Thread: Universally approved best cast steel?

I had a business trip today and drove up toward Bowling Green in this horrible weather. On the way back I drove past an antique store so I got off at the next exit and circled back. I almost did not bother because it was raining ice.

I browsed the shop for a good hour, came across several razors, none of them worth getting, or non worth what they wanted when I happen across this. It is not a W&B but looks a heck of a lot like one. Horn scales, no real rust, just blackened from the years. It is a a big old meat cleaver of a wedge.

The tang simply reads ‘universally approved best cast steel’

There are no chips in the blade and next to no hone ware. The scales have some chips in them but are still sound. I was going to rescale it anyway. The blade is massive. It measures ¼ inch across the back and the blade is 7/8. Any ideas who made it? I plan on cleaning it up and putting it to use. Either way, I think I came out good at $5.

Cast steel razor by Clayton, C. 1780-1790 maybe? check out this little history lesson it may help? http://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/history1.html