Thread: Wm Hyde

I have this little gem that I would like to make scales for. Does anyone have picture of one of these with original scales? Perhaps a really good guess? I presume that it is early 1800's so i guess nearly straight scales? I will likely make them from horn or bone. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Found this while looking:Sheffield Bankrupts - SHEFFIELD HISTORY CHAT - Sheffield History - Sheffield Memories


The only thing I found that matches the name was for a comb maker though.

this was all I found also .. pretty much same as above !!said made a bunch of things from tortoise and ivory , I would almost wonder with being listed as more or less beauty supplies perhaps another maker manufactured the razor for him ..kinda like a DD thing where they had there hand in a bit of everything ...maybe some more experienced searchers can dig up something for you

I used an old set of what I believe are bone scales and pinned it sans washers

Thanks for the input. I was hoping to get something that looks close to original and it looks like nobody can say I haven't. LOL.

very nice ! there is a Sheffield tail chart around here some place that can also give you a slight idea of age ..

The tail shape puts it in the 1810-1835 group. What I really need is a traditional scale shape reference that corresponds to the tail shape.
I couldn't find it as a link so here is the downloaded page you were talking about.

Originally Posted by RezDog

The tail shape puts it in the 1810-1835 group. What I really need is a traditional scale shape reference that corresponds to the tail shape.
I couldn't find it as a link so here is the downloaded page you were talking about.

thanks .. ya I think there was another onde in a thread that had a few more razors but I like this one and am gonna try to save it for myself ..lol..

here is the one I was thinking of
in this thread tried to copy and paste but it wont let me ..
http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...od-stub-2.html

Lovely razor and lovely scales, very impressive!

I do have reservations about the age of the razor, though - it looks far more like 1840s to 1850s to me. The tang shape, tail and heel look all wrong for very early 1800s (pre 1815, say, maybe a bit earlier) and straight scales. Only my opinion though, I might well be wrong.

From what I have found there is only a tenuous link between Wm Hyde and barbers - he once made razor strops:

William Hyde and Sons were comb-makers. The sons - John and Christopher, ended the partnership with their father in 1831. William Hyde became bankrupt in 1837, but in the 1851 census he gives his age as 40 and profession as comb-maker.

In 1846 there is a William Hyde, comb manufacturer, at 35 Red Hill, Sheffield.

In 1837 there is a listing for Wm. Hyde & Son (note the abbreviation of William and the single son - a third son, perhaps?) at 54 Scotland Street.

In 1833 there is a William Hyde, ivory, tortoiseshell, horn comb manufacturers, drinking horn, razor stop etc maker resident at 9 Meadow Hill Sheffield.

In 1829 Wm Hyde & Sons, comb manufacturers, were resident at Furnace Hill, Sheffeild. The sons carried on as comb makers after the partnership was dissolved in 1831.

Also in 1829 there is a listing for William Hyde & Sons, manufacturers of tortoiseshell, ivory and horn combs, shoe and drinking horns, lantern lights etc.

In Pigotts 1828-9 Directory there is a Hyde, William at 9 Meadow Street and a Hyde, Wm. & Sons at Furnace Hill. Another William Hyde or did the same man run both businesses?

In 1825 Wm Hyde & Sons, manufacturers of tortoiseshell and horn combs, were resident at 15 Arundel Street, Sheffield.

The Commercial Directory of 1818 to 1820 Show Wm. Hyde & Sons at Furniss Hill, Sheffield (not sure if this is a typo, could be Furnace Hill).

The census records show that William Hyde was born in 1811, so in that Directory listing of 1818 he would have been 8, so one might conjecture that their were two William Hydes, one the father and one the son.

Be that as it may, I can fin no real evidence that they ever had a barbers premises, a cutlery shop, or sold or made razors. They seem much more involved in making stuff out of natural products (ivory, tortoiseshell and horn for combs, horn for lanthornes, horn for shoehorns and drinking cups, leather for razor strops, etc) nothing at all about using steel. One directory does mention that they made "grummits" too, but I do not know what one of those is, apart from a slang word used for tourists in parts of cornwall and thereabouts. In slang american it is used for smelly, unclean travellers like hoboes. I guess it must be some forgotten archaic thing, or that the spelling is not quite right.

I did examine each directory and commercial guide for each of the years quoted above - no cutlers or razor makers of that name appear though.

Regards,
Neil

with all the info I saw about combs and such and now this even more informative post above and the mention of strops , really makes me think even more they had some razors made by another manufacturer to possibly go with there sales .. but like most razors !! we may never know !!