Thread: How did it go back in the day?

I'm curious as to how straight razor shavers in the past handled keeping their razors sharp. Back in the early 1900s, when straights were the main means of shaving, I don't expect every person had a compliment of hones and other tools to keep their razors sharp. Did they take them to their barber every couple of weeks? Were there sharpening services in town where someone could drop off their knives or razors? I can't imagine everyone was their own honemeister. Does anyone know?

Ed

It was Lynn's grandfather they sent them to.

Well i am sure if you were part of the wealthy class that your man servant or valet did most of the sharpening for you. If you were not so lucky as to be part of this class you probably had a bit o stone that had been handed down for generations (if you were indeed lucky) otherwise you may have had to do with the services of a barber occasionally. I am sure most of the lower class was not too worried about shaving all the time. Just for sundays and possibly when you went to the next town to pick out a wife. Maybe i am pessimistic.


Jmy. Ellis

Yeah, some of the older generations have told me that back in the day, shaving wasn't really a priority for the common working man. They'd either shave themselves before church on Sundays, or have it done at the barber shop.

But as for owning a stone? I would guess that even the poorest of shavers would have one kicking around. Probably nothing like the Nortons we all have, but something that'd do the trick. All of those really old straight razors are in rough condition for a reason.

My mother (1907-1997) told me her father Granvill Marsh (1869-1930) never shaved himself in his life. Always went to town, Payne, OH, to the barber 3X a week for his shaves. He was a farmer, and there was never a lot of cash, so I'm assuming shaves were much cheaper in real cost then. She said he didn't have a very heavy beard.

Originally Posted by EdinLA44

Did they take them to their barber every couple of weeks? Were there sharpening services in town where someone could drop off their knives or razors? I can't imagine everyone was their own honemeister. Does anyone know?Ed

I read somewhere that barbers sharpened razors for customers. Remember that the early barber was also a surgeon, so they had the equipment to sharpen delicate things. There also were knife sharpeners that came around periodically (as did the fish mongers and all sorts of other cart vendors selling vegetables, eggs, etc.) in the larger cities -- I'd guess they honed razors too.

I inherited my great grandfathers str8 and strop/hone. Basically a boxed wet stone with a piece of strop leather attached to the lid. Circa 1935.

Originally Posted by RichZ

It was Lynn's grandfather they sent them to.

Now that's funny !

Tony

In the 18th century, a clean shaved face was what every "civilized" man wore. Their concept of clean shaved was a little different, in that they would shave a few times a week, just to keep their facial hair to a reasonable length. They really didn't try to achieve the extremely close shave that we do today. Every other day was quite acceptable for townies, and a couple of times a week for someone who lived out in the country. They would shave to go into town, as it was just not socially acceptable to appear in public with facial hair.

The British Army standard was that the soldier was to shave three times a week, with one shave mandated before going to "Divine Services" on Sunday. This was brought forward in the Continental Army, too.

In the 19th century, barbers or the traveling knife shapener would sharpen your razor for you if you didn't have a hone of your own. As the century progressed, it was more common for a city dweller to own his own hone, but it was also more fashionable to wear facial hair, so I'm sure there were a lot of folks who didn't own a hone, too.

Thanks for all the replies. I'll bet if you were a farmer, you were used to sharpening things anyway and seeing as how you'd only shave 2 or 3 times a week, you could probably go for quite awhile without honing your razor. The city folk probably just took it to a sharpening service or had the barber do it.