Thread: Some custom questions

Hey all, im looking at making a few custom razors based on the "prehistory of modern shaving". So essentially think cavemen, through to antiquities sort of thing... And as can be expected, these wont be traditional straight razors.

So this leads me to beg the question, if the blade and spine run straight down into the handle is there any need for a tang? The grips i'm looking at are contoured to fit the hand as nicely as possible, some using the the thumb extended along the spine for balance...
I've also looked at the whole blade angle and proportions for spine to blade width ratio. My blades are looking to coincide with contemporary blade sizes, however to fit in the theme of the piece have some extended parts tapering down from the back of the spine away from the blade. So other then the balance/weight, manouverability and seeing what your doing dilemmas am i creating any major problems?

Essentially these are a bit of an excercise in design and making where the main thing im looking at is the story and aesthetics, though im still hoping to make these razors as useable as possible..

Cheers for the help!

I'm interested to see what you come up with, but I have some questions.

I'm not sure what you mean when you describe your design. Can you post some pictures?

How prehistoric are you going? Too far back and you'll have to move into bronze, copper, flint/chert, etc. I'm subscribing to this thread because it looks very interesting. I'd love to help any way I can, just let me know what I can do for you.

Charlie Lewis (spazola)? I think has some interesting designs and may be able to help you lewisrazors.com

Welcome to SRP. Early examples of straight razors made in the late 1700s did not have a distinct separation between shaving edge and the tang. This began to change in the early 1800s. You can see some examples of the evolution in the razor clubs forum 'stub tailed shavers'. Having a couple of the early ones and shaving with them I suppose the reason a distinct tang was developed was to avoid the likelihood of accidentally running the thumb pad into the cutting edge.

I believe it was lawsonstone who had some research here on really early razors. You may want to search by user. Others please correct me if I'm wrong.
Don't bother with any knapped razors. I don't think you were planning on it, but as a knapper the knapped razor is worthless and replaced often.

Ill post up some of the sketches i've done as soon as possible.
I'm looking at going proper prehistoric... looking at the shapes of flints, sharks teeth, shells, copper razors - the whole shebang... and then drawing from them for the shapes. Cheers for pointing me in the direction of Charlie Lewis coach, the razors without scales in boxes and on stands are essentially what i've been looking at though was thinking of having something similar to scales which it slid into when not in use but wasn't connected. So a case that adds to the shape of the piece essentially... and it also sounds like i may have to make contact with lawsonstone.
Thanks for helping send me in the right direction all!

This is the earliest one I have restored to date...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...-patience.html

Although these are fun to own and shave with there are reasons why things progressed along certain paths .. Stropping this razor would teach you a thing or two... That is also a spot that many "Custom" razor makers miss the boat, the Stropping is as important as the Shaving and Honing..
There is balance that has to be attained in a well made razor... The razor not only shaves well but it hones easily and flows in the hand while stropping... if one of those three things is off the razor becomes a chore to own and not a pleasure...