Saturday I went to Danville, Virginia with a couple of friends, Judy and Carol and visited several antique stores, large and small. Usually I find rusty, cracked and otherwise ridiculous straight razors in antique stores. At Lou's Antiques, I saw many such rust buckets and asked the owner if there were more and he said thought there were more upstairs. (There are three levels.) In one locked glass counter I saw some promising razors and after trying for 30 minutes they got it unlocked. Ends up the owner knew good and well there were straights up there, because they were his! He knows nothing about straights and doesn't shave with them, but somehow got his hands on straights in very good shape. No rust, good edges, good scales, good names, etc. I got three razors there, the George Wolstenholm Pipe, the Carl Schmidt Blue Steel and the Maher & Grosh The Original Rattler Razor. At Dusty's Treasure Chest, I got the Clauss The Magnetic Razor and at a shop with no name I got the Golden Edge Dubl Duck. The Golden Edge is the only razor with a bite out of one of the scales, not at the pivot point. I have another mint Golden Edge I purchased from a local barber, but couldn't pass this one up. All the razors cleaned up nicely. I honed them on lapping film 12, 9, 5, 3, 1, CrOx, FeOx and then stropped (a lot) on linen and leather (Tony Miller Heirloom No.2). Very nice edges all, except I have to try again with the The Magnetic Razor. Since I am at a loss with a camera, my friend, Judy Dupre took photos with her iPhone for me. I hope you enjoy them. George Wolstenholm & Sons Pipe Carl Schmidt Blue Steel Maher & Grosh The Original Rattler Razor Dubl Duck Golden Edge Clauss The Magnetic Razor
Nice finds! A couple of years ago I picked up a razor that was marked Danville Va. If memory serves me right it was either a hardware company or maybe sporting goods. Excellent steel in the razor, it'll take a wicked sharp edge. I think I gave it to my son-in-law.
I gave them all a shave test the next day and they all shave well. The Rattler is the smoothest. The Blue Steel the keenest and you have to watch out for the spike. I used a coticule and JNAT last night to re-finish the edge to smooth it out a bit. I have to get the bevel set better on the Magnetic Razor. JoAnna, if you go into Danville, go to Lou's Antiques downtown and ask to see the straights upstairs. There are two glass counters of them there. The one smaller counter/glass top wooden box has the best selection. Downstairs near the register you can find an ABC Pocket Edition. The case is very nice and a design on top I haven't seen on mr-razor. The only problem is the handle is cracked from end to end. I almost got it for the case.
Surely you don't want that Dubl Duck razor with that BIG flaw amongst all of those beauties?! Send it to me and I'll "dispose" of it for you. I'm nice that way.
Yes, I did. I've been lucky lately with auction finds and antique stores and barber's giveaways and barber's daughters selling cheap along with great NOS straights for reasonable prices in USA, Canada and Japan.
I shaved with the Carl Schmidt tonight, it is indeed the finest I have used, or it may be my technique is improving, I do like the heft of it though.
Good to know, Joel. I'm about to buy two inexpensive western Japanese straights from my friend, Seth Radke in Japan, that you can try out. If you prefer the Carl Schmidt to the John S. Holler, we can trade out again.
