Thread: Need help with age and maker.

Hi all!
I found a razor that I have no luck researching, so i registerd here to ask the experts.
There is a mark of some sort on it but no name. Can anyone help my dating it and giving a clue to who made it?
Thanks.

Very fine early razor. It's a full wedge with a straight handle so that puts it in the mid to late 1700's (Neil should be along soon to correct me). There were several makers that used a pipe mark, the most famous being Geo. Wostenholm but I don't think that is his but I could be wrong. Oh, and welcome to SRP. The wiki and library are excellent sources of information. I hope you stick around so that we can hear more about that gorgeous razor and how it shaves.

Yes - that does like like an actual full wedge...definitely late 18th century I would think....yes, the historians should chime in soon....beautiful razor that looks in great shape...nice find!

If you read the first few lines of this STRAZORS.com - all about classic razors - George Wostenholm & Son, Sheffield. I think you will find the answer as to the maker of your razor.

ob

Nice, 1790s I think ........ http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...ipe-razor.html see the posts by Martin103 and manah

The company also acquired the Pipe trademark from William Hutchinson in 1843 (which was granted at 22nd Dec., 1694 and Wostenholm described as the oldest mark on the Company of Cutlers' register

So I would think this to be a William Hutchinson razor.

Originally Posted by guitstik

The company also acquired the Pipe trademark from William Hutchinson in 1843 (which was granted at 22nd Dec., 1694 and Wostenholm described as the oldest mark on the Company of Cutlers' register

So I would think this to be a William Hutchinson razor.

Exactly, that is what is in the link I posted.

Bob

It is not as simple a case as it looks. What do the Wostenholm pipes have in common? Answer - a curved stem. There are only three things to look for - the shape of the bowl, whether the bowl has a foot or not, and whether the stem is curved or straight.

Here is a list of pipe marks I compiled several years ago, but which keep getting trotted out:



You can decide for yourselves!

Lastly, it is not a full wedge, but a 'near-wedge'. full wedge means absolutely straight sides, no concaving, not even the hint of any. You find this on certain razor grinds (rattlers, for instance) where the grind wheel has been used on its side for the lower half of the razor. Any other razor ground on a wheel cannot possibly have a straight side- it must have a degree of curvature, so there are not any wedge razors (in the true, accepted sense of the word) produced by grinding at a 90 degree angle to the wheel. However, you do find that sandstone wheels of 2 ft and more in diameter were once used - that gives a barely perceptible hollow, but you can ascertain it, even in the pic posted here, as there is a small crest on the spine.

Regards,
Neil

I was afraid it was not going to be that simple or easy. Thanks for trotting that info out again Neil.

Bob

Neil, any thoughts on the maker of this one? Upside down pipe with "foot" and straight tapering stem. It is very similar to Drabant's but has the other "I" impression. Not in your chart. Great chart BTW. Thanks for posting this. Thanks, AJ

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

It is not as simple a case as it looks. What do the Wostenholm pipes have in common? Answer - a curved stem. There are only three things to look for - the shape of the bowl, whether the bowl has a foot or not, and whether the stem is curved or straight.

Here is a list of pipe marks I compiled several years ago, but which keep getting trotted out:



You can decide for yourselves!

Lastly, it is not a full wedge, but a 'near-wedge'. full wedge means absolutely straight sides, no concaving, not even the hint of any. You find this on certain razor grinds (rattlers, for instance) where the grind wheel has been used on its side for the lower half of the razor. Any other razor ground on a wheel cannot possibly have a straight side- it must have a degree of curvature, so there are not any wedge razors (in the true, accepted sense of the word) produced by grinding at a 90 degree angle to the wheel. However, you do find that sandstone wheels of 2 ft and more in diameter were once used - that gives a barely perceptible hollow, but you can ascertain it, even in the pic posted here, as there is a small crest on the spine.

Regards,
Neil