Thread: What's this about

I have seen this pattern on quite a few razors. Was it a way of marking rejects or seconds?

Haven't got a clue..The scales are probably French and the pattern may be side jimps. I have not seen it on any other razors of the few hundred I have handled at one time or another.
I could wish the show side photo was better!

~Richard

Scales are horn. I just made them.
I know manufacturer:
C. F. ERN
MODEL: ATOR

Just could not figure why manufacturer would do that.

IIRC a number of years ago this was brought up and one of the possibilities given was that this was done by the owner. At times Germany had a bad name as during one of the world wars and no owner wanted a connection to Germany showing. Good as any guess I suppose.

Bob

Of course it can also be the owner wanted heavier jimps than what came with the razor.

Originally Posted by BobH

IIRC a number of years ago this was brought up and one of the possibilities given was that this was done by the owner. At times Germany had a bad name as during one of the world wars and no owner wanted a connection to Germany showing. Good as any guess I suppose.

Bob

Yes, I remember an older thread that showed a boxed Escher/Thuringer stone, the "Germany" part on the label was crossed out and made unrecognizable, seems like a very reasonable explanation

Makes sense that it could be getting rid of the "Germany" on the blade. Remember the hysteria of World War One, when roads were renamed and anything Germanic was edited. In my home town of Baltimore, German Street was renamed Redwood Street. World War one is prime straight razor time, so this explanation holds water.

Thanks guys. The German idea makes the most sense. Whatever the reason it must have been stamped in with a file because the lines are too evenly spaced.
And the mystery goes on!

Looks like it could have been clamped in a vise. I would think that would have to be done before heat-treat. It seems like anything striking it hard enough to create those indentions after heat-treat could shatter it.

I don't buy the Germany thing. There were zillions of razors made in Germany during that time and if there was such a hysteria they all would have had the script changed but it simply isn't commonplace and only a few razors have it.