Thread: The Straight Razor as a Weapon

Hi all,

Watching an TV Australian series called Underbelly on U.S. NetFlix where seasons 1 to 3 are available. Really quite good.

Season 4 (not available on NetFlix but is available elsewhere) is called Underbelly: Razor (set in Sydney in the 1920's)

Apparently the T.R.Cadman and sons Bengall razor was the weapon of choice for local street gangs.

I love all my Bengall razors. I wonder if any of them........ ?

- Totton

Well bone does leave nicks.

Back when I were young all ethnics had their own favored blades. Certain ethnics were noted for razor fighting. The razor in question was often a wedge. Sometimes with the spine taped to prevent it going too deep and cutting an artery??? There were a few books on "Fighting with a Straight Razor." The idea was to "bleed out" and weaken the opponent. Slicing and dicing was the game.
" I gonna cut you long deep and often!"

Close Shaves: The Complete Book of Razor Fighting: Bradley Steiner: 9781559500081: Amazon.com: Books
~Richard
A half vast fund of mis information.

The thought is terrifying. I'd rather be in a gun fight.

Originally Posted by Regalzack

The thought is terrifying. I'd rather be in a gun fight.

Yes, I get involuntary testicular retraction when I think too deeply about it also!
~Richard

What a bad choice for a weapon.

Too light, horrible handle, one attack angle and an edge so delicate that hair dulls it.


I've been in two fights where knives were drawn... it's not something you want to get into intentionally. Nobody wins. So why bring a one trick pony?

Originally Posted by 94Terp

... why bring a one trick pony?

Nobody wants to get cut.

Properly handled a razor does much more than cut - it creates ingress, egress, manages, motivates or supresses the action(s) of others. I don't recommend this line of thinking but, for short duration, they are cheap, disposible, unambiguous, silent, quick and produce a large measure of situational control in the right hands.

Everybody said it was a shame

'Cause her mama was aworkin' on the chain-gang

a wretched, spiteful, straight-razor totin' woman,

Lord have mercy.

Poke Salad Annie
Tony Joe White

Originally Posted by MisterMoo

Nobody wants to get cut.

Also, the blade was often wrapped around the fist like brass knuckles...A punch or two or three apparently misses and a couple minutes after that the other guy is out of it.
Remember, some guys after a good drunk, did this for bragging rights every Saturday night.
~Richard

Originally Posted by Geezer

...some guys after a good drunk, did this for bragging rights every Saturday night. ~Richard

Figures we're both from port towns.