Thread: Recent razors

Just picked up a couple of new razors the other day and I need some help with the identiy one of them. Sorry no pics right now, I'll have my camera back and working pretty soon I hope. Anyways it was pretty cool, I was on my way to the hardware store and right next door they just put in a antique mall. So I ended up in there first. Cruised around a little bit and found a display with some straights in it and had the lady open it up for me.

The first razor is a Wade & Butcher, 7/8. A nice meat chopper of a blade. Blade needs some work on it with sandpaper, etc. but the scales are hopeless. They are shot. But anyways, I grabbed it up for the blade and at $5.00 why not.

The second one is what I was really excited about (and is the one I need help with). The tang reads: CLEMENTS and the other side of the tang reads: made entirely in Sheffield. On the blade itself, the same side as CLEMENTS, it is engraved with the words: "High Speed" and then around that in a circular pattern is the words "Highly Magnetic". By the way, what does a magnetic blade do? I have no idea and have always wondered myself. Anyways, the scales are perfect. The are a thick white ivory material or maybe bone, I don't know which. Hell, they could be plastic for all I know but they look great anyways. The blade was perfect also. No heavy tarnish, no rust, no scatches and when I cleaned it up with a little MAAS it looked brand new. Just need to hone and go to town with it now. Anyways, I picked it up for a whopping $10.00. At rates like these, I'm going to stay away from eBay for awhile. Anways, I was hoping someone here might have heard of a CLEMENTS and have something to say about them. The condition of it and the fact that it was made in Sheffield was good enough for me, I was just hoping to find out a little more if at all possible.

Thanks in advance,
-Pary

Yeah, I've been saying for ages that antique stores and flea markets are the places to go for cheap razors. Unlike eBay, there's no competition there. More often than not, the razors you find will have been sitting on a shelf for years and the merchant wants nothing more than to just get rid of them. I've got my hands on two really nice Wade and Butchers at antique stores. A sweet Genco. Lots of 'em!

In fact, I think I'm going to seek out some new antique stores today. You've inspired me.

I look forward to seeing your pictures, as I have never heard of this razor you describe.

My guess is that the word "magnetic" was put on lots of products back in the day, before most people knew what magnets were. The poor folk had probably heard whisper from the educated people in town (and in the paper, if they could read) about "magnetic fields" and "magnetism." It would have been quite the buzz word. Kind of like how the word "laser" is on so much stuff nowadays. To most, lasers are "cutting edge," so if their new Gillette has it written on the package, it must be great!

...that was a bullshit answer.

Maybe it just has something to do with what kind of steel was used in its fabrication? I don't know.

In the old days it was thought that a blade with magnetic properties would make the wiskers stand up and would therefore give a better shave. Just like the new Gillette razor with the battery in it is supposed to do the same thing.

People believed it then and they believe it now and who says you can't sell snakeoil to the masses.

Thanks for the input guys...while I can maybe see how a vibrating gillette could stand up some hairs, I don't know about the magnetic straight being able to do it. Sounds a little crazy to me.

-Pary