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04-14-2015, 05:37 PM #1
Niel,
What were the hardening and tempering methods? I have some older ±1800 razors that seem? to be "pack case hardened." A hard skin and a soft inner core. The edge is fine but is totally soft at the tip when honed That is the curve of the tip from long time of honing.
~Richard
Pack Case hardening here are some comments about the process and some ?:
Pack CarburizingBe yourself; everyone else is already taken.
- Oscar Wilde
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04-14-2015, 06:17 PM #2Senior Member
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I know that this process was used by razor cutlers, but they were not allowed to use it by the Cutlers Guild, which can be dated back to 1416 in London (The Worshipful Company of Cutlers) and the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, Sheffield, incorporated in 1623. Agents of the guild were permitted to go into the homes of little mesters and larger concerns to test and seize razors, knives etc.
Originally Posted by Geezer
Part of this was that inferior metal articles were not permitted. However, if you were not a member (freeman) of the guild, you did not have to abide by their rules, but then again you could not register your mark.
Case-hardening has its place - when I was a boy my grandfather used to do it.
I would also expect that early razors changed in the temper of metal as you progressed up the blade to the thicker bits like spine and tang, which are often softer. People who keep stating that very early razors were re-hollow ground in later times to suit the fashion often miss this point. You would need to re-temper as well, which means taking out of the scales, then grinding the scale off - cheaper to buy a new razor in my opinion.
It is not only early razors that exhibit this hard/soft anomaly: plenty of 1900 - to 1970 razors show it too.
Regards,
Neil
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