Antique Store Find, I need help identifying my first Straight Razor :)

Today i went to all the antique shops in town and the surrounding area in order to find a straight razor.
This was my favorite of them all, one other came close.. dont know what it was, but it had a camel engraved on the blade

Anywho, this is the one i settled on, and got for $30
There are no dings or nicks in the blade, and absolutely 0 hone wear
There is very very little oxidization that had just started on the back of the spine. Hardly worth noting as it came right off without any force.
So, i have no idea what this particular straight is, so any wisdom from you guys would be much appreciated :)
and did i get a good deal on it

(sorry for the picture quality, my phone is the only camera i have)

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...psb1ba2792.jpg

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...ps79f84c3e.jpg

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6471764e.jpg

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...ps80f148ab.jpg

One more thing,
Does anyone know where i can get her honed for as cheap as possible, without sacrificing quality..
Im in the willmar area of Minnesota
Perhaps if someone on here would be willing to lend me a hand.. i can pay shipping, it would be a stretch as im unemployed.. but i could spare it

If you can,,take closeups of the front & back of the tang, that is the area most often used to identify razors. I can faintly tell that there is something written there.

Go to our Vendors section & see who might be close to you, than can hone it for you.

Sorry, i just tried to.. but my phone camera isnt good enough.
The metal is so reflective that all you can see is my phone and blur where the words should be.
I can say whats written though :)

"ALEY BOSSIFF & BROS."
"OLEAN, N.Y."

Its on the same side as the scrolling on the blade (its what you noticed in my picture)
The reverse side doesnt say anything

Regarding honing look in the classifieds then member services.. There are great honers in there for reasonable prices..

I would hone it for postage. PM me if interested.

Im sorry for the absolute garbage quality of this picture..
I took a few dozen, and this was the best i could get it to turn out with my phone :/
Hope it helps a little

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...psf89ef64d.jpg

I'm sure someone will b along to help u with info

DualNature,

Welcome! Looks nice. How sharp is the blade? Does it pass the HHT? If so, you may try stropping it ~50 times(I never count.) carefully with the strop layed on a flat surface and shave.

Well done! I too found a Vendor honing service to really be a key part in my learning curve.

Cheers

I dont know what HHT is, but it looks as if it has never ever been sharpedned.. but then again, im as green with this as it gets.
I can tell you though, that it wont cut the hair on my arm WTG, XTG,or ATG
Im going to take Bill3152 up on his offer i think.
I really wanna try this :)
It will also give me a few days more to grow out my joke of a beard..

Nice razor, well done.

Hard, if not impossible, to definitively say who the maker was.

The name you gave was that of a dry goods/hardware dealership c1900s at 521 W. State Street, Olean: they would have imported it from Germany.

Regards,
Neil

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DualNature

I dont know what HHT is, but it looks as if it has never ever been sharpedned.. but then again, im as green with this as it gets.
I can tell you though, that it wont cut the hair on my arm WTG, XTG,or ATG
Im going to take Bill3152 up on his offer i think.
I really wanna try this :)
It will also give me a few days more to grow out my joke of a beard..

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HHT=Hangin Hair Test.

You've answered the question for us though. Get it honed and read up all the while. Hit up the beginner's forum and read the stickies and also go to the Library link and read the wikis and you'll be well on your way to RAD and more. ;)

Most, if not all, the questions you're going to ask like "What do I need to get started and where do I get it?" are answered there. If you haven't found the answer, post in the Beginner's forum. The people here are second to none. Ask anything-- patience, knowledge and wisdom surely abound on SRP!

Thank you for taking some time to try and find it, its much appreciated :)
It came with a box that says the same thing as the tang, and the top is stamped with 4.50, im going to guess thats what it cost back then

I have an old SS St Louis razor from Bossiff Bros. Seems wierd that any hardware in Olean would peddle German razors, given that Olean was the capitol of American razor production.
Still, I would say the OP's razor looks German!

Attachment 144770

It does a bit, doesnt it Tom - I have that crest of a crown in the middle of two banners on several Solingen razors, but I suppose it could be just a coincidence or to confuse... :)

Regards,
Neil

Well, being most likely german is good news.
Do you guys think what i paid for it is fair? $30

I'll be sending it off to get honed tomorrow, with any luck i'll have it back in a weeks time.
I wont shave between now and then, when i'll finally be able to try my first ever SR shave :D
wish me luck

I don't know if it's "fair" or not, but I would of paid that much for it. Looks to be in great shape. Not a fan of the faux bamboo scales, but that's just a preference thing.

I've got one with that same etching! It's a Geneva Cutlery Co...
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...l/IMG_4424.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...l/IMG_4430.jpg

I'm guessing the "etch" was used on a lot of different razors, kind of like the Improved American Eagle one.

And There You Have it, Folks! :D Made by German immigrants, no doubt!

I love that etching :)
Im quite happy that the best condition of all the razors also had the best etching.
Im not a fan of the faux bamboo scales either, so tomorrow my little brother is getting me some purpleheart from school.
Then i will make my own grips, already have them drawn up.

And There You Have It! (again!) Think twice before you separate the blade from the scales.
They were made for each other. JMO

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DualNature

I love that etching :)
Im quite happy that the best condition of all the razors also had the best etching.
Im not a fan of the faux bamboo scales either, so tomorrow my little brother is getting me some purpleheart from school.
Then i will make my own grips, already have them drawn up.

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I don't think replacing scales after getting it honed is a good idea.

Is it bad for a razor to separate the blade from the scales?
I guess what i should be asking.. is it reversible? and does it have any negative effects.

Looks like a nice razor, fair price i say, i would accept the free hone and learn to shave with it, and then a bit later maybe consider a new set of scales. By then you may change your mind and like the ones on it. If you are like any of us on here, you will end up with alot more than one razor anyway.

And shes off!!! to bill3152 to be honed :)
It'll arrive there on friday
Here's a picture of her, how i packaged her to be dang near bomb proof
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...pseeee54ff.jpg


Used one of those bubble wrap lined envelopes. But i was concerned if something where to happen, like something heavy falling on it. I didnt want it to break my razor. so i took the shell of an old M4 style magazine and stuffed it in there. Then packed cloth next to it so it wont wiggle round. It should be near indestructible now, and its put my mind at ease.. thats what matters.
I want to have this razor around long enough to pass onto my son, and then him to my grandson and so on and so forth

Do you wear a belt and braces too :).

I have no idea what you mean, care to specify?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DualNature

I have no idea what you mean, care to specify?

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Sorry, braces would be suspenders in America, it was just a joke about being extra cautious, ie wearing a belt and braces to stop your trousers falling down. No offence was intended, it's better to be safe, though saying.that I was in the post office sending a razor off as I read your post, Mon was in a hard leather pouch with bubbles wrap around it. I thought that'd be good enough, but now you've got me worried :).

One thing you have to factor in when buying a razor is the price of honing if you don't hone yourself. If you can't afford to have it honed then best not purchase it!

Best way to ship a razor IMO is foam pipe insulation.

Im not offended edhewitt, i just had no idea what braces where.

Packing with pipe insulation would have been a good idea if i had some, i barely made it to the post office in time. So i wouldnt have been able to pick any up.
Im just a little paranoid and protective of my stuff. Not to mention my stepdad use to work at the post office, so i know how stuff tends to be handled.

Two thoughts, on IDing the razor ...... Union Cutlery (KA-BAR) is and was in Olean NY so it is possible that they made it for that vendor. Just a thought,

I don't know where Wilmer is in relation to St. Paul , but randydance is a mentor who lives in St Paul, and is always helping new and old members out with tutorials one on one or by USPS.