Article: Florence, Italy Workshop Tour (Craftsman's Workplace) From our first encounter in 1993 to the present

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Florence, Italy Workshop Tour (Craftsman's Workplace) From our first encounter in 1993 to the present

The first time I visited a workshop in Italy was in 1993 when I accompanied my grandfather on a tour of Europe. My first trip to Europe was to Switzerland, Rome and Florence in Italy.
In Switzerland, we visited the headquarters of Victorinox, a long-time business partner famous for its Swiss Army knives, and in Rome and Florence, Italy, we visited a manufacturer of razors that make not just commercially available razors but also razors that make great gifts.
So here are some memorable photos from Florence, where we still do business. It's 2024 now, so it's been 31 years, but I remember it quite well. It was a family business, including craftsmen, and at the time there were children and we had a very friendly conversation. I didn't say anything, but my grandfather did, and there was an interpreter.
Then, when I was carrying my grandfather's briefcase and other items into the car, there was a sudden snap...
It was the first time I had a slipped disc, and I felt so embarrassed and sorry that my grandfather had to be so considerate to me.
Perhaps it is because of this experience that it is such a vivid memory.

I'm nervous on the left side...

This is the first time I've seen a beautiful razor in this workshop; it's different from any razor I have at home!
Looking around the city, I was impressed that people with art and sensibility could create such beautiful razors.
The man is Mr. Petch and is the president.

In 2001, after some time had passed, I was asked to take over the Razor Club and returned to the Florence workshop! My sister and I were studying abroad in the UK, and we happened to have business there (my memory is a bit hazy), so we went along.
This gave me a sense of relief that the language barrier was no longer an issue.
I was happy to meet him again after 8 years, and since I was in charge of purchasing from before, it wasn't a long time since we last met, but we were close, so "You've grown!" said Pechi-san (the president on the right). From there, the business negotiations began. The first time I visited, I was only able to accompany my grandfather, but this time I was here as part of product development, which made me feel nostalgic, and I decided that I wanted to give razors as gifts!

The brass rods shown in the photo here are processed by craftsmen as shown in the video below to make stands, razors, brushes, etc.

This is a scene from our workshop in Florence, Italy, uploaded to YouTube in July 2011. Craftsmen cut a single brass rod, shape it, weld it, and after plating it undergoes a final inspection. In the video, we see that razor and brush stands are being made. The Italian workshop not only produces Razor Club products, but also original products for other manufacturers, and overseas manufacturers also visit.

The tiny micro razor makes shaving fun!
This is a compact razor unique to Japan, made with an original design from Razor Club and an existing razor.
Micro is here