Ivory Scale Razors.

Typically, vintage ivory scales tend to be much thinner than their bone counterparts. Not a certainty, but something to look for.

See Lindy's Helje's for some great examples of what the texture of ivory should look like .

 

I have a couple but no decent pics. Here's one, bad pick and all. MOP on the tang and ivory scales Keen Kutter 5/8.

Whoops, obviously not the Keen Kutter but Ivory.
Here's the Keen Kutter.

 

Here's a nice old ivory scaled CVH MK No. 33 I used to own:

 

Just picked this up off Etsy. Paid premium but, real IVORY is impossible to come by today. From what I can find on the Sheffield Index Wade, Wingfield & Rowbotham, - (, merchts. & table, pen & pocket knife, razor and file manufacturers).
Address: Tenter Street, in 1837.
Recorded in: Whites Directory of Sheffield & Rotherham - 1837.
According to this index this was the only year this Company produced Razor. Then in 1851-1852 Richard Wades name was dropped from the company name becoming Wingfield & Rowbotham. At which time the newly named Company began producing Razors again. I believe that makes this razor exactly 180 years old.

 

That's a beauty - I love the shoulder-less blade.

 

Yeah I had a hard time pulling the trigger on this one, but I just couldn't stop going back and checking on it. So now it's mine.

 

Extreme thinness of scales is the most noticeable thing
which first suggests real ivory to me also.

 

If I wanted to without lying,
trick somebody into thinking that celluloid was real ivory,
I would refer to it as "piano key material".

 

I have an MK 31 with a marbled grain which causes me to wonder if it might walrus.

 

Pics, we need pics.

 

As it turns out, Glen (@gssixgun) did check it out when he honed it and judged it to be ivory for a number of reasons. I’ve since picked up a couple of other razors with ivory scales and can now spot the difference pretty easily.

 

I Know this Seller..He is a Friend... I Have Bought a Number of Razors from Him & He Puts an Excellent Edge on his Razors...They are Truly Shave Ready...He Uses a Naniwa Super Stone Progression to 12 K..When he Advertises Scales as Ivory they are Ivory..He is a Very Reputable Seller.. @Karl G has Bought a Number from him as Well..

Billy..

 

A trio of Swedes, a C.V. Heljestrand MK No 30 and a Gentlemen’s Set of No 31, all wearing Ivory

 

This one is on the way to me, 13/16+ CVH Mk33.

Cheers, Steve

 

Here’s a vintage Joseph Rodgers chopper, ‘Cutlers to their Majesties’, so it made before the death of Queen Victoria. Very nice unrestored razor except for some light cleaning. There are few spots of pitting on the other side, but really in great shape for what, 150 years old?

The eBay seller was in Chuckey, Tennessee about 65 miles from me, and was selling a LOT of really nice razors of this period. She (I assume) had lots of W&B, but W&B were bringing very high prices at the time and I’ve always thought Rodgers was a much better razor. I bought this one very reasonably.

Chuckey is a tiny town/village on the wild (undammed) Nolichucky river, a stunningly beautiful area especially if you’re an outdoorsman or like fishing the wild rivers, but it’s out in the middle of nowhere. I asked how she came to be selling such a large collection of really premium straight razors and she said that she was liquidating an estate. I wished I’d asked whose estate. I still marvel that a Victorian-era, ivory-scaled Joseph Rodgers came to be in the middle of what was then mostly wilderness.

Cheers, Steve

 

According to my understanding of a pdf on ivory identification which I just read,
the appearance might by from the ivory being sourced from near the outer edge
of an ordinary elephant tusk.

 

There is a notorious saying around here: "Pics, or It doesnt exist." Just a little friendly prodding.

 

It took me this long to upload an avatar.
I am going to try for pics now.

 

Le Grelot 360 5/8 Lotus

 

6/8 ivory le grelot