Thread: Rodgers & Son "Mystery" Razor - what is it? How do you hone it? Help pls

Anyone ever seen one like this before? This is not a Joseph Rodgers and sons. It is a Sheffield though. But look at the blade, it is hollowed on only one side. Is this a medical instrument or is it a razor? If the latter, how should I hone it? A layer of tape and go at it? I' couldn't find anthing similar in this forum or in the SR database. Appreciate any help I can get on this one.

It is a microtome and I am not sure how to hone it. You can shave with them. They were for making very thin slices of specimens to examine them under a microscope. I have one too. I have typically seen them with stainless scales. I will be interested in hearing the answer of the how to hone question.

Originally Posted by RezDog

It is a microtome and I am not sure how to hone it. You can shave with them. They were for making very thin slices of specimens to examine them under a microscope. I have one too. I have typically seen them with stainless scales. I will be interested in hearing the answer of the how to hone question.

I have honed a couple. It is not something I would wish upon a newby, as I was! If you go to Glen's How to hone a Kamisori video, that will help. Flat side mainly and then the bevel only on the hollow side.
https://youtu.be/dNCVe3Alye8
Watch part 2 on you tube.
~Richard

Interesting stamp no Joseph or no6 Norfolk St. , could be rather old. Interesting find for sure. Way cool.

It's a Rodgers and Son and it is a heavy grind razor. The groove on the front side is purely decorative. YMMV

Originally Posted by sharptonn

It's a Rodgers and Son and it is a heavy grind razor. The groove on the front side is purely decorative. YMMV

+1...I have several from different manufacturers. Mine are mos' def' not Microtome's

I cannot tell from the photos whether the back side is a heavy grind or a flat grind. If it's a heavy grind, it'll hone like any other razor (I have a W&B that's ground like that). If it's a flat grind, I'd recommend doing something to build up the spine. In the past, I have used electrical tape to attach toothpicks, though I don't recommend that because it's not terribly consistent.

I should have put up some picture showing the top view. It is a heavy blade, seems to me a near wedge as it appears to to have a very slight hollow. Thanks for input and comments on this strange bird but still not sure if it is a mono..... Here are some additional pics.

It definitely reads microtome to me. I have seen others like that. The groove (Fuller) is to break surface tension of the material being thin sliced so it can feed easily from the blade..
~Richard
They shave well with the Kamisori hone. A shaver's hand make the call on the shave angle to the face. I would have the flatter side slightly reground in the center to reduce surface area for honing. THat is a lot of time on the hone as it is....Trust me!

I have a few with the groove ground into both sides from different makers but never one sided. I do have one or two that are Microtome which are ground flat on one side & a hollow grind on the other. That one is just another example of a different version. I've never seen a Joseph Rodgers & Sons in that style. They were for cutting specimens.