Thread: Fosters Old English razor

Yeh I'm torn between what to do, and yeh I like the look and feel of something old that is shiney and new again. Glenn has done some great razors for me, so I do know I might go that route.

Originally Posted by sheffieldlover

Wow, that is a nice one. I'm a little jealous. The thing about not un-pinning it is, you can't adequately sand and polish the inside of the scales, or fix the crack properly. Also, working on the blade while within the scales gives the scales more opportunity to crack.

I'd talk to Glenn, he does more restores using original equipment than most. Me, I'd make that sucker look like a new dime in a goats ass lol

Very nice old blade. I was in on that one as well but then had to back off it because the wife walked into the room. Glad one of us ended up with her.

A very nice old razor, congratulations!

I would say horn scales - like someone said above, that sort of delamination is typical.

The maker could have been John Foster of 54 Carver Street, Sheffield, recorded in an 1828-9 Directory. He has three entries in the directory, incidentally, as an etcher, a shop-keeper (foodstuffs) and a razor manufacturer - a man of many parts!

Regards,
Neil

What I like most about those old no-name razors is this: Neil says the guy was in business from 1828-9. So, one year? Maybe he made a few razors before or after? Maybe, 100 or less - total? So, in my mind, here's a super rare, super old razor that a guy made himself in 1828, and there's probably not another one like it left on this planet. THAT is super cool.

Originally Posted by sheffieldlover

What I like most about those old no-name razors is this: Neil says the guy was in business from 1828-9. So, one year? Maybe he made a few razors before or after? Maybe, 100 or less - total? So, in my mind, here's a super rare, super old razor that a guy made himself in 1828, and there's probably not another one like it left on this planet. THAT is super cool.

Er - that's not quite what I said! What I said means that he was recorded in the Sheffield Directory that spanned the years 1828 - 1829. These directories were issued at sporadic intervals - some had a few years in between issues, others had four years or more. One such directory came out and was not updated for 10 years! here may be many reasons why he wasn't recorded in earlier or later directories, so he could of course have been in business both before and after that date.

A typical apprenticeship in the cutlery trade would have been seven years. After this, the apprentice became a Freeman of the Cutlers Guild - entitling him to record and stamp his own mark. So, if this chap did indeed make the razor (instead of being a factor or agent), there would have been at least seven years before 1828 when he was apprenticed, and perhaps a little longer before he made enough to run his own premises.

It is cool, though - he is not a well known razor maker by any means, so I agree that the razor is comparatively rare, which makes it even more special.

Regards,
Neil

Thats a really nice razo!r congrats! I love the Stub. The patina is nice on it too. The scales appear to be honey horn, some time horn can come malted and pressed. If it were pressed horn with time you could expect the to be some sepration of the layers which you see when you hold it up to the light. Most of the authentic tortoise shell examples i have seen look more solid and mildly transparent, kind of like natural lucite.