Thread: # 14

@ justinA: thank you Justin for sharing your theory. This is what this topic is all about: sharing pictures, facts, fiction and theories together.

Regards, Jazor.

Thx J,all good observations.Other than the fact that the Pelican is a beautiful Blade,it has nothing in common with the other 14s (except the number)
Has got to be some common denomenator to 14s,is part of a numbering system such as Filly 12-13-14.
Blade profile,size,wgt???????????? you just do not stamp a tool,any tool, with a number without a meaning.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Thx J,all good observations.Other than the fact that the Pelican is a beautiful Blade,it has nothing in common with the other 14s (except the number)
Has got to be some common denomenator to 14s,is part of a numbering system such as Filly 12-13-14.
Blade profile,size,wgt???????????? you just do not stamp a tool,any tool, with a number without a meaning.

Bill, I have an idea somewhat inspired by what you said about barbers ordering "3 #14's" suppose these blades were predominantly marketed to barbers, if so the numbers 12, 13, and 14 could denote size ranges. I have seen a trend in that all NOS 14's lie between 7/8-8/8+, #13's between 6/8-7/8-, #12's 4/8-11/16, I imagine barbers would all have a size preference and to save time for both barber and salesman the barber could for example say "let me see what models you have in a #14 since that's what I like" or "what do you have in #12 I need a new razor for under the nose and tight spots" the numbers appear only in semi modern blades in areas that were developed and had many razor producers, it's possibly it was a classification system at the height of barbering itself and not necessaily the height of straights.

Note: Some I've seen that don't fit the size mold never seem to be NOS even if claimed.

Just a thought.

Ps. I really want one of those pelicans now, I will be on the hunt for one at a decnt price, the addictions steps it's level up again!

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Thx J,all good observations.Other than the fact that the Pelican is a beautiful Blade,it has nothing in common with the other 14s (except the number)
Has got to be some common denomenator to 14s,is part of a numbering system such as Filly 12-13-14.
Blade profile,size,wgt???????????? you just do not stamp a tool,any tool, with a number without a meaning.

Bill, I have an idea somewhat inspired by what you said about barbers ordering "3 #14's" suppose these blades were predominantly marketed to barbers, if so the numbers 12, 13, and 14 could denote size ranges. I have seen a trend in that all NOS 14's lie between 7/8-8/8+, #13's between 6/8-7/8-, #12's 4/8-11/16, I imagine barbers would all have a size preference and to save time for both barber and salesman the barber could for example say "let me see what models you have in a #14 since that's what I like" or "what do you have in #12 I need a new razor for under the nose and tight spots" the numbers appear only in semi modern blades in areas that were developed and had many razor producers, it's possibly it was a classification system at the height of barbering itself and not necessaily the height of straights.

Note: Some I've seen that don't fit the size mold never seem to be NOS even if claimed.

Just a thought.

Ps. I really want one of those pelicans now, I will be on the hunt for one at a decnt price, the addictions steps it's level up again!

The Pelican and the matching Strop are awsome in their own right but are a totally different animal from any of the #14s I have seen... I have the set and it would be among the last razors to ever leave my collection

I still find it rather odd that the old advertsing isn't giving us clues to this conundrum, if the #14 was as sought after as we seem to think they are then why haven't we seen bragging rights ????

Originally Posted by gssixgun

The Pelican and the matching Strop are awsome in their own right but are a totally different animal from any of the #14s I have seen... I have the set and it would be among the last razors to ever leave my collection

I still find it rather odd that the old advertsing isn't giving us clues to this conundrum, if the #14 was as sought after as we seem to think they are then why haven't we seen bragging rights ????

If these are alll razors made for barber use, then it could be something that was intended for barbers and salesman to discuss and have nothing to do with blanks all produced from the same forges, the numbers could simply be industry knowlege in a time when industries kept secrets from the public, and as for the profile they are similar but not exact maybe that profile and grind was just a huge success somost companies produced one of their own as to not miss out on a popular demographic? Look at cars there are always cars that to someone not into cars could easily mistake or for another because the size and profile is so popular, BMW 5 series, Audi a4, and multiple Mercedes, all ridiculously similar from different companies.

I've been thinking about this a lot the past two days. Lol

Glen,pls explaine sought after and bragging rights,you do not see alot of 14s so how would they be sought after?back in the day.
Justin you bring up great points,Straights were nothing but tools of the trade,pure conjecture on my part but say a Barber was doing 30/50 shaves a day at a buck ea. would he want to swing a 14 all day?
Maybe they bought differant sizes for differant customers,say you have some little skinny guy with angular features,maybe the barber would want a #12 blade in say 5/8 or whatever, next customer is a 300 lb, hog jowelled banker,so maybe the barber would use an 8/8 14,lot more surface area to cover,maybe less time and motion (wiping/rinsing lather)time spent= money made.The old time shops I have been told were busy places,move them in, move them out.
Has to be an answere,not a clue tho.

Look at the brands ie: DD, Boker, Henckels, and many of the American ones, we see quite a bit of old advertising whether the claims were true or not makes no never mind, but I have not seen the same for any of the #14 stuff and this question has come up way more then in this thread...
But no one has popped an ad yet

"Preferred by Barber's the World over the famous #14 Razor"
"Blanks Forged at the Henckenrath Razorwerks forge in Solingen Germany"
"Final Grinding and Doble' Tempering done by Filarmonica

Or something like a competitor ad saying

"The DublDuck Wonderedge 8/8 size razor now something that shaves better then the old #14"




See I have seen nothing like that and that doesn't make any sense to me we see ads about everything they could think of to sell razors but nothing about the #14 ?????

BTW the #14 Filarmonicas were downright plentyful just 2 short years ago there were at least 20 on ebay NOS in the package every day ... and that means they had papers in there

Glen, the problem and the question is/was,what is a 14? you still see tons of filly 14s,how do's a 14 differ from a 13, or a 12? blade size? (NOT) this is a great thread for educational purposes,keep an open mind

On the Filarmonicas, yes the blade size IF you are looking at NOS, but also the "Design" differs too the classic hump back doesn't go with all of them or the grind... you are also correct on the weight because of the tang thickness changes

#10 #12 #13 #14

3/8, 5/8, 6/8, and 8/8 in NOS.. there were some later models that were sold at Classic and a few other places that didn't follow any of the old rules and were not number stamped that sized in at 7/8

But I haven't seen any other numbers yet... Note how I keep mentioning NOS because once they have been honed a few times the size is no longer legit...