Why?

[Obie]

Gentlemen,

I am curious:

1. Why is the "Spanish Point" razor called the "Spanish Point" razor?
2. Why is the "French Point" razor called the "French Point" razor?
3. Why is the "Irish Point" razor called the "Irish Point" razor?

What is the origin of these appellations? In other words, what is so "Spanish" about the "Spanish Point"? What is so "French" about the "French Point"? What is so "Irish" about the "Irish Point"? How is each distinct razor point connected to the country for which it is named?

A "round point" razor is "round." A "spike point" is . . . well, you see what I mean.

Regards,

Obie

[DPflaumer]

Disclaimer: I mean this in jest

I think the french point is called a french point due to the long sloped nature of its nose.

Thank you gentlemen

Drew

[JimmyHAD]

Disclaimer: I mean this in jest

I think the french point is called a french point due to the long sloped nature of its nose.

Thank you gentlemen

Drew

Should we call it the 'Freedom point' instead ?

[Bruce]

This is going to be wonderfully informative as I had not yet heard of an "Irish" point. And no where yet has there been mention of my favorite tip shape, the "Dagger Point."

[mparker762]

I always figured the french point got its name because it's primarily used on the little 3/8 and 4/8 coochie/moustache razors. I think the Irish point is the same as the french point.

[Pete_S]

The Irish point is the same as the French point, they just look different b/c when you see the Irish point, you're seeing it double.

[holli4pirating]

My understanding of an Irish point is that the top half is like a round point and the bottom half is like a square point - at least, I refer to that type of point as an Irish point.

Then again, I'll only call a blade a spike point if the cutting edge extends past the spine and makes a spike. (What the database/wiki calls a spike I would call square)

As for the naming of French, Spanish, and Irish points - I have no idea.

[Jimbo]

They are so named due to a long-standing, but little known, treaty signed in Maastrecht in the early 19th Century. At the time it was known as the Correct Razor Anatomy Project, or The Project (acronyms not being in favour during that period).

Up until that treaty, points had been named in a rather ad-hoc fashion: curvy point, point like a little crescent moon, watch-your-ear point, what's-the-point point, pointy-point point and so on.

So a committee was formed to standardise the names of points. Many countries held a seat on the committee, and thus we get points named after those countries. Unfortunately for the Irish, who did not send a representative, all the good points were already taken and they were given whatever was left by default.

Many of the points have since drifted into oblivion due to either the country/place disappearing or simply through lack of use. Lord Berkeley's Knob point is one that springs to mind.

James.

[Neil Miller]

I think the authority, and perhaps the inventor on the Irish point is the great Bill Ellis. Unfortunately, he apparently doesn't frequent these forums anymore, so may be the Irish point will join the barber's notch in the great mysteries of straight razors.

Credit where it's due, and in this instance it isn't due to Bill Ellis.

A man called Ken Hawley met a lot of people who worked in the Sheffield razor, cutlery and tool trades over the years, including the man famed as "Sheffield's last razor grinder," a Mr. Billy Hukin who died in 1995. Tom Renshaw was Billy Hukins "setter-in" (setting the blade into the scales, forming the domed washers from a sheet of latten (a brass alloy) and hand-peening the razor together) - they worked at J & W Raggs Little London works in the 1970s.

Ken made a lot of notes, some of which are shown on the Sheffield University website, including this one:



The terminology used was handed down from cutler to cutler, and easily predates Bill Ellis!

Regards,
Neil.

[gugi]

This is going to be wonderfully informative as I had not yet heard of an "Irish" point. And no where yet has there been mention of my favorite tip shape, the "Dagger Point."

I believe the "dagger point" was immortalized by Shakespeare, among many others, but he also used the name "Danish point" to signify the rottenness of the state of said razor.