Some weeks ago I was made aware – through a post on my favorite shave forum – of the fact that you used to be able to buy double edged safety razors in vending machines in Europe up until the early 1980’s. Despite living in Europe – well, Scandinavia – this was news to me. Granted, I didn’t start to shave until the late eighties, but still… possible they were only available in Germany; at least that is the one place I can find references to actually seeing one.
Sadly, apart from some pictures I found online, I know virtually nothing about this one apart from that I can gleam from the photos.

• It’s cheaply made, for starters – both the top cap and base plate is stamped sheet metal.
• Top cap have a riveted screw to secure it to the handle, pressed ridges for added strength, as well as half punched out “hanging chads” for locating the blade.
• The base plate is likely made from a simple stamping die – one punch and done.
• The handle seems to be the one part that has any ‘real’ machining done to it – it’s likely made from hexagonal stock, with one end rounded off, the other turned down to a cylinder and tapped for the screw thread.
• The handle is likely the most durable part of the razor – found one shaver online who like to use it with modern heads due to the weight of it.

I wish I know more about it… or even had one. If I had access to a half decently equipped metal workshop I could probably make some – as could any semi-decent machinist with a small press and a lathe – but there is no marked for a semi-disposable DE razor in this day and age.