Thread: Neil Miller's Personal Research?

Hi guys,

Unfortunately I wasn't here early enough to have seen years of posts by Mr Miller. One of my first posts got a funny (and brutally honest) commentary about the quality of the strop I had just purchased lol. I am curious about what has become of his personal notes/research.
I remember coming across an old post where he mentioned having a copy of some directory or other book relating to old curlers or razor makers. He said his copy was full of hand written corrections since there was a lot of mistakes. What happened to stuff like this? Did he write anything he shared with other members? Anything scanned into PDFs?

Thanks guys

PS: If you know of certain old books he found of great value in his research of old razor and strop making please share.

Neil had and knew of ways to research a plethora of things. A true historian.
A while after his death, I contacted (or tried to) his niece who signed in to interact with us.
I was curious about whether some of his things might be available. I got no response.

While my resources and abilities are abysmal as compared to him, we have a wonderful resource here in this regard.
Going to his page and searching his posts for things is something I do often.

What a bunch of info can be found that can not be found elsewhere, at least not by me.
He continues to amaze me by reading his words. A fine gift he has left to us.

Neil is truly missed.
He often referenced goins encyclopedia of cutlery markings, but yes he had corrected mistakes in the book.
My favorite book that he told me to get is Celluloid Handle Guide for Straight Razor Collectors by Robert A. Doyle.

Originally Posted by criswilson10

Neil is truly missed.
He often referenced goins encyclopedia of cutlery markings, but yes he had corrected mistakes in the book.
My favorite book that he told me to get is Celluloid Handle Guide for Straight Razor Collectors by Robert A. Doyle.

That is probably it. A list of his corrections would he invaluable.

Goin's is almost more errors than it is information. That's not because it was badly done as much as just that it was done when there were a lot fewer resources for *finding* the sort of information it collected. As a result, it's sort of a magpie's stash of data.

The only book I rely on and don't double check is Geoffrey Tweedale's Directory of Sheffield Manufacturers, 2nd edition. Otherwise I use primary sources wherever possible (old Sheffield directories, which themselves had errors!), and most importantly, actual razors (which ALSO!!! have errors).

Not a day goes by that I don't miss Neil, or imagine him batting aside one of my unsupported grand theories built on supposition. It's the ghost of him in my head that keeps me cautious.

Many thanks for suggesting that Tom. I just went there and I have a lot of catching up to do!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

...we have a wonderful resource here in this regard.
Going to his page and searching his posts for things is something I do often.

What a bunch of info can be found that can not be found elsewhere, at least not by me.
He continues to amaze me by reading his words. A fine gift he has left to us.

Indeed, Harold, a lot to digest. Like a book you cannot put down!

Neil was a wealth of information, and brutally honest at times.
The thing I miss the most is his sublime sense of humour.