The Straight Razor Acquisition Thread

Not really new to me, but I'm finally getting around to cleaning this up and looking it over. My in-laws were a second generation running a machine shop, and when they retired, we sold off a bunch of stuff that was in storage there. The family started with the machine shop in the late 30's to early 40's with my wife's grandfather when he joined an already established firm. The man that started the shop died very elderly in either the 50's or early 60's. So scene kind of set, in preparing for the sale, my father-in-law came across this razor. Nobody has any idea where it came from. I don't know his father to have shaved with a straight, but he was very eclectic and bought many cool things that he just wanted to have, but not use. This razor shows no sign that I can find of actual use. It was poorly stored, though, so it developed some rust. I almost have a stronger suspicion that it may have come across the pond from England with my wife's great-grandfather, who was somewhat well-to-do and was a bit more inclined toward fanciness, plus he actually came from the time before safety razors took over. But again, no real evidence that this was used. No hone wear. No edge damage other than rust. Doesn't seem to be any kind of valuable make. There is very little info I have been able to find about this brand, but one person selling one said it was late 19th century from England, another said it was 1930's from Germany or something like that. I have found that the same company made a variety of hunting and folding knives, and even offered hones with their branding. Not knowing how old the company is, most of what I've seen steers me to think early 20th century, and I'm inclined toward the suspicion that it's American. They used Native American imagery for some of their branding... I will say though, the scales are most definitely black hard rubber, which was largely displaced by celluloid by the 20's, so I would be very surpised if it were newer than that.

So now I present:
Chip-A-Way Triumph 5/8 Spike

Post-clean-up.

I used Simichrome to remove the active rust and drawer scratches from the scales. The pivot is fairly tight to where it doesn't swing open or closed, you have to move the blade manually. Not too stiff, but enough to hold position. In the last three pictures, I have highlighted a bizarre warble in the grind, visible from both sides. The spine is straight, so I don't think the whole blade is bent, but it may be that the cheek has been bent somehow. It is an odd, curved bend, so it may have come from something to do with the grinder messing up, I don't know. Not sure if I will use this one. Probably just display owing to the possibility that it may be a family relic. Then again, it may just be another part of the "great eclectic collection" and mean nothing to anybody...

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Just to update the above, I chatted with my Father-in-law last night about the razor, and while we still have no idea where it came from, we agreed that it most lines up with his father's collection of random cool things that he wanted to have, not use. He also never knew his father to shave with a straight, safety razors being the standard of his era. We both also agreed that if it had come from the previous shop owner, it probably would have been worn down to nothing, and he didn't think it very likely his grandfather's stuff from his mother's side of the family would have ended up in the shop. He said back in the 40's and 50's, people would sometimes barter things to pay for the products they made, but it still seems more likely to me that his father sought it out.

 

Joseph Rodgers & Sons, ivory scales, 4/8

A most silly width, and in need of clean up, but true ivory scales with no cracks. A bit of discoloration and minor scuffing, but buffed out pretty nicely by hand with a damp paper towel.

I'm reasoning it as somewhere in the mid-late 19th century. Pre 1901 due to the stamp. The curvature of the spine says midcentury to me, but the tail looks a trifle too long.

A little hone wear, but not too severe, more on the reverse side than the stamp side. Usually when I see razors this narrow, it is a result of excessive honing, but not the case here. Definitely the narrowest razor in my collection. Other than clean-up, I don't really intend on using it so much as displaying it. I wouldn't want any accidents to happen to damage the scales, and I generally prefer the performance of wider choppers to narrower ones in my experience.

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On a side note, there is a reasonably priced beautiful pair of J Mortons I have my eye on, but I'm not in a position to be able to afford them, so this JR is my consolation...

 

Several new toys on their way to me.

 

F.W.Engels
6/8+th
Extra Hollow
Solingen Germany

This has been touched up(rust and tarnish removed). It still has all the Bluing on the tang, without any wear, until I opened and closed it, a few times. Factory Bevel still on it.

 

Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.
"O.V.B."(Our Very Best).
Chicago
6/8+inch
Full Hollow

I have a couple of these, and can say, they are a "top of the line" razor manufacturer, or importer. . I do no know who produces for them, but I always keep an eye out for one, in good shape.
This one still has the factory bevel on it.

 

Weck Hair Shaper

This one I purchased, because @Jayaruh likes them, and I have a pack of unused blades that are made by them, in great shape. I did put one of the blades in, and stropped it. It is very very very sharp now. Me and Shavettes have had a bad history, in the past. But, maybe 4 years of straight Razor shaving can change that. If not, it just might find a cozy corner of a box, under the bed.

 

Those F.W Engels 6/8th Trade Models are 1st Rate Shavers..I Love Mine..

Billy..

 

I just acquired these 23 straights from my grandfather today.

 

Very cool that these get to stay in the family. Congratulations!

 

Very nice Jason. You should treasure them.

 

Very nice. Looks like you will be busy getting them all shave ready.

 

Heirloom pieces are a special thing to have. Congrats !

 

On the way to Primo...

 

Nice VERY nice !!

 

Two newly restored razors back from Glen Mercurio (@gssixgunj. A W&B 7/8 and a Simmons Hardware 4/8. It’s hard to believe they’re the same razors!

 

Nice acquisitions Jeff

 

very cool..and special..

 

awesome..