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My father has asked me to find out what I can on this. I'm not having any real luck with the searches I've run, so I'm hoping someone here was working as a barber when this was out.
I've got full res pics if anyone needs a better look.
Just trying to figure out what I can as far as manufacturer info and what approx year it was made.
mechanical clippers.
I used to get shaves by my friends mother when I was a kid , with one of those. If this thing is not sharp enough.....but I guess you know that already, I have no idea about the maker and year.
knew what they were, the question is manufacturer and date :p
still works on arm hair (of course I tried), have a feeling they're going to date from around the 50s or 60s (he was born '51, youngest of 4).
I had one like it once, used it to trim a beard and it pulled resulting in pain so I gave it away. In a pinch it would work once you get used to it. How tough are you?
Talk about tough ..... before electric clippers that is what barbers used if I'm not mistaken. No wonder they called them "the greatest generation." Between the depression, 2 wars and getting their hair cut with stuff like that. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by StubbleBuster
I have three or four pairs of those old hand clippers. When they are in good shape they are a delight to use, most especially for trimming sideburns to length before getting down to the serious work with the straight razor. I use my clipper at least once a week.
Judging by what I see at the flea market, these things were made by companies all over the world. A very good one that I have was made by Oster, but I've also seen real beauties from the French and German companies.
When considering one of these old clippers for purchase, make sure that there is no rust and that there are no broken teeth on either the upper or lower blade. Also, there should be a special spring washer under that top thumb knob. The going rate in my area for a pair of clippers like this is anywhere from 2€ up to 15€ depending on condition, whether it still has the original box and (as in all things) who is doing the selling.
Clippers like this can be easily disassembled for cleaning and/or sharpening. Just be careful not to lose any of the pieces. The blades are simply flat-honed on a series of fine stones (guess what we razor aficionados already have in stock?). When reassembling, apply a droplet of oil to the pivot and then a little oil between the blades and another little bit to the top side of the upper blade where it slides against the body of the clipper. That top screw not only holds the whole thing together, but is also serves as a regulator
there are a couple broken teeth on it, but it is still sharp enough. I use an electric trimmer to set the length of my sideburns, think this would be a bit awkward to use for that (the first few times anyways).
ignatz:
What year were yours from? I'm guessing there wasn't much market for them in the household level and it was mainly a barber tool.
I can say in all honesty that I haven't the faintest idea in which year my clipper was manufactured. Had I been lucky enough to find my clippers with the original box and instructions... well, perhaps then I might have a shot at giving you an answer.
The design of these clippers is somewhat "timeless" and this was never the sort of item that underwent major design changes, so that the factories could knock out the same model time after time, year after year without disappointing anyone. I would even suspect that the boxes these clippers came in would only be updated if they began to look too much out of date. These simple, reliable hand clippers had their beginnings in an age before planned obsolescence and shoddy manufacturing processes. They predate the advent of electric-powered clippers - magnetic drive and rotary motor powered - which essentially added power to a proven, working design. The manufacture of similar hand-held clipper models continues right up to today. You can still buy them brand new if you like.
Regarding usage: Yes, definitely for barbers, but also for individual home use. These clippers were also used by groomers and veterinarians for such small animals as dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. and (in somewhat larger versions) for sheep, goats, cows, and so on.
I got my first hair cuts from my father with some clippers like that - which had been in my mother's family for at least a generation. Between my fidgeting and the less tham perfectly sharp clippers, they pulled hair something fierce. Until Pa got some electric clippers, hair cuts were no fun at all.
Nice old mechanical clippers you have there.
Several years ago I bought one from an antique shop and and had it cleaned and sharpened. I set it out in my shop as a conversation piece and it sat there for about a year doing nothing...until the power went out for 3 hours on a Saturday morning.
Well, not wanting to disappoint anyone I picked them up and did the next 3 haircuts with them . They worked great!!! We all laughed alot in the dark and had a great time, but everyone got their haircuts.
Needless to say, I still keep them around.
Jimmy's correct. Those are mechanical/hand operated hair clippers--long since replaced by the electric version.
My grandfather had a pair of them. I think he bought them so that he could save money on hair cuts to have more money to spend on booze.
I have a pair exactly like that. When I got them 3 years ago they cut hair comfortably. Unfortunately they picked up some rust during a few moves and no longer cut well.
There are still new clippers like these made in Germany and Pakistan. The Paki clippers go out to all of east Asia, where barbering is more low-tech. I don't know where the German clippers usually end up, but possibly all over East Asia as well, considering my experience with Pakistani steel.
I know that type of clipper was still a standard piece of headquarters equipment for Army combat units when I went to Desert Shield/Storm. I managed to avoid them by shaving my head for most of the deployment. I only had a field-haircut once and for that the First Sergeant fired up a generator and a set of power clippers, which must have been thoroughly dulled from the sand in our hair by the time he finished barbering the artillery battery. I expect those clippers are still part of headquarters gear; the Army has no plans to let its soldiers grow their hair long, no matter how far they may serve from an approved civilian barber.
A quick search reveals H. Dorwal of Solingen, Germany made pocket knives, table cutlery and even guns too.
Not a lot can be found on the company itself it seems, but here I found this remark:
That seems to be corroborated by the information on a sample set of 22 Böker knifes in a box marked H. Dorwal Solingen here.Quote:
At the Blade Show Ernst Felix gave me the history, adding that Dorwal was a trademark of Boker’s for knives to be sold in the Canadian market.
Still no date on your clippers, but maybe the above helps you in your quest.
Well, if that's the case (being a Boker brand for the canadian market).
It's as early as 1865, and given that my father remembers getting haircuts as a child with them (born 1951), it's anywhere in that 90year period. but at least we're narrowed down now.Quote:
World Knives: Knives of Solingen, Germany
Hermann and Robert Boeker, for example, began production of sabers in 1829 in nearby Remscheid. By 1830 his firm was producing up to 2000 swords per week and employed more than 100 smiths, grinders and laborers.
Later Hermann Boeker would emigrate to the US and founded H. Boeker & Co. in New York. Robert brought the Boeker company to Canada and Mexico in 1865.
In 1869 Heinrich Boeker moved the short distance to Solingen, Germany which was fast becoming a hot bed for industrial tool production. He founded Heinr. Boeker and Co. which produced shaving blades, scissors and pocket knives. As the overseas demand for pocket knives grew, Heinr. Boeker and Co. began to produce more pocket knives and fewer scissors and razors.
As early as the turn of the century the majority of Boeker knives have been exported to the US and distributed by H. Boker & Co. in New York.
According to Goins H Dorwal was in business between 1900 and 1920
Hope this helps
My, that takes me back. Used to have those used on me as a kid, not an entirely pleasant memory.
Looks to me like that thing would give you a good case of carpal tunnel.