Thread: newbie question about restoration/honing

I think the little one looks like a corn/callus knife. You got one hell of a collection there. Very cool.

You know, they actually don't look anywhere near as bad as I have seen, coming from Knife Shops...
I can tell you for sure that Torrey "Our 136" is a sweet slicer, I restored one back in July....
Also the one with the yellow scales that all I can see is an M on the Tang is that a Mack??? If it is, that might be your best shaver out of all of them...

You have a lot of potential there, the only one that looks like trouble that you posted pics of, is the frame back that says Imported Sliver Steel on the spine... cant make out the makers stamp...

The small razor in the midst of the rest is probably a corn razor. For slicing corns from your feet. Some nice ones in there.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Also the one with the yellow scales that all I can see is an M on the Tang is that a Mack??? If it is, that might be your best shaver out of all of them...

You have a lot of potential there, the only one that looks like trouble that you posted pics of, is the frame back that says Imported Sliver Steel on the spine... cant make out the makers stamp...

The one in the group picture, third from the bottom is a Mack. It has a close-up just below. I held that one back from the knife guy to see what he could do with less intense jobs. Other than the spot, it is probably in the best condition.

As for the other razor - the discoloration makes the stamp difficult to read. My best effort:
MARSHES&SHEPHERD
PONDS WORKS
SHEFFIELD

Thanks again for the reassurance. It's nice to know these things aren't irreparable.

If I were to start by only sending 3 or 4 off for repair, any thoughts on how I should select which ones go? I figure I'll send (from what my newbie eye can discern) a wedge and a hollow (I have a thin beard and a roommate's is much thicker). Then maybe the Mack?

I just realized you have 2 "Our 136" razors, NICE !!!!

Those are good center of the field razors right there, medium grinds, medium size, easy to handle... Those might be the starter razors of choice....

The Mack is a full hollow, and they are capable of extremely sharp edges...

NICE score there....

The Sheffield is a very good maker too, Pond Works razors have a strong following here...

You did pretty darn good on those razors, some are going to need more work than the others, but all in all looks pretty good....

Glen, I can't believe you didn't recognize the Marshes &Shepherd, but then I guess you got a tunnel vision on the Mack
I do want to know how does it compare to yours, may be you got a 'Chronic' as well.
As far as the Marshes go, in my opinion, these are one of the best razors to come out of sheffield. Yours is from 1830-1837.
You got a lot of really nice razors there.

Since the stamps aren't quite visible on all of the razors, I figured I'd enumerate what's up there.

JOSEPH ELLIOT
FOR BARBERS USE

MANUFACTURED BY
WADE&BUTCHER
SHEFFIELD

MACK

the "our 136" blades (1 of 2 is missing the scales)
THE J.R. TORREY CO
US (logo)
WORCESTER, MASS

JOSEPH RODGERS& SONS
CUTLERS TO THEIR MAJESTIES
No6 NORFOLK STREET
SHEFFIELD

MARSHES&SHEPHERD
PONDS WORDS
SHEFFIELD

MANUFACTURED BY
FREDERICK REYNOLDS
SHEFFIELD
("THE OLDE ENGLISH RAZOR" on scales)

and one final one with interchangeable blades marked from the durham duplex razor co from New York.

All but the Durham are worth keeping.