MAB Straight Razor

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by Rusty blade, Oct 5, 2017.

  1. Rusty blade

    Rusty blade The Good Humor Man

    I recently picked up this MAB straight razor at an antique store. It is in very good condition. Scales are tight and in good condition. It only required some 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper and lots of Mother's Mag and Aluminium Polish. It cleaned up nicely, but there is a stubborn patch of stain on the blade. The edge is in good condition. I just need to set a new bevel and hone. The blade is shorter than the usual SR (6 cm). In my book of straight razors it says is it German made. No idea of the date.
    MAB Razor.jpg
     
  2. mrchick

    mrchick Odd, Terrible Avatar

    That is a beautiful blade. Nice find!
     
  3. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    It looks simply mabulous! :D:happy088:
     
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  4. Rusty blade

    Rusty blade The Good Humor Man

    I often wonder how they come up with these names...MAB? Odd...
     
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  5. Heljestrand23

    Heljestrand23 Well-Known Member

    Maybe it was a mob(Mafia) razor, but made for the mob in Boston, Mass. This is a stretch, so with their Bostonian accents, perhaps the German merchant that took their order heard MAB instead of MOB. Totally out of left field here.....


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  6. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    That's purdy...
     
  7. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    No need to STROP! :D The MAB Co. 94 Newhall St. Birmingham, England. Circa: 1886 to 1906-8
    "Many flattering notices from the press..."

    The_Mab_ad_1896_01.jpg

    Whole week's worth of MABs....
    501mab7day001.jpg
    501mab7day010.jpg
     
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  8. Rusty blade

    Rusty blade The Good Humor Man

    Thanks for posting this info Kevin. Very nice vintage ad. And the 7-day set is truly a marvel to behold. Very nice. At least now I know I don't have to strop ;). How did that ad make it to press? The guy who wrote that ad obviously didn't shave with a SR! I would dearly love to see the faces of the 5 men that Nelly Wick shaved in 4 minutes and 42 seconds. I can just imagine the sting from the alum bar!
     
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  9. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    I'm fairly certain that the majority of men in the advertisement's audience (as well as the copywriter himself) probably ONLY used straight razors (late 1800s-early 1900s). That being said, a copywriter's job is to NEVER let the real facts about a product's ability interfere with outlandish sales promotion claims! :D
     
  10. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    If you are talking about the large black patch, covering about half the blade, then I would suggest going more drastic. Use 320 grit wet/dry with some oil lube. Do the same working your way up to 1200-1500 grit. Unless the metal is severely pitted, that should do the trick, and leave a nice satin finish.
     
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  11. Rusty blade

    Rusty blade The Good Humor Man

    The large black patch is just shadow. I am terrible at taking pictures. The stain patch to which I am referring is more in the center of the blade...not very noticeable. Otherwise it is almost a mirror finish. Here is a different picture with some blue sky reflected and the window sash. (I really do need to build a photo box)
    IMG_1840.jpg
     
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  12. oscar11

    oscar11 Well-Known Member

    Nice looking razor.
     
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  13. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    It looks good, so far. Two ways I think you could go about it.

    1. If you want a mirror shine, then you will have to remove more metal. It's probably pitting.
    2. If you don't require a mirror finish. I prefer a satin finish on vintage blades. Just do some light sanding, 220-320-400-600-800-1200-1500 wet/dry, with an oil lube. This is more forgiving of imperfections, and looks good too.
     
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  14. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    I have Honed a Number of these MAB SRs here in the UK..I Wasn't Sure What they Were Till Kev Posted the Sheffield Advert..The Steel Always Felt More Solingen Like on the Hone to Me..What Do I Know..??..:happy097:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
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  15. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    That 7-day set I posted above could very well be all ivory handled ($$) by the way.
    I'm not familiar with the pricing displayed in the ad, Billy (2/6, 3/6, 7/6, 9/6?).
    The "Post free" I get.
     
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  16. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    Kev..2/6 For Example..Was 2/6 = 2 Shillings & 6 Pennies & So Forth..This was Old Brit Money...It Changed in the Late 60s & Early 70s when I was a Boy to Decimal..The Current Currency...So in New Money its Roughly 23 Pence..That Sounds Cheap but the Older Money was Worth More in the Real Economy..We were Ripped Off Big Time when they Changed Currency...Also the Razor Price was a Long Time Ago when Wages in the UK were Diabolical for the Working Man..:)

    Billy..:chores016:
     
  17. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    Thanks for the clarification!

    As we like to do around here for laughs & giggles: In 2016, the relative value of £0 9s 6d from 1886 (the price in the ad for a pair of the ivory-handled MABs) converts today to approximately £47.49
     
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  18. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    [​IMG]
     
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