Thread: The Stub-Tailed Shavers

Here's a W Greaves I got off the bay a few weeks ago but have failed to show it here. It is a rather old one & deserves to be in this club.

Originally Posted by ScienceGuy

Some manufacturers had a long span of existence and sometimes it's only subtle blade shape changes that give keys to age. We'd really need a picture of your exact razor to be precise. Is it Shepherd or Sheppard?

Here is the razor. It is a Sheppard and looks pretty much like the one that was shown earlier. Any idea on the date of the manufacturer? It looks like it says "Sheppard's Cast Steel" Thanks so much for any help!

My guess is late 1700's, early 1800's

Originally Posted by engine46

My guess is late 1700's, early 1800's

Thanks! Does the "Cast Steel" put it in any type of date range itself? Reason I'm asking this is that I would like to use if for a 1770s hair and shaving display for a British officer during the American War for Independence, but I want to make sure it would pass. I know the overall shape is pretty good. Thanks for your help.

Originally Posted by Hineighbor

Thanks! Does the "Cast Steel" put it in any type of date range itself? Reason I'm asking this is that I would like to use if for a 1770s hair and shaving display for a British officer during the American War for Independence, but I want to make sure it would pass. I know the overall shape is pretty good. Thanks for your help.

I don't think it would go as far back as the 1770's

Originally Posted by Hineighbor

Thanks! Does the "Cast Steel" put it in any type of date range itself? Reason I'm asking this is that I would like to use if for a 1770s hair and shaving display for a British officer during the American War for Independence, but I want to make sure it would pass. I know the overall shape is pretty good. Thanks for your help.

The mark 'Cast Steel' is generally considered to be what superseded 'Acier Fondu'. The changeover seems to have happened around 1780-1790, so that places the razor later rather than earlier.

A British officer would most likely have had razors issued from an upscale London firm (who probably bought the blades from Sheffield). My half-informed guess is that there were a handful of companies with the contract to produce razors for government use.

The blade shape is probably more or less right -- there were other shapes made at that time as well -- but the scales would likely have been ivory or tortoiseshell -- at least in my opinion.

Thanks so much for the information. It is greatly appreciated! How available are earlier 18th century razors?

Originally Posted by Hineighbor

Thanks so much for the information. It is greatly appreciated! How available are earlier 18th century razors?

Sadly, not very. The earliest I've found that I can verify is 1780's. They DO exist, and are out there, but I haven't gotten one myself.

If you want it just for display, it might be possible to commission a non-functional replica.

A friend of mine got this one :



(Yes, I know.. I tried but he doesn't want to sell it..)

Zak, weren't you waiting for some oldies from Germany ?

Wow that's a beauty! The scales look original too. Too bad he won't let ya get it from him!!!