Thread: Here is a silly thought.

I can't help but wonder just how good were "average guys" at honing their razors back when there were only straight razors. I wonder this because many of the old razors you see on ebay, as well as a couple of my grandpas/great granpas razors are flat on the spines with deep scratches. If they are flat but smooth, they've obviously been honed with a smooth hone, but some of the deep scratches indicate perhaps someone tried a hone meant for pocket knives. My father told me that he can't remember my grandfathers ever even owning any barbers hones. Then again this may be why they put them all in a box and never used them again. Again, I'm not talking about a barber, or someone who done it professionally, just "average joes"

I would expect very few individuals honed their own razors, a far smaller percentage than the user base here. Barbers were too common-place & convenient for touching up a not-so-keen razor years ago.

Not so silly. This question comes up from time to time on SRP. I always answer with a passage from Mark Twain as writings from the time are the best way to gauge a reply to your question. A Google search of "Mark Twain" and Barber might get you more readings that this one: About Barbers - Mark Twain

My Barber is in his 70's and finished my haircuts with a trimming of my side burns, back if neck and around the ears w/ a straight razor of my own I bring along. He often comments on how sharp and smooth the edges are and how most of the barbers he worked with could not get an edge as smooth or sharp as mine. Viewing vintage razors, especially the ones that were used by barbers, you might notice heavy wear on the toe compared to the heel. My guess based on all of this is that on average the edges were not as good as we here on SRP have made a standard for shave ready. There are lots of people using the term shave ready but I would guess many fall short. A few years ago the SRP finishing hone of choice was a Norton 8k. We are miles past that now.

Originally Posted by CStevens

Then again this may be why they put them all in a box and never used them again.

I think the DE razors had more to do with the straights being relegated to the box than anything else, for the 'average joe' I mean.

I wish they would have left a few of those in the old box as well lol.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I think the DE razors had more to do with the straights being relegated to the box than anything else, for the 'average joe' I mean.

It's no coincidence that full beards were more common, prior to the development of the safety razor.

The knowledge base (with instructional videos, etc.) that's been gathered here is light years beyond what any average guy would have had access to back then.

On the other hand, coticules and Eschers have certainly been in circulation for a while.

The question actually has a different answer and gets very confusing to us now..

First off "They" didn't get the razor sharp, is was sharp when they bought it, many companies relied on their reputation of having a smooth shaving edge from the box...
Most Barber's and everyday men simply "Maintained the edge of the razor, and as we have re-learned today this can be done quite easily with any of those Stones and Hones.. There are many on this forum that have razors that have been shaving smoothly for years that are Maintained with one stone or a Barber's hone..

There is also a lost profession from the old days called a Cutler, who everyone turned to, for actual "Sharpening" they were the ones that fixed blades, much like we have what we call "Honemiesters" now...

We buy blades today that are in terrible shape, and make them back into shavers, that wasn't the case when straight razors were popular, heck it wasn't even the case on this forum 5 years ago.. There were plenty of NOS razors that simply required a quick touch up to be shave ready available on e-Bay for low money..
Now we are basically scrapping the bottom of the supply barrel and it requires way more work to find razors of that caliber..

Straight razor shaving today has changed quite a bit from the past...

IMO most people couldn't maintain what we today would consider a "shave ready" edge including many barbers.

It was common for cutlers to peddle their wares and services including sharpening.

Most men didn't expect to achieve BBS everyday. Most men worked 12 hour days 6 days a week. A blade which could perform a single WTG pass which was visually clean was adequate.

Even today IMLE there are many more people honing razors than people capable of achieving "shave ready". If it shaves their face successfully.....well YMMV.

The widespread adoption of the safety razor IMHO was fueled significantly by the simplicity of the safety razor's maintenance(virtually none)and skill required for use(easily acquired).

My ancestors were skilled trades people for the most part going back two generations or more and judging by the hones and blades they left behind they didn't have the skill to maintain a straight razor.

I suspect that we are underestimating the skill and resourcefulness of our forefathers. If we could travel back to their time I expect we would find that most honed their own razors very well, with stones that many of us would consider to be too coarse.