Heyooo

Hi everyone I am just starting to get into the hobby of straight razor shaving. I am currently using a parker shavette and prorsao shaving soap and preshave cream.

Last night my dad gave me my grandfathers old straight razor. It is a Sears and Roebuck sta-sharp has Chicago Illinois stamped on the blade. I have been looking around to see exactly how old it is but I am not finding anything but general years.

Here is a couple pics of it.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...-17-15_251.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...-17-39_227.jpg

Welcome,
Well sometimes that's all there is on certain razors, general dates. That's a fine razor; I would clean her up, have her honed & get to shaving.
Your grandfather would like that.
Enjoy your journey here.

Welcome to SRP. Sears Roebuck had a few different companies making razors for them. What you have there is one of the best of the bunch. I'm pretty sure it was made by Koeller in Solingen.

Note the Kayser Ellison steel on the box lid. They were a company in the UK that exported steel to Solingen for fine cutlery among other things. I would guess 1950s but it may have been 1930s. The end of the thirties and all of the forties was taken up with the war.

I have a couple like yours. Outstanding shavers. Check out member services here and get her honed up and also the beginner's guide here for info on getting started right. :gl:

Thanks that is my plan to clean it up and use it, though I don't have the equipment to hone and strop it yet. Jimmy I will consider having it honed for me it needs some work. Rust has left some pits and nicks on the edge.

I am still learning with the shavette, I must be doing something right because it has been 12 hours and no shadow yet. Judging by the time frame my grandfather would have bought this I would say it was made or bought in the early 1930s.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by insanity

Judging by the time frame my grandfather would have bought this I would say it was made or bought in the early 1930s.

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What I have always found interesting about the sta-sharp razors is that the Sears Sta-Sharps weren't marked made in Germany. I have little doubt that they were because I've got Koeller made in Germany that are marked sta-sharp on the scales and Koeller on the tang. They also have the same decorative band stamped into the tang.

If that were my razor, and I was starting out, I would either get it pro honed , or put it away and do nothing with it until I have learned to hone well with other razors that did not have the heirloom value that one does. IOW, make your honing mistakes on inconsequential blades.

Thanks for the advice I am very concerned with keeping this razor for a very long time. I think I will contact Lynn and have him do some pro restoration and honing on it.

My uncle just gave me some more history on this razor. My grandfather never used a straight razor but my great grandfather did. My great grandfather also put his son through barbers school and would make his son shave him every day until he opened his own barber shop.

This razor could be my great grandfathers or my great uncles.

Pretty Cool isn't it having a heritage razor!!!!

That razor should clean up and look brand new very easily. With that said, I fully recommend that you have a pro do it for you! I have my favorite restorer but then again I'm biased! Here's what he did for my great grandfather's razor.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...ered-horn.html

With that said, he loves trying to keep razors as close to original as possible!!

I recommend that you PM him about sending that beautiful razor to him!! You will not be disappointed with his restoration or honing!!

Thanks it is very nice to have an heirloom. He did a very good job on your grandfathers razor. I have already contacted Lynn to take care of it for me.

Really cool razor and the fact that it
has a family history definitely puts it
over the top.

The fact that it's a Sears and Roebuck
makes it a real piece of Americana...IMO

Terry