A collection of Northfields

I’d like to share my collection of Northfield straight razors. This is one of the makers I always keep an eye out for because I lived in Northfield for a few years as a kid. My best memories of Northfield are of fishing in the pond we called “Knifeshop Pond”, though I believe it’s actually called Northfield Pond. Northfield is an unincorporated village in the town of Litchfield, Litchfield County, Connecticut.

There’s a lot of info out there about the history of the company and I’ve seen this article referenced before.
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An article from the Hartford Daily Courant, Sept. 6, 1886, describes the transition of power to the Catlin family as follows. “They were started, like many other knife shops, by workmen on the co-operative principle. But the men were not prudent and their stock was gradually swallowed up at the village store until the controlling interest came into the possession of the proprietor, Deacon (John) Catlin, who admitted his sons, Frank and Howard, the former being the active manager.”
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A picture of John Catlin.
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Here’s a picture of Franklin.
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The Catlins were a prominent family in the Litchfield and the name comes up over and over again in the History of Litchfield.
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The entire ebook “History of the Town of Litchfield” can be viewed here
https://ia802502.us.archive.org/19/i...fl1920whit.pdf
Also there is a nice little write up found here
https://hiddeninplainsightblog.com/2...ld-knife-shop/

I guess I've reached my attachment limit and will have to continue in a moment.

These are some ads related to the company
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And this is one of my favorite little excerpts. It comes from the journal “Forest and Stream & Rod and Gun, The American Sportsman’s Journal”, New York, Thursday, August 23, 1877, (Vol. 9 – No. 3). It’s just a simple account of some fish caught in the pond near the Northfield Knife Company, but it means a lot to me because I had many days like this in the very same pond when I was a kid.
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So, here are some razors from my collection. Some are in good condition, a couple I have restored, some are worse off than others, and there are a few that need scales.

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A hen's tooth..
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A misprint?
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Other etchings
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And some various tang stamps
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And boxes..
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Shiet that's a lovely spread of razors from that mfgr Tuzi!
Love the Ratler, for the spelling alone, and the grind of course.
Some really neat examples you have there.
Guess it's fortunate for the rest of us you didn't live in Sheffield, or Solingen as a lad as well. Would be no pickins left,, hehehe.
:rofl2:

A really nice thread for future information on this brand. Thank you for putting it together.

Dang fine collection and thank you for putting all of the information together

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

A really nice thread for future information on this brand. Thank you for putting it together.

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My pleasure! I hope others might add to it with more history/info and pictures of other Northfield razors. :tu

Awesome collection. Sure looks like you've got the market cornered for Northfield's.
Great historical information too.
Thanks for sharing.

Pete <:-}

WOW that is an impressive collection of Northfields! You are going to have some fine razors when those are ready to rock :D

Yes, I've had a bit of RAD going on these to say the least. These just appeal to me on so many levels. A lot of these were made by workmen from Sheffield and had everything I like about Sheffield razors, yet they were made in America in a place I've lived before, no less! Several are shave ready and they are excellent, excellent shavers. Others won't take too much to get them ready and then there are those that will be more work. A few I probably won't even mess with at least not yet, like the "For Barber's Use", or at least until I figure out how not to lose the etch, it's so light. That one is pretty darn rare IMHO.

I have one Northfield blade and its one of my favorites. If i remember to ill post it up tonight.

I'm looking forward to seeing it!

Sweet collection Tuzi, nice write up.

Man! That's a passle of Northfields, Tuzi!

Methinks I have two...For certain one!

Well-done on all accounts! :bow

You have been a busy man. Nice collection and company research. Nice work my friend.😎

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Well! Now I know where all the Northfields are Tuzi!!!

Lovely collection!!

Legendary American cutlery company. I've got ONE and I love it. Always have my eye open for more, but they're scarce in the Lone Star state. Thanks for sharing.

I'd like to add a link to an interesting interview with Henry Gill who was superintendent while the Clarks owned Northfield Cutlery and looked after the remnants after it closed. He apparently continued crafting cutlery out of the many left over parts. He explains that the steel rod to make the blades was all imported from England, and at the time of the interview he still had a couple tons of it in his basement! An interesting read, enjoy...
https://memory.loc.gov/mss/wpalh1/10...6/10041806.pdf

Super reading, Tuzi! When was the article written?

Could it be in the top line 1938-9? It mentions Northfield just recently getting their first fire truck after 150 years of "indifferent fire protection". I just checked the Northfield Volunteer Fire Company website and it states that they were established in September of 1938.

Three razors added to the collection since I started this thread. Left to right a Northfield Rattler, an American Knife Co., Plymouth Hollow with a rattler grind, and a Northfield wedge.

I included the American Knife Co. razor because of the connection to Northfield Cutlery Co. Plymouth Hollow became Thomaston in 1875 and is the neighboring community to Northfield. Ten years earlier, in 1865, Northfield Cutlery purchased American Knife Co. I don't know what side of 1865 this razor falls on but, what the heck, it has a place in this collection as far as I'm concerned :cool:.

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I have one Northfield, a shoulderless 5/8. Haven't used it since I procured it several years ago. Guess I'll have to get it out of the display and give it a try.