Thread: Any way this could be THAT old?

If this is real, I do not believe it is necessarily from that old.

Too add to pcg's comment. You can see similar razors being used here
2007.03.19 Barbershop in Turfan, Xinjiang - YouTube

Originally Posted by pcg

I'm going to take a contrary view and say that I think it's a legitimate antique. The ad shows it being used to shave, but I doubt that was its purpose, but rather an invention by the seller. Not sure how it was used, but I think the purported age is quite possible. That fact that it's been for sale for some time is not relevant to its authenticity.

I don't think they are as old as claimed, because if the is what happened to the steel blade, imagine how the wood handle would age. I'm no expert on wood, but most vintage western wood scales are really beat up.

Can you imagine shaving with one of these? OMG! They may be antique, but isn't amazing that, upon encountering western razors, Asians switched fast from these Samurai swords to imitation English razors?

Originally Posted by pcg

Can you imagine shaving with one of these? OMG! They may be antique, but isn't amazing that, upon encountering western razors, Asians switched fast from these Samurai swords to imitation English razors?

As you can see from the video, razors like these are still in use in China.

Samurai swords are Japanese, the videos and razors are all of China. There are still makers of Wakamisori in Japan. There are no makers of "imitation English razors" in Japan.

Solingen was far more influential in East Asia than England was, in terms of razors.

Originally Posted by Brighty83

I would say it is fake, that thing has been floating on eBay for months and it still hasn't sold

I agree, these razors being sold constantly. With the same pictures.

Thank you all for the feedback and information. I agree that there is no way this is several hundred years old. However, if the price was low enough, I think this would be a cool artifact for a straight razor collection. I could see some of the gentlemen on here taking one of these and really cleaning up the edge for use.

That being said, I'm sure not buying one.

Originally Posted by conroygc

However, if the price was low enough, I think this would be a cool artifact for a straight razor collection. I could see some of the gentlemen on here taking one of these and really cleaning up the edge for use.

If you are still interested you can pick up all you want for $12.99 each on this site. Which is where the espray seller probably got theirs.

Regards - Walt