Thread: Questions about the History of the Straight (and Shaving Brushes)

I've always been a history buff. I was just curious if we knew the history of straights and shaving brushes.

Straights

1. The earliest razors are supposedly made of obsidian and flint. But the oldest actual razors that aren't rocks I guess are traced back to Egypt. Are ll razors after that derivatives of that or were copper/bronze razors invented independently? Like these Nordic Bronze Age razors





2. Where either kamisoris or straights inspired by one another? Or is the shape just a coincidence?

Shaving Brushes

1. I can't find much on the history of shaving brushes other than something about the French or Hungarians before them.

2. Taking it even one step further a shaving brush can be considered to be a modified paint brush. Does anybody know if paintbrushes were invented in multiple places or do they trace back to middle China?

Hi, Welcome to SRP

I've never really thought much about razors before 1700s. If you search Voidmonster or the late Neil Miller in the search box you will find a trove of historical information, I'm sure you'll find what your looking for.

As I recall Japan was pretty much closed to the outside world at one time and had nothing to do with other cultures so the Kamisori was probably invented independently.

Really, with a razor form follows function so most from various era's tend to look very similar and as one changed the others did too.

Thanks for the pictures and Welcome to SRP!

I'd love to hear more about the shave brushes beginnings. Id never thought about that one.

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Hi, Welcome to SRP

I've never really thought much about razors before 1700s. If you search Voidmonster or the late Neil Miller in the search box you will find a trove of historical information, I'm sure you'll find what your looking for.

Thanks. Will do.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

As I recall Japan was pretty much closed to the outside world at one time and had nothing to do with other cultures so the Kamisori was probably invented independently.

Really, with a razor form follows function so most from various era's tend to look very similar and as one changed the others did too.

Could straights have been modeled after Kamisoris? I think I read kamisoris actually came from China.

But then again its a pretty simple shape and it isn't hard to see how you get from those Nordic razors to straights once you have steel.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Thanks for the pictures and Welcome to SRP!

I'd love to hear more about the shave brushes beginnings. Id never thought about that one.

Thanks. Googling just has that tidbit on France and Hungary. I believe you could also argue a shaving brush is a modified bath brush. So I'd love to know who invented those and then modified those to make shaving brushes. There's isn't much info on the origin of bristle brushes in general except that those Paleolithic cave painting were probably not created with bristle brushes.

Straight Razors
900 Years of Razor & Case Excellence 1000-1900
By Renzo Jardella

Great collection and beautifull pictures