American Knife Co. "FOR BARBERS USE" Any input?

[honed]

Here is a eBay find that just landed in the mailbox.
It's an "American Knife Co." 15/16 quarter hollow.
The tang is stamped with "Plymouth Hollow Conn"
The blade itself is marked with "For Barbers Use"
Some googling gave that the American Knife Company had a forge in the town
of Plymouth Hollow in Conneticut during the mid 1800.
Their knifes are well regarded amongst collectors & they were allegedly one of the first American makers to produce a spring knife.

But about their razor production not much is to be found online.

Anyone got anymore information?

Is it made by American Knife Co. or simply imported from Sheffield & stamped with their name?
It very much resembles the W&B, Joesph Elliott & Wostenholms I have in similar sizes made in approximately the same time.

I'm still to shave with it, a thorough cleaning will be first step.
And a rescale.
The butt end is held together with string...
And the wood is split & pieces are missing.

There is no rust at all, beside a small spot at the tang pivot.

I believe someone wisely covered the blade in graphite grease a loooong time ago.
This is the look old graphite grease gets when it eventually hardens
after some 50 years or so

All input is very appreciated!

 

[natchez]

Design wise it sure looks like a Sheffield blade. I have an old razor marked I. Oxley- Liverpool, which folks told me was likely made in Sheffield and branded for resale.

You may have the same thing here, it could be an imported blade that was branded for resale. Or, it could actually be an American made blade. In those days American manufacturers were starting to get really good at copying British made goods.

Hard to ever know for sure, but in any event it is a clean fine looking blade. I hope it serves you well for many years to come.

 

[honed]

Design wise it sure looks like a Sheffield blade. I have an old razor marked I. Oxley- Liverpool, which folks told me was likely made in Sheffield and branded for resale.

You may have the same thing here, it could be an imported blade that was branded for resale. Or, it could actually be an American made blade. In those days American manufacturers were starting to get really good at copying British made goods.

Hard to ever know for sure, but in any event it is a clean fine looking blade. I hope it serves you well for many years to come.

I did a quick soak in oven cleaner & alot of the black stuff came of with 0000 steel wool & a light touch. I'll clean it up further tonight.

Something tells me it is from Sheffield.
Once it's ready in a new set of scales, a test shave might reveal something about it's origin.

 

[mdunn]

might be an early US blade.

my understanding is that all the US blade makers pretty much were staffed by people from sheffield or solingen, so they would keep making the same style

 

[honed]

might be a reallu early US blade.

my understanding is that all the US blade makers pretty much were staffed by people from sheffield or solingen, so they would keep making the same style

That is of course another option.
I really want it to be made in the US, it would make it so much more interesting!