Thread: What is this cut out on the point?

Hello all... this being my first post here I should start off by saying thanks to everyone involved here for creating such a great community. It has been especially useful for someone like me who is just taking the first tentative steps into the world of straight razor shaving.

The Ern razor pictured below just recently fell into my possession. It has seen a LOT of heavy use and apparently less than careful maintenance. The blade is uneven and poorly honed, the scales are replacements that are too short so the razor cannot be properly shut, etc. etc. The notch ground into the point is odd too and I figured that it was just another strange alteration of some sort carried out by someone with too much spare time and too many files. However, I have recently seen several photos of razors with this same ground out area on the point... I assume that this must have been a common alteration? Does anyone know what the purpose of this half-circle cut out was? I have searched the forum but cannot find any mention of this type of alteration. Any info is appreciated.

Thanks, Justin


Sorry for the photo quality.... photography is not one of my better honed skills.

It's what they call a Barber's Notch - and there are numerous guesses as to what is was for. They are fairly common on the older razors.

....and welcome to SRP!!!

Mystery solved... thanks!

Welcome. I think from all the ideas I've heard my favorite so far is that it was used to help open the razor one handed. You put the notch into your jacket pocket and you could swing the razor open.

BTW, sorry about the flying monkeys taking your picture, it doesn't happen often around here.

I believe that this notch is used in the manufacturing process as a way to consistently hold blades in the same position for grinding, polishing, and any other steps in the manufacturing process.

I've also seen it called a Sheffield notch, and a good many theories about what it's for. I've never seen an ERN razor with a notch, tho', if a better photo isn't available can you tell me what inscriptions there are on the blade (if any) and shank?

One side says "ERN" on the shank and is stamped "Germany" on the tang


The other side says 10 5/8 and has an icon of an eagle attacking a snake both on the shank.


The Barber's Notch does not appear to have been ground at the factory; I think it was done after it was manufactured. I think that this is the case due to the uneven and imprecise grinding that you may be able to see in this picture; it does not seem to have been done with the skill and attention to detail seen in the craftsmanship of the rest of the blade.


Here's a picture of the box just in case that is helpful. It says "ERN Wald Germany" on the body and "Silberne Staate Medaille" and "Goldene Medaille Düsseldorf 1902" along with a "10" on the cap. There are impressions of what appear to medals on the cap as well.


There are no inscriptions on the blade. Let me know if you think the razor is worth refurbishing... it would definitely need new scales.

Thanks... Justin

That is probably a pretty good quality blade. Whats wrong with the scales?

They appear to have been replaced with scales that are too short and the blade won't shut... or possibly the scales are original but the spacer was replaced with an ill-fitting one although I am not sure the blade would clear the front pin even if the spacer was out of the way... since a picture is worth a thousand words... have a look.