If you have not tried it yet, the Feather pro Super blades are a bit wider then the regular pro blades. This gives you a little extra blade exposure, and you can use a more shallow angle, more like a straight razor.
Show us your matching pairs
- Thread starter cotedupy
- Start date
Yes, training wheels and baby steps.
I have an assortment of blades, including Feather ProGuard, Professional, and Super. I intend to slowly progress through them as my technique/mechanics improve.
Right now I'm just trying to get comfortable with handling a folding razor and it helps to not have to worry too much about a mishap.
A few of my duplicates......
Matched and monogrammed pair of fairly late Bengalls.
Certainly post 1924, but from the style I believe they are post war, likely 1950s.
Certainly post 1924, but from the style I believe they are post war, likely 1950s.
Jno Baker was on the wain and disappearing by the 50's (though there is still a business with that name in Dubbo, selling farm equipment. Not sure of the relationship to the Sydney cutlery business). From the box and sticker I would have guessed 30's.
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Thought so myself at first...but the later style scales with the large "Bengall" script in them suggests post war if I'm not mistaken.
Perhaps there is an expert who can date them a little closer...
Straight Razor Chronicle - Volume 2 - Jno Baker (Australia)
This is the second volume of the straight razor chronicles. If you missed the first one, you can consult it here: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/210957-Straight-Razor-Chronicle-Volume-1 This article took over a month of research and compilation, I hope you enjoy it! :001_smile...
www.badgerandblade.com
I've heard that suggested as well, but it seemed "a guy once told me" info and I've yet to see any actual documented evidence. I'd like to. Some of my own research has been based on styles in my collection with store stamps, cross referenced with when those stores were trading. But that is not exactly an exact science either.
I wish there were more resources on razor makers...
Prior to 1900, everyone in the world shaved with a straight razor. Companies like Wostenholme, Frederick Rodgers, Wade & Butcher, Theirs and a hand full of others. Made millions & millions of straight razors. Although there are hundreds of "brands" most of them were made by only a few actual makers. I have an old article that states that Wostenholme used several hundred tons of ivory every year making razor scales. Craftsman tools were not made by Sears, they were made by large maufactureres and marketed as their own. In the same way, retailers bought razors with their trade names stamped on the tang or printed on the scales. Chances are, that "Ace", "Artist", "Griffon", and many others were made in the same factory. The cutlery factories in Sheffield and Solingen were many stories tall and covered whole city blocks. They employed thousands and churned out warehouses full of razors with every name in the book. You will see a lot of posts asking "what is the history of my "De-Fi", "Gotta", "Christensen" or other obscure brand and it's hard to know, because it could have come from any of the 'big makers'.
My Tanifuji Maxfli set, 6/8 and 4/8
Gotta for sure. I have at least half a dozen razors that are identical to a Gotta 120 with different “brands” on them. Good razors though.
My matching pairs:
Eskilstuna JE 1874
Papillon Wawick
Eskilstuna JE 1874
Papillon Wawick
You all have some nice looking hardware, but you scare the bejeezus out of me with these cut throats.
I'll stick with these as my match...
I'll stick with these as my match...
I wanted to have a straight razor with stainless steel scales, but I could not decide which one, so I bought two. They are not entirely a matching pair, but they do share the same blood. I’ll call them brothers 
Thiers Issard C135 with stainless steel scales.
Thiers Issard C135 with stainless steel scales.
I got around to pulling out some of my matching items - excuse the finish in the photos on many, i keep them waxed, wrapped in vci bags as I live by the coast. I usually have about half a dozen our for a few weeks at a time.
I enjpy seeing some of the pairs that were made as such - some the examples you guys have. I am not so lucky to have any of those but thought id share some of my pairs
to follow above - i have a 90% matching pair of TI le dandy razors- these have been great for testing stones and trying new things. Only difference is the toe
A pair of fili 14's - I've used these for over a decade, and although not pristine, always been great blades. There are a handful of 13's too, also falling into the 'user grade' definition that I have seen pop up in recent years. (Makes me cringe that term).
Some of my currently favoures japanes razors - i did get a NOS of each of these tanifuji's, then over the years searched for a match that I would clean up myself (which ive recently learned to do).
a pair of h.diamonds (120 and 80) - took a 3rd to get a suitable blade and matching scales for this pair.
