Who's shaving with the oldest razor?

[Joe Edson]

Well thanks to Mike I have these coming from Robert Doyle's Collection:

Gratian pre-1830s Stubtail

And one I absolutely love from Henry Lummus' personal collection. Dates to late 1830s according to Lummus' article.

I Pearce Sheffield

 

[huracan]

You got the Pierce! Nice.

I ended up being on the road at the end and my placemat bids where all beat.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

This razor comes to me via a recent eBay auction by member pz93c (Brian) I received today and shaved with this razor simply marked WOLF with a stylized Crown above it.... John Sheppard is shown as having a mark of a crown above WOLF in the 1774 directory, but the style of crown is not distinguished between that of a later Cutler who adopted a similar maker's mark. An imperial crown above WOLF was registered by Thomas Barber, razormaker in 1833. Because of the shape of this monkeytail, perhaps I have a Thomas Barber 1830's...1840's tool instead of the supposed Sheppard after all. This razor has a pronounced shoulder and was subject to a regrind although retains a near wedge shape. It was a very nice shave.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

CLARK & HALL
Sheffield
1797-1823 ("Old Sheffield Razors" by Lummus. Antiques, December 1922 p.261-267)

Not at shave-ready status yet

 

[mdunn]

Here is my W&B.. anyone have an older one?

 

[Gustav]

What a nice thread, I think my oldest is a F.W. Söderén from 1897.

The other day I say an ancient razor in rather poor condition with pressed horn scales, in a local antique shop. It was priced at 600 €, which is a bit steep for what is was even if the scales were rather nice.

 

[fine wine]

First let me say this is just my thoughts.........thats all.........I love the look of old razors, I have two a wade & Butcher and a boker 101. And yes they both shave fine. But my thought is this don't you think that they have improved carbon steel any in the last 150 years? I fined it hard to believe that razors of old are better just because of their age. With the event of modern blast furances and the ability to test with modern sicentifc equipment that carbon steel would be more exact? I mean gun metal has come a long way of the black powder era, I would think razors would too. And this my thought. But my best shave comes from my Dovo not my W&B. Anyway, I'm not trying to start any arguments and I'm not looking to be insulted just because I simply like the new stuff, but that is my thoughts..........

 

[Antique Hoosier]

First let me say this is just my thoughts.........thats all.........I love the look of old razors, I have two a wade & Butcher and a boker 101. And yes they both shave fine. But my thought is this don't you think that they have improved carbon steel any in the last 150 years? I fined it hard to believe that razors of old are better just because of their age. With the event of modern blast furances and the ability to test with modern sicentifc equipment that carbon steel would be more exact? I mean gun metal has come a long way of the black powder era, I would think razors would too. And this my thought. But my best shave comes from my Dovo not my W&B. Anyway, I'm not trying to start any arguments and I'm not looking to be insulted just because I simply like the new stuff, but that is my thoughts..........

I totally agree with you. The steel in my opinion in not any better or worse in general. Some of the craftsmanship of the truly older pieces is not being duplicated on a mass basis any longer. I simply enjoy having a few of these in my "collection" for the pure historical value to me personally.

 

[MajorBurnz]

These are some really cool razors.

While I agree with 'fine wine', that modern hollow ground razors seem to be the better shavers (for me, at least), I do like to use razors that are older.

I have a few nice Greaves razors, one of them seems to be an early-1800's razor. I also have a Joseph Elliot stubtail from about the same period. They're nice to use, but they don't break into the rotation as frequently as they deserve.

Pics later.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

Here is my W&B.. anyone have an older one?

Wonderful Old W&B!!!

 

[Legion]

I've decided that this is my favorite thread on the forum. It is the one I keep coming back to, even when there are no new posts.

 

[dalew]

Wow!
And is it a beauty!


.

Very impressive!!!

 

[pz93c]

I've decided that this is my favorite thread on the forum. It is the one I keep coming back to, even when there are no new posts.

Me too, chief.

 

[jllavy]

For my first B&B post, I thought I'd share something I composed regarding my preference for the vintage steel.

A hair's breadth from mortality

Before '67;
Before Lady Candace took the Drive of Dahlias;
Before Betty met Jack,
Or Leo, Lillian,
Before theirs became" the greatest;"
Before the Dust Bowl or Black Tuesday or the 20s started roaring;
Before Versailles ended all wars;
The first man took up the Wm Elliott & Co,
Ran the etched blade
Lightly and swiftly along the leather strop
Then slowly across his wet face and
Scraped away the passage of time.

Tonight I grasped his hand,
And with the aid of badger and Taylor
Passed that same #286 hollow ground
German carbon steel
Over my own throat--
A hair's breadth from mortality--
Listening to it sing
Until I set it down again
With one of the finest shaves in perhaps a hundred years.

Joseph Lavy, 3/26/2011©

 

[insomniac]

Not sure how old this one is. Larry @ Whipped Dog just rehoned it, got a nice shave tonight

 

[joshua82]

I'm not sure exactly about the date of this one but 1820's-1830's is what I figure. I haven't shaved with it yet, not sure if I will either.

 

[DogHair]

I'm not sure exactly about the date of this one but 1820's-1830's is what I figure. I haven't shaved with it yet, not sure if I will either.

Nice John Barber. I'd definitely be shaving with that guy.

 

[Joe Edson]

I'm not sure exactly about the date of this one but 1820's-1830's is what I figure. I haven't shaved with it yet, not sure if I will either.

John Barber was in operation from 1810-1824 so you can date it in that time frame. Nice one!

 

[babafats]

This thread is amazing. Some of these razors are beautiful, and it really is cool that they can still be used after such a long time. Now I have something to aspire to.

Great. Now I have to buy a two hundred year old razor.

Think about it- how many other hobbies feature products that can be that old and still used on a regular basis? Can anyone name any?

Musicians! People are still playing instruments made by Antonio Stradivari, from as early as 1697, and while they are extremely rare, there are a few instruments made by Jacob Stainer, who died in 1683, still out there.

 

[Gibbs]

A Ramapo Company razor made circa 1854 well before the Civil War. Who know who it shaved back then. A soldier, a farmer, a statesman, .. only "it" knows.

I have shaved with it and got a great shave with it.