Some cut-throat trivia from Sydney in the 30's
I emailed my 90 year-old Grandpa the other day to tell him about my new interest in straight razors and see if he had any knowledge to share, (He was a jeweler/watch maker by trade so I thought he might have some honing experience). I also mentioned the current "Underbelly: Razor" series. Here's some of the email that I got back:
The "razor gangs" as Tilly & Kate's gangs were called
were always in the newspapers slashing each other up. I can remember a strip
cartoon in the paper had two dopes called Stiffy and Mo who decided to join
the razor gang and turned up with safety razors which had recently been
invented. The straight razor that you talk about was called the blade razor
or "cut throat" for obvious reasons, not only for their use by the gangs but
everyone that used them including my father, always went around with nicks in
their faces, They took a lot of getting used to and they were always held
with the cover held up by the last two fingers of the hand approx 90 degrees
to the blade.My Dad seemed to bring the blade down his face in quick, short
strokes and upward on his throat and keep the skin as taut as possible with
the other hand.
To keep the keen edge the strop was usually fixed to a door handle and held
fairly firm, the blade was swept up and down always with the keen edge away
from the direction of travel. When they became fairly blunt I think they had
to be sent to the barbers or somewhere to be sharpened on an oilstone or
something. The razor strop was the preferred choice of family punishment for
wrong doers & if your mate said that he had the razor strop this morning,
everyone would say "Oh you poor bugger." I think you're mad trying it. I bet
you haven't told your Mum about it, she would have a fit I'm sure.
Grandpappy
Haha, well if it gives my mum a fit then there's another reason to take up the art! I found it interesting that back then when everyone used to shave with a cut throat they were still always nicked. But I guess it makes sense if it was just a daily chore that they rushed through rather than the art form it has become.
Dean