A pair of feon blades - one takehana, one kikuboshi - these are micarta scales i learnt to make recently
A firm favourite for many - the blue one I found on one of the BST's after someone had butchered the spine a little. The red one I ordered with the double belly grind
some more modern versions - I guess could be 2 pairs - these are the hydra from Portland razor company, the coloured versions are blued steel with half, full and bellied grinds. I still find these very enjoyable
As you can see, i like a mix of many different types
I enjpy seeing some of the pairs that were made as such - some the examples you guys have. I am not so lucky to have any of those but thought id share some of my pairs
to follow above - i have a 90% matching pair of TI le dandy razors- these have been great for testing stones and trying new things. Only difference is the toe
A pair of fili 14's - I've used these for over a decade, and although not pristine, always been great blades. There are a handful of 13's too, also falling into the 'user grade' definition that I have seen pop up in recent years. (Makes me cringe that term).
Some of my currently favoures japanes razors - i did get a NOS of each of these tanifuji's, then over the years searched for a match that I would clean up myself (which ive recently learned to do).
a pair of h.diamonds (120 and 80) - took a 3rd to get a suitable blade and matching scales for this pair.
A pair of feon blades - one takehana, one kikuboshi - these are micarta scales i learnt to make recently
A firm favourite for many - the blue one I found on one of the BST's after someone had butchered the spine a little. The red one I ordered with the double belly grind
some more modern versions - I guess could be 2 pairs - these are the hydra from Portland razor company, the coloured versions are blued steel with half, full and bellied grinds. I still find these very enjoyable
As you can see, i like a mix of many different types
What is "user grade" definition supposed to mean? It sounds a bit ridiculous, but I am still wondering.
I have seen it being used to describe some of the non-pristine examples of the more commonly collectible razors, specifically - the filarmonica 14’s. I was asked recently asked about 14’s by someone using this description and I find it irritating too.
A "user grade" shaves perfectly well, but is no beauty queen.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
What @Eastcoast30 said, the term is often used to advise new SR users to seek less than cosmetically perfect razors for daily use or to save some money. I have many of them. If there are alternate terms I haven’t heard of them, I think.
Curiously, almost none of the sets of pairs or 7-day sets were made that way, I believe. The razors were of course made individually and someone put them in a box. Possibly the manufacturer if there was demand, but far more likely a wholesaler or dealer. There used to be a profession, and probably still is, called a ‘box maker’ - they made jewelry chests, flatware boxes, razor cases, whatever. Theobald Pellets (the Joseph Rodgers chopper pair) was such a person. A dealer or wholesaler commissioned the razors and the boxes, and then put the razors in the box. Often, the boxes had the name of the dealer, not the razor manufacturer.
The only exceptions that I think that I have are the two Touron-Parisot sets, the orihi kamisori, and the Wostys with the fancy spines because the razor branding matches the box branding. Both sets of Touron-Parisots have Touron’s Paris address stamped on the box. I also have a French pair in a box that the branding matches one of the two razors but have never seen another razor of this brand. The other possible set if the Le Grelot Lotus in the green box, though less certain. This set came from Rasoir Sabre (I think) many years ago, probably about 15, but it’s quite possible that Rasoir Sabre boxed them as there’s no name on the box.
Here are some others that I have.
Coral by Takagi Riki company, of which little is known. Very well made razors with a unique pattern/gold wash.
Henckels Friodur 14
Vintage Dovo Bergischer-Lowe, actually a heavier grind shorty, unlike the modern version
Tanifuji BaBa
Curiously, almost none of the sets of pairs or 7-day sets were made that way, I believe. The razors were of course made individually and someone put them in a box. Possibly the manufacturer if there was demand, but far more likely a wholesaler or dealer. There used to be a profession, and probably still is, called a ‘box maker’ - they made jewelry chests, flatware boxes, razor cases, whatever. Theobald Pellets (the Joseph Rodgers chopper pair) was such a person. A dealer or wholesaler commissioned the razors and the boxes, and then put the razors in the box. Often, the boxes had the name of the dealer, not the razor manufacturer.
The only exceptions that I think that I have are the two Touron-Parisot sets, the orihi kamisori, and the Wostys with the fancy spines because the razor branding matches the box branding. Both sets of Touron-Parisots have Touron’s Paris address stamped on the box. I also have a French pair in a box that the branding matches one of the two razors but have never seen another razor of this brand. The other possible set if the Le Grelot Lotus in the green box, though less certain. This set came from Rasoir Sabre (I think) many years ago, probably about 15, but it’s quite possible that Rasoir Sabre boxed them as there’s no name on the box.
Here are some others that I have.
Coral by Takagi Riki company, of which little is known. Very well made razors with a unique pattern/gold wash.
Henckels Friodur 14
Vintage Dovo Bergischer-Lowe, actually a heavier grind shorty, unlike the modern version
Tanifuji BaBa
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