EPISODE · Oct 7, 2021 · 39 MIN
Dan Janssen Handcrafts The Finest Razors Out Of A Historic Mill In Baltimore
from Makers of the USA · host Kristan Vermeulen
“I like to say that I make the world's finest razors pure and simple. I hand-turn wooden razor handles that fit modern cartridges like Gillette, Schick, and double edge blades. I'm still trying to get in Dollar Shave Club in Harry's but I'm so small, they don't know I exist yet. But one day, that's a good goal to have. I've always been a woodworker. More as a hobby. I was a social worker for 10 years in Maryland and I would come home every night stressed out from doing paperwork and meetings all day. The only way I could decompress was to go into my workshop in the basement, a very small basement and I started off doing the typical tables, shelves, things like that. Then I found woodturning and I absolutely loved it. I started making bowls, pins, various spindle things. I made some Harry Potter ones for my nieces. It's just relaxing. It's kind of an intuitive tool. I made a razor because I was looking for a double edge razor and I couldn't find one except in an antique store and they were usually pitted and in bad shape. I just couldn't find one. So I said you know what, I'm going to turn a wooden handle on a lathe and I'm going to somehow attach a double edge blade to it and I figured it out. I made one a friend saw it said “Will you make me one?” and my hobby turned into a very, very part-time business,” says Dan Janssen, Owner, and Founder of Imperium Shaving.Dan has accomplished many things in his career including his time as a social worker but the meat of his career is when he started this shaving business. It started as selling razors here and there to his friends and now he is selling them all over the nation. People are looking for unique options when buying local and razors is certainly a unique craft.To learn more about Dan's craft, visit his website, Instagram and Facebook.To learn more about the featured musician, Cris Jacobs, visit his website, Instagram and Facebook. Also, the track that is promoted is Jack The Whistle And The Hammer. If you enjoyed this Makers of the USA episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Facebook. Please check out Makers of the USA's YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram. Thank you all and stay safe and healthy.
What this episode covers
Who knew the finest razors would be handmade in a historic mill in Baltimore by a gentleman who turned a hobby into his full-time passion. His razor collection is made of various types of wood including maple, walnut, and much more that he locally sources from lumberyards. He continues to innovate his craft by playing around with the materials he uses to make his razors including a more budget-friendly option. Tune in to learn more about how Dan moved to Baltimore to start his business, how his business has continued to grow steadily but has made some minor downfalls along his business journey, how he crafted a razor that is worth over $1000 out of meteorite for a customer, and what he plans to do over the next five years. Also, stay until the end to hear a track from local Maryland musician, Cris Jacobs.
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Dan Janssen Handcrafts The Finest Razors Out Of A Historic Mill In Baltimore
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