an inch, based on the Anglo-Saxon unit of inch (equivalent to 25.4 mm). An 8/8" blade is therefore one inch wide, a 4/8" blade half an inch. The 5/8" wide blade is the most commonly used shape. From 4/8" and narrower, razors are primarily used by barbers for shaving the neck or for thinning hair. A wider blade, due to its weight, glides more smoothly over the skin and can pick up more soap and beard hairs before needing to be wiped away. Narrower blades allow for easier and more precise work on inner radii and contours. Head shapes include the round point, the square point, the Spanish point, and the French point. The round point is the easiest to handle and is therefore very suitable for beginners. The remaining heads offer advantages in precisely drawing contours due to their defined edges.