My 8/8 eBay mystery razor.

So this razor caught my eye on eBay and I thought I would take a chance bidding on it. The pics didn't show much and the description didn't tell me much either. However, it looked like something special. Won the auction for $12.75. Got it in the mail today and found an 8/8 blade with a thin hallow grind and horn scales. The stamp says "celebrated C. Steel razor set for use"(no other markings). Scales will be replaced. Blade is in really good shape and popped arm hair. Should hone up pretty easy. The shadowy pic is from the eBay add. Any ideas what this could be?

No Clue but a nice looking blade,If you think the scales are orig to the razor,maybe try to save them,they look like ebony.

I think I would clean it and hone it and give it a whirl. I don't see the big hurry to change the scales. You rolled the dice and if it shaves nice you have a great score. i don't think there are too many like that hanging around.

For $12.75 that was a huge score - what a great find!!

Give it a try and let us know....

Nice find. Looks like a beauty.

I dont think that the scales are original because they just don't seem to fit the blade right. As they are right now, the toe of the blade will peek through the bottom of the scales when closed. The pins are nice and snug and it doesn't look like the scales are warped at all. It seems a blade this wide with such a thin grind should have wider scales. I have a couple slabs of buffalo horn that have been waiting for a worthy blade. I'll definitely save these scales for something else.

Those probably aren't the original scales, no, but they are very nice. Maybe just not on that razor, because I don't think you can get that razor to fit right there. Sometimes with the bigger razors they'll peek through the bottom because the scales have warped a bit, or been forced closed too tight, but those just look like they weren't designed for that razor.

As for the razor itself, that's a very good question. It's been extensively reground and the maker's stamp was probably in the middle of the blade face, back when it was a wedge. That mark is now gone forever.

C. Steel would be 'Cast Steel' which is (and this is as precise as I can get) suggestive of being made before 1840.

The marketing copy inside the little cartouche on the tang is pretty distinctive, but all the razors I've seen with that sort of feature have the manufacturer's name there. The ones I can think of off the top of my head are Ashton Jackson & Co, Ramapo Razor and one I'm drawing a blank on. I'm sure there were others.

Unfortunately, there's really no way of knowing what company produced that razor.

On the bright side, period regrinds on razors like that are often superb shavers.

No idea what it is, but there's another one in this thread here, still looking like a wedge.

And there's a restored one here, also still a wedge.

There's no sign of any more engraving on either of them.

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Originally Posted by Oscroft

No idea what it is, but there's another one in this thread here, still looking like a wedge.

And there's a restored one here, also still a wedge.

There's no sign of any more engraving on either of them.

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Oh yeah! I'd forgotten ScienceGuy had one. Between that one and the one Max restored, it's pretty clear there wasn't a maker's stamp on the blade. So there's pretty much no hope of knowing who made it. The 1840's saw a LOT of razors made in Sheffield for the American market that were A) big, B) unbranded or branded for a vendor rather than maker and C) still kicking around in attics and shoeboxes all over the country.

And why would you think the scales are NOT original? The razor has been reground from a wedge to this nice hollow. Before they ground it, as a wedge blade, it probably fit perfectly!

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Originally Posted by Magpie

And why would you think the scales are NOT original? The razor has been reground from a wedge to this nice hollow. Before they ground it, as a wedge blade, it probably fit perfectly!

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Certainly possible, but with the condition of that pivot pin, all bets are off.

What? you think they reground it with the handle on? Thrift my boy! depin/grind/re-pin!

I am wondering if it is a Congreve?

isn't that a soup served in china?

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Originally Posted by Magpie

isn't that a soup served in china?

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Could well be! :p It just reminded of this one!

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