Thread: How To: Research a razor (warning: long post)

For basic straight razor history (when certian materials were used for scales, certian stamps or steels used) these are good:
The Standard Guide to Razors by Roy Ritchie (Author) , Ron Stewart (Author)
ISBN-13: 978-0891456582

Straight Razor Collecting: An Illustrated History and Price Guide ISBN-13: 978-0891451266

For anything more specific, you may need to focus on a particular area such as Sheffiled or Solingen (SP?)

Best of luck!

Just be warned about the Ritchie book, with Sheffield stuff there is some misinformation there. For a LOT of information on Sheffield cutlers, I recommend Geoffrey Tweedale's Directory (and now the second edition is out): Tweedale’s Directory of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers, 1740 – 2013 by Geoffrey Tweedale

MattCB, that book "Straight Razor Collecting - An Illustrated History and Price Guide" must be quite a collectors item…I've checked a couple of places on line and its up around $200. Ouch.

ScienceGuy thanks for the tip on Tweedale's Directory. I'm putting it on the list.

Amazon has a used copy for $90 atm, but just be patient and look around. I think I paid abuot $50. I would also recomend abebooks.com to look for specific niche books.


I need to make this a Wiki or something. I can't edit the original posts to add new references, add pictures, or fix errors

Originally Posted by paulp

MattCB, that book "Straight Razor Collecting - An Illustrated History and Price Guide" must be quite a collectors item…I've checked a couple of places on line and its up around $200. Ouch.

ScienceGuy thanks for the tip on Tweedale's Directory. I'm putting it on the list.

Aside from the fact that the 'Straight Razor Collecting' book is out of print and extremely expensive, I've yet to see an excerpt from it that wasn't full of factual errors. It is probably a good source of pictures of old razors, but any information about them should be considered with a salt-shaker handy.

Unfortunately there isn't really a single, excellent 'spotters guide'. Tweedale's directory is, without doubt, the best for histories, but its focus is on the companies and not the products, so it won't be as useful for identifying marks or design features (though not always).

Anything which purports to be a 'price guide' should be viewed as an attempt by the authors to maintain the values of their own collections and nothing more. There actually are collector markets with steady, identifiable pricing, but antique razors are not one.

(Full disclosure, I'm cited in the 2nd edition of Tweedale's Directory and provided several pictures of old razors)

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Aside from the fact that the 'Straight Razor Collecting' book is out of print and extremely expensive, I've yet to see an excerpt from it that wasn't full of factual errors. It is probably a good source of pictures of old razors, but any information about them should be considered with a salt-shaker handy.

Unfortunately there isn't really a single, excellent 'spotters guide'. Tweedale's directory is, without doubt, the best for histories, but its focus is on the companies and not the products, so it won't be as useful for identifying marks or design features (though not always).

Anything which purports to be a 'price guide' should be viewed as an attempt by the authors to maintain the values of their own collections and nothing more. There actually are collector markets with steady, identifiable pricing, but antique razors are not one.

(Full disclosure, I'm cited in the 2nd edition of Tweedale's Directory and provided several pictures of old razors)

Tweedale's is GREAT!

Thanks Zak...

Much obliged for the post, Matt. Any opportunity to read about, and learn about, razors is appreciated.

It's all good. I do not have the body of knowledge that a lot of the people here have, but I hoped to point some people in the right direction.

NEED HELP:At 73 I jumped into the straight razor generationbefore I knew it I am up to 40 razors and still cannot figure how to get a ready shave sharpeness?I have stones 1000,2000/5000,6000,8000,10,000 I always start with a bevel with the 1000 and work up.Most time they come out sharp,but not ready shave sharp I see ready shave razors on e.bay and it looks like they made ONE pass with something and its ready shave,how do they do that????Getting frustrated fastThank you.

Well, you will hear this preached religiously around here, but 90% of the work is making sure the bevel is set correctly. Then progress up through the stones and use pastes/sprays (or not) and 75 - 100 laps on plain leather. Without a little more info on where you are having problems, that's just a general shot in the dark.

Take a look at the Library area and read on the Hones/Honing Sections:
Category:Stropping - Straight Razor Place Library
Category:Honing - Straight Razor Place Library
Category:Hones - Straight Razor Place Library