A Widdle Wedge

My father in law just gave me a new "straight". It was his mother's grandfather's - he gave it to her to sharpen pencils with at school...d'oh!

Anyway, it's small. Tiny. My Friodur has started calling it "mini me".

Anyone ever seen one of these? It's a wedge, but the tang has a flat on the top to stop the blade swinging through the scales - so it extends straight out and no further, presumably because it's so small and no-one's fingers could hold it anyway.

I can see "No. 85" stamped on one side of the shank, and something ending in "....ALL" on the other (I don't think its "Bengall") - starts with a "P", or "R" or maybe a "B"?

I'm thinking it might be a trimmer - but I really have no idea. Anyone?

The other razor is a Bengall 5/8 for reference.

Attachment 2411 Attachment 2412

Attachment 2413 Attachment 2414

Attachment 2415


James.

I've done a bit more clean up work on the razor, and it appears the other side of the tang says "PLEEZALL", which uniclectica says was manufactured by Theo. A. Koch in Chicago sometime between 1913 and 1917. So I'm guessing my father-in-law meant his mother's father, not grandfather, if the dates are correct.

A quick google search sort of shows Theo. A. Koch is more known for '50's barber's chairs than razors - anyone know anything about these guys?

James.

Fascinating blade. I bet it reaches all your trouble spots brilliantly if you have any. Essentially a trimmer, yes. Or a blade for little people with tiny hands. Will it shave?

X

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by xman

Fascinating blade. I bet it reaches all your trouble spots brilliantly if you have any. Essentially a trimmer, yes. Or a blade for little people with tiny hands. Will it shave?

X

---

X - I'm still in the process of figuring out the best way to hone it. It's pretty thin, and there's a little bit of wear. I'm tempted to tape the spine because I think it will need a bit of honing (relatively speaking) to get shave - ready. It's taken a reasonably even bevel off the 4k side of the Norton after only a couple of strokes though, so things might move quickly. And clearly there's a small amount of concavity in the blade.

I'd love to get it to shave, so if you've got any suggestions or advice it would be much appreciated. I'm out of my comfort zone here, for sure, and I'd hate to ruin it by rushing in.

Thanks.

James.

I have a blade similar to the one you posted. dont know who makes it, but the one I have is designed for trimming callouses and corns from ones feet!! I know this because written on the blade it says so.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JMS

I have a blade similar to the one you posted. dont know who makes it, but the one I have is designed for trimming callouses and corns from ones feet!! I know this because written on the blade it says so.

---

OK, thanks JMS. There's nothing on the blade to that effect on mine, but...

I think, if I can get mine sharp, I'll use it on my face until the time I get corns ;)

James.

That's a neat li'l razor. Let us know how it shaves once it gets there. :)

Attachment 189992

Your answer, I think

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I've done a bit more clean up work on the razor, and it appears the other side of the tang says "PLEEZALL", which uniclectica says was manufactured by Theo. A. Koch in Chicago sometime between 1913 and 1917. So I'm guessing my father-in-law meant his mother's father, not grandfather, if the dates are correct.

A quick google search sort of shows Theo. A. Koch is more known for '50's barber's chairs than razors - anyone know anything about these guys?

James.

---

James, Theo. A Koch was a very successful barbers supply business going way back to late 1800's. Indeed very famous for the barbers chairs as we know them today, i believe Theo brother or somebody in his family was the first one to patent a barbers chair with hydraulics.

The company had very impressive looking catalogs for its time. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcatal03koch
https://archive.org/details/pricelistbarbers00koch

Anyhow your corn razor has the profile of a real razor,other corn razors have a different blade profile like the pic below, so im thinking it should hone fine and shave as well.

Attachment 189993
Keep the thread updated about your progress on this razor.

Sorry guys, I gave up on this razor 7 years ago lol! I still have it though.

James.

Isn't that a corn razor? They usually have that little flattened bit on the end of the tang, so that it unfolds like a pocket knife rather than a razor.

Yes, it's a corn razor. Back when I first posted this thread I spent some time trying to sharpen it, with limited success. I think I got it sharp enough for corns but not really sharp enough to shave with very effectively at any rate. It got relegated to the "Jimbo to do" cupboard and hasn't seen the light of day for the past 7 years or so...

James.