Thread: Weiss London miniature razor information

Dear all,
I'm new to this forum and have joined to seek information - and share it - on a curious little razor I have. It's stamped "Weiss London", is only 4" long with a very thin 3" long blade, the body is of tortoise shell, and the point of the blade is furled over. I've searched generally available information and images on Weiss but can find nothing that looks like it. Would anyone in SRP know what it is, its date, use etc? It's very compact, delicate and decorative, so maybe it's from a travel kit, or for moustaches, nostrils, ears???!!! I can't believe it's a ladies item...

????????? Dunno

I would say it is a quill knife. Likely part of a writing set.
Perhaps a reed knife for musical instruments?
A surgeon's tool?
The handle or scales appear to be tortoise or dyed horn.

Who knows? Definitely not a shaving razor

The blade shape does not look like any razor blade I have seen and the blade only opens to be inline with the handle. I doubt it is a miniature razor. Could it be a specialist horticultural knife or similar? A knife forum may get you an answer faster if it is.

Bob

I'm pretty sure that's a bistoury.

Check out Zak's post of surgeon tools in this thread.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...old-knife.html

It's cool, I don't know what it is, but it is definitely cool.

It could make sense that it is a surgical instrument if this is the Weiss that made it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Weiss_%26_Son

Bob

Annnd there you have it folks!

Great work, Gents!

bis·tou·ry (bis'tū-rē),
A long, narrow-bladed knife, with a straight or curved edge and sharp or blunt point (probe-point); used for opening or slitting cavities or hollow structures.
[Fr. bistouri, fr. It. dialect bistori, perh. fr. Pistoia, Italy]

It seems that Leatherstockiings - and Zak - have it! Thankyou very much, it seems the mystery is solved. I remember reading that Weiss made surgical instruments in connection with the Civil War, and I think there was mention of a catalogue too, so I shall revisit that research. In the meantime, well, you live and learn : I have never even heard of a bistoury (from the French : dagger), and this explains the delicacy of this piece - and perhaps the furled, blunt, protective end... Thankyou all, but any more information or thoughts would be welcome.

Originally Posted by Adlestrop

It seems that Leatherstockiings - and Zak - have it! Thankyou very much, it seems the mystery is solved. I remember reading that Weiss made surgical instruments in connection with the Civil War, and I think there was mention of a catalogue too, so I shall revisit that research. In the meantime, well, you live and learn : I have never even heard of a bistoury (from the French : dagger), and this explains the delicacy of this piece - and perhaps the furled, blunt, protective end... Thankyou all, but any more information or thoughts would be welcome.

There are an incredible number of odd, specialized surgical implements dinging around in this old world, going back to Roman times at least.

Here's a collection of them found in Pompei: