After spending a few days looking at the hundreds of beaten up straight razors that eBay has to offer, I settled upon a razor stamped "Albert Bellefontaine Montreal" and "Special Steel Made in France" at the tang, with "Bellefontaine de Luxe" etched on the blade. I'll post better photographs once it arrives:
I chose this razor simply because I like the look of it - despite the fact that I passed up on a Puma in the same condition for $10 less to get it. It's an aesthetic hobby, isn't it? I can't find any information about this razor anywhere, so it might be rubbish steel (though I'd be surprised). It seems to be in very good condition with no nicks, rust or frown. The scales look original. It's not been cleaned.
Does anyone know anything about this razor? I did find a thread suggesting that this razor was the "house brand" of a Canadian perfumer, sourced from different places (Sheffield, Solingen) at different periods. I can't find any mention of this particular one though, nor whether they are quality razors.
Incidentally, I know that it's a bad idea for a newbie to purchase a razor that isn't shave-ready, let alone one which may well be badly beaten up. However, I've got all the stones, sharpening gear, polishes and abrasives from years of sharpening and restoring old woodworking tools and knives, so I feel I'm off to a slight head start with the restoration side of things at least. But I don't think I'm somehow ahead of the game or a know-it-all with getting a sharp edge. Like sharpening tools, using straight razors is a discipline, and the foundation of discipline is humility. It took me two and a half years to produce a chisel edge I would even call satisfactory, and even then I'll be chasing better technique and consistency for the rest of my life. I am hoping to follow the same Zen-like path with straight razors.
I chose this razor simply because I like the look of it - despite the fact that I passed up on a Puma in the same condition for $10 less to get it. It's an aesthetic hobby, isn't it? I can't find any information about this razor anywhere, so it might be rubbish steel (though I'd be surprised). It seems to be in very good condition with no nicks, rust or frown. The scales look original. It's not been cleaned.
Does anyone know anything about this razor? I did find a thread suggesting that this razor was the "house brand" of a Canadian perfumer, sourced from different places (Sheffield, Solingen) at different periods. I can't find any mention of this particular one though, nor whether they are quality razors.
Incidentally, I know that it's a bad idea for a newbie to purchase a razor that isn't shave-ready, let alone one which may well be badly beaten up. However, I've got all the stones, sharpening gear, polishes and abrasives from years of sharpening and restoring old woodworking tools and knives, so I feel I'm off to a slight head start with the restoration side of things at least. But I don't think I'm somehow ahead of the game or a know-it-all with getting a sharp edge. Like sharpening tools, using straight razors is a discipline, and the foundation of discipline is humility. It took me two and a half years to produce a chisel edge I would even call satisfactory, and even then I'll be chasing better technique and consistency for the rest of my life. I am hoping to follow the same Zen-like path with straight razors.
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