My great grandfather's razor

[bhsher]

Hello all. After my great grandfather passed away, I somehow ended up with a few of his personal items, including his old straight razor. Here are a few photos of it.

I know nothing about straight razors so any info. on this razor would be appreciated!

Bryan

 

[Luc]

Killer scales!

 

[BillEllis]

Equate KeenKutter to like Camaro and Simmons Hdwre to something like Central Denver Chevrolet. The razor is a good one. The scales are celluloid with nickel silver end caps. It looks to have started out as a 5/8's wide razor. All razor widths are measured in 8's without benefit of a least common denominator. Hence, a 6/8's razor. (3/4's wide)

Yours has considerable hone wear and it's a bit uneven. Nothing ill-intended to your ggrandfather, but if he was the only person to own it, it is apparent to me that he found difficulty keeping the front half of the blade as sharp as he wanted it to be. That is evidenced by the slightly narrower tip of the blade versus the heel and the wider hone wear at the tip caused by more pressure to this area whenever it was sharpened.

Back then, there were no forums to pick up on honing and stropping tips. The average guy only had his barber's advice and experimentation as his source for experience.

If you intend to use it again, the edge will have to have the waves taken out and re honed properly. Since this is kinda work intensive, I think I'd just clean it up and "shadowbox" it with maybe an engraved silver or brass plate with your ggrandfather's name and a born/died date to preserve the history.

If you decide to do the work yourself, please please please, practice on something else until you are comfortable fixing that one.

 

[bhsher]

Thanks Bill! Yes, I think a shadowbox is the way to go! I appreciate the info!