Thread: Antique George Ibberson razor - VG condition

Is it just me, or does this razor have a small chip in it...?

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

Is it just me, or does this razor have a small chip in it...?

Interesting Neil, and it did fetch a bid? hope that the current bidder needs scales they dont look to bad.

As of 10:07 a.m. EDT it has one bid. Looks like something Earcutter would like.

Originally Posted by Martin103

Interesting Neil, and it did fetch a bid? hope that the current bidder needs scales they dont look to bad.

I'm sure you are right, Martin - must be bidding a small amount for the scales rather than the (quote) '...most unusually shaped blade...' - I'll say it's unusual!

It is a pity the blade is trashed, as it has a fair bit of history behind it, using steel made by Firth & Sons of Sheffield. Thomas Firth was head melter at Sanderson Brothers crucible steel plant. Two of his sons, Mark and Thomas, followed him into Sanderson's but set up their own business in 1842 (Graces says 1840?), joined a little later by their father. In 1850 Thomas the father died, and the as they needed larger premises they relocated to the Norfolk works in Savile Street. In the 1850s and 60s Firth's supplied Samuel Colt with most of the iron and steel used at his firearms factories, both the american one and the short-lived one in Pimlico, London.

In 1863 the firm went into armaments, producing the 5t Woolwich Infant Gun in 1875 and an 80t gun in 1875. In 1800 Mark Firth suffered a stroke and died and in 1881 the firm was incorporated into a Limited Company. By the late 1800s the company had a steel plant in Riga and agencies in Moscow, Odessa, New York and elsewhere. Firth & Sons (later to merge with another company and become known as Firth-Brown) made a huge number of alloy steels, including Firths Crucible Steel, Firths Cast Steel, Firths Best Cast Steel, Firths Extra Cast Steel, Firths Cast Steel Warranted, Firths Treble Extra Cast Steel and many, many more.

A number of razor-makers made use of Firths excellent steels - there is a Clements in the wiki that is made from the same Firth's Treble-Extra Cast Steel as the Ibberson was.

Regards,
Neil

Why on earth does Neil know all this stuff?!!??

But seriously, I bet a dollar against a doughnut, that I could turn that thing into a great shaving wedge!

Cool if there so much history maybe i should bid on it.

"Most unusual shaped blade," the seller says! And 11 bids. Yikes.

A nice French point 2/8 razor with nice scales. I don't see the problem.

now since i bid 12 bids on it.

I was just given my grandfather's straight razor. It is a George Ibberson with the inscription "Firth's treble extra cast steel" The blade is dull but it appears to be in decent shape. The photo doesn't do it justice.