Thread: Pocket Razor

A very long time ago, I mentioned these in a post. Well, here's a more recent story:

Several weekends ago, my sister and I made a road trip to our mom's for a weekend because our grandmother passed away. While on the visit, Mom decided to bring out boxes of our belongings from years back. I found an interesting piece in one.

As long as I knew about shaving and knives, I've been curious about straight razors. My dad would spend a lot of time honing his pocket knives on an old Arkansas stone until it would wipe the hair from his arm. My questions (I was about five when I first remember asking) led to conversations about straight razors, but somehow ever since I'd been told that they weren't a good idea. Fast forward several years.

Around my teen years, I still had an ongoing fascination with all things knife. Unfortunately, the Internet wasn't yet accessible to me, and my funds were severely limited. So I ended up just purchasing what was in my meager price range, and what looked 'cool.' And that lead to the piece which I show you now.

Unfortunately, I have better knowledge now, and I see that it's nothing to be especially excited about -- at least beyond aesthetics. A mere glance at the blades show that both are very thin -- even the razor. A slightly closer look shows a stamp at the heel of both: Stainless Pakistan. But still, it cleaned up nicely with a little MAAS.

I remember seeing much more expensive pocket knives with straight razors in sporting goods stores back then, but I could never hope to have purchased them -- especially with my lack of financial discipline. And I certainly do not know anything about them beyond that. But at least now we have proof that they may be out there ... somewhere!