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Most rediculously complicated razor?

Legion

Staff member
I was going through my shaving stuff draw preparing to make my test tube rack display (see the unusual display method thread in General Talk) when I pulled out this razor and took a close look at it. It is so over engineered it is not funny but also rather cool. It is made by Wilkinson in England and has a patent No. 321115. You turn the knob on the bottom and the blade flips over, presumably for stropping. In fact the blade holder on the underside reads "strop this side". I'm not sure how it all works but it looks like quite a device.

Can anybody give me any info on dates, history, use, etc? I'm not planning on lathering up and using this baby in anger. I'm just a little curious about its pedigree.
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It looks like something General 'Bloodbath' McGrath from Wild Wild West (starring Will Smith) would use to shave. :)
 
Ha Ha, when I saw the thread title I immediately thought of the the old wedge wilkinson before I even clicked on the thread.
 
I've changed my mind, it's a pasta extruder.
A proud example of British ingenuity at its very best! It does all the above and more. It also plays a mean tune. In the good old days there used to be orchestras of these things. The very gifted could shave with it and accompany their shaving with an appropriate cheery melody. The not so gifted had some rather awful accidents. This is also the razor that inspired Gillette to bring out the Fusion Power.
 
Many of the "self sharpening/stropping" razor were overly complex.
Besides this razor, the Ronson and the Auto Strop come to mind.
The big heavy heads are detrimental to the shaving experience.
The only self sharpening razor that in my opinion is a good handling razor is the "Shake Sharp" and it's short coming is while it takes regular DE blades, only 1 edge is exposed.
 
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