John Milner & Co. (Sheffield) Ltd.

John Milner & Co. (Sheffield) Ltd.


It’s been a short while since I posted one up here so…I just finished restoring this really nice vintage John Milner. I have 2 Milners counting this one, but it's not a name you see that often. I do believe one also resides in "SHARPTOWN TEXAS" if I'm not mistaken?

It’s been in one of my ‘To Do Boxes’ forever and a day, so I pulled it out along with a couple of others that I am working on. It’s finished with a polished Crocus finish and domed oversize brass washers and pins, a lead wedge, and it shaves like a dream…typical Sheffield steel smoothness.


I believe this blade was a fairly early model (pre 1850 certainly), based on the blade profile, and the stamp says simply “JOHN MILNER – SHEFFIELD”, but… It’s really difficult to say who actually made it because according to Tweedale’s Directory there were quite a few John Milners active in the Sheffield area in the 1820’s and 1830’s. One in particular… John Milner & Co. (Sheffield) Ltd.… began his career as an apprentice before 1810 and was based in St. Thomas Street by 1845, and was most notably known as a spring-knife cutler. His son John Milner Jr. also launched a separate company in 1840. The trademark ‘INTRINSIC’ was granted to one of these Milners in 1848.

Anyway…enjoy!

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That turned out really nice well done you excellent restore.

Very nice job. Sweet looking razor.

Well done ,no.. it's very well done ! Lovely restore ! Kudos

Very well done I love the finishes you get with the crocus.
:tu

Very nice work, beautiful grind on this blade and as usual your finishing technique is flawless, Sharptown Texas? you dont say....

Wow, I love it! For me, clean and simple takes the cake every time. You nailed that, exactly.

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Originally Posted by Tarkus

Very well done I love the finishes you get with the crocus.

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Thanks Daryl...it's appreciated!

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Originally Posted by Martin103

Very nice work, beautiful grind on this blade and as usual your finishing technique is flawless, Sharptown Texas? you dont say....

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Thanks for the nice words as well Martin!

BTW... :rofl2: ...'Sharptown' aka 'Sharptonville' LOL! My little play on words...I figured you and a couple of others would get it!

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Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

BTW... :rofl2: ...'Sharptown' aka 'Sharptonville' LOL! My little play on words...I figured you and a couple of others would get it!

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Well, I don't get it! Whassat mean? I got's noooo ideeer? :D

I replied earlier and seem to have not hit the post reply button!
Lovely job, Mike and, as Darl mentioned, the crocus finish is sweet! Are the scales ivory?

I suppose the only way you would know I have one is to see my example posted a while back with the red wedge! :rofl2:
Been meaning to do something about that! :p

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

I replied earlier and seem to have not hit the post reply button!
Lovely job, Mike and, as Darl mentioned, the crocus finish is sweet! Are the scales ivory?

I suppose the only way you would know I have one is to see my example posted a while back with the red wedge! :rofl2:
Been meaning to do something about that! :p

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Thanks Tom! And yeah...actually I saw the 'Milner' you posted a few years back. As far as I know that is the only other 'old' Milner I've seen. I have seen others with the Intrinsic trademark, but those were much newer 20th century razors. But...even if that weren't the case, I would just naturally assume that the famous 'Sharp Objects' Museum in Sharptonville, Texas would most probably have one! :rofl2:

The scales are nice huh? They are not ivory, but they are the ivory-est looking French 'faux ivory' I've ever seen. Very thin and the lines look just like the real thing. The original scales were ivory but sadly they were trashed, so I scaled this beauty with the next best thing IMO. Didn't dare go for the collarless pins however.

Well, it certainly looks sweet!

John Milner was the stuff, eh? :D

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Well, it certainly looks sweet!

John Milner was the stuff, eh? :D

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Ya beat me to it. LMAO

The REAL John Milner drove that badass duece you pictured. Myabe he was from Sheffield Park, CA or Sheffield Village, CA.
https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=...affiti.jpg&f=1

Oh, sweet razor. ;)

"Maybe he was from Sheffield Park, CA or Sheffield Village, CA."

Pretty funny Wullie! :rofl2::rofl2::rofl2:

Well, in any case, the history bits of John Milner (the razor maker!) was certainly appreciated in the OP! :bow

Tom...

This particular John Milner was apparently considered to be a top craftsman. According to The Sheffield Independent, 29 September 1863 described him as "exceedingly ingenious, and among many improvements introduced by him was the lock knife, of which he claimed to be the inventor"..."it was said that he was the best spring knife cutler in town, and as a debater he was considered unequaled in argument". Quite a character it would seem!

So clean! Very nice.

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Originally Posted by cheetahmeatpheonix

So clean! Very nice.

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Thank you kindly!

Another Beauty! :tu

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Originally Posted by Chevhead

Another Beauty! :tu

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Hey Thanks Chev! Always great to hear from you... the 'FLOCK (of DUCKs) FANCIER' :D