Thread: Weird Razor: "Kinfolks"

Check out this weird razor, make by Kinfolks.

Both sides are ground, but one side is mostly flat, like a wedge, the other side hollow.

The razor had a bevel ground into one side only, the side that was hollow ground-- and it had been honed and stropped. The other side had no bevel.

The edge of the razor also is not straight. It is the opposite of a smiling razor:

I forgot to ask.

Has anyone seen one like this? Is it a mistake? I thought maybe someone forgot to grind one side, but it doesn't look like that, it looks more like a hollow ground razor was re-ground flat.

or maybe this is a legitimate style of wedge? Is this a 1/2 wedge?????

Or maybe it is some kind of display razor, and the back side was not supposed to show?

Should I go ahead and put a bevel in the other side and try shaving with it, or is it like one of those double-stamped pennies that is worth more because it is a rare defect?

Any info appreciated.

It's a microtome razor for slicing thin tissue samples for examination under a microscope. You also see a fair number of these made by Puma. Sometimes these show up on ebay complete with the microtome.

I wouldn't shave with it - who knows what its been through in it's lifetime.

Originally Posted by toolarts

The edge of the razor also is not straight. It is the opposite of a smiling razor:

AKA:......a frown.

Although I don't think this razor was designed to be a blade used for slicing and preparing tissue specimens, it's similar. Example, someone pre-crash posted some pics and was selling a razor made for/by Bausch and Lomb believe it or not. That razor was for specimen prep for microscope viewing.

Aren't Japanese razors ground on only one side as well?

Chris L


MParker posted while I was finishing my post.

I've also seen this style of blade on WW1 razors of British Army issue - I was given one recently by a friend who took it from a messkit owned by her grandfather. No doubt it was included as there was an item list with it. Although I can't comment on the microtome issue - never having seen a razor used this way - I think the issue razors were done this way for speed and cheapness - they still worked and thousands were needed quickly. It's a possible, I guess.