Thread: Terry's no.3 identification help please

Yes, Trenchy, remember that a good, sharp bevel is an absolute requirement before moving up in grits. A bevel can be accomplished with ,say, a 4k stone, but it will take forever sometimes!
Razors from antique stores and Ebay have usually been inactive for a long while. No telling who has done what to them in the past. Always best to tape the spine and dig out YOUR sharp bevel before proceeding.

Exactly bud. Will order one tomorrow. Think it is worth getting the 220/1k to match my other hone? Or just a 1k? Any recommendations?

1k's are pretty basic beasts, it seems. The 220/1k Norton can be had cheaply. Not much use here for the 220, but enough 1k there to last you a loooong time. I have heard the King and chosera are good, have not tried them. I think the Naniwa is faster than the Norton. Both have served me well.

I have seen five or six of these on Ebay and for private sale recently. Most were No. 3s, one was a No. 14 and one had "A. V. Hughes" engraved on the blade. As far as I know, Hughes was a private individual, not an agent or reseller. One has been done up by UKRob on one of the forums, making seven or so, so they must have been quite numerous. All seem to have the basic blade shape, which seems fairly old, and no 'England' on the tang makes them pre 1895 according to the Mckinley Tarriff Act and pre-1891 according to the Madrid Accord - you pays yer money and takes yer choice as to the Act or the Accord.

BUT - I cannot find a maker called Terry. There was a wigmaker called Terry in Pond Street, 1834, but Terry was his first name, no cutlers with Terry as a surname in that year. The wigmaker also appears in the 1852 Directory. There was a Terry & Co, edged tool, saw, file and steel makers, and merchants, at St George's Works in the 1857 Derbyshire Directory, no other Terry though.

In the US there was a hardware firm formed when Mr Brintnall went into business with Terry & Belden to form an import/export knife, cutlery, etc company. This was dissolved in 1875, but Albert C. Terry and Brintnall carried on business. However, Albert C Terry left the firm the next year.

There was also a Terry & Co in the US who were a hairdressers supply business among other things. Perhaps they imported razors from Sheffield stamped with their name? Who knows. I have not seen a razor with their mark, but I have seen a table knife. Date was mid 1880s.

So who was this Terry? There is no corporate mark, so no help there. No address, so no help there. Just a model number and Sheffield. Perhaps he was not a maker at all. It is unlikely he would be an agent, merchant or reseller, as his address would appear on the blade. Perhaps he had an extensive hairdressing business and one of the so-called 'toilet clubs' where for a subscription you were entitled to cheaper rates and premium prices on hardware like razors, which may explain an individuals name on the blade - especially if the blade was kept at the hairdressing establishment.

Until more concrete proof comes to us all we can do is speculate, and what is speculation worth? Nothing in my book.

Regards,
Neil

Here's the one Neil was referring to. It's the first one I've come across but it is a very good shaver.

Lots of info there Neil. Thanks! Rob, those scale look sexy. I like the squared point of that one too, compared to mine.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Nice razor! Someone will come along with info soon!
Unfamiliar with Ohishi, (I use 4/8 Norton) but an 8k should make a good shave. Most go to a 12k or so after, but as learning to get a good shave from the 8k, the higher grit is smooth and effective bonus! I don't recommend to make a big deal on levels of HHT, IMO. The only time I use hair-popping is being sure it pops hairs off of the 1k before moving up. It's all in the shave!

Aye, and the fact that your razors pass the HHT 12 test. Heck when a hair sees one of your razors it just flies in two before the razor even gets close.

Originally Posted by Wullie

Aye, and the fact that your razors pass the HHT 12 test. Heck when a hair sees one of your razors it just flies in two before the razor even gets close.

Har! That is only for you, Wullie!

Ok lAds, 1 k hone came today. It won't pass HHT no matter what I do, and I've given it probably 200 strokes! Any ideas?

I've done straight up and down, and sweeping strokes, firm and gentle.

You may not be hitting the edge?? Did you tape the spine? Color the bevel with a Sharpie marker and give it a few strokes .
Look at the bevel under magnification. You will be able to see. Might add another layer if not. Show a pic of the bevel!