Thread: First and Last Razors

I thiought this may be a fun "poll," sort of. You may have had only two... or two hundred. It's all the same. Just tell us about the first and last -

1) What was your very first razor, and do you still have/use it?

2) What was your most recently acquired razor?

To start:

1) My first razor was a 6/8 Solingen restored by Bill Ellis. Here's the photo I posted some time back in the "Sophisticated Solingens." It was sold to another member earlier this year.



2) Most recent: Bergischer Lowe

My first was a lot of 5 str8s purchased at a local auction about 20 years ago. The lot included a WP&R 'The Wheel", 2x 6/8 W&B, a 6/8 Pipe and Robson made by Boker (pic under Razor Clubs-Robrson). They are and are in my rotation except fot the Robson which my son used.

My last was a Henckels Platinum w/ broken scales for restore.

My first was a 5/8 full hollow Torrey from Izlat.

Most recent... a 7/8 full hollow Zak (Solingen) and a < 5/8 to > 5/8 to < 5/8 (tapers at the toe and the heal) John Engstrom frameback with a thumbnotch. There was also a 5/8 W&B Special, but it was not as described, so the seller is giving me a refund. All were from the same seller. Engstrom and Special were in one lot and the Zak was another. I'd already won the lot of 2 and the Zak was reasonable, so I figured I'd better buy it as well. I'd really wanted the Engstrom and the Zak was curiosity. Oddly, I don't like how the Engstrom feels in my hand (will be on the classifieds shortly), and the Zak took an amazing edge (will be going into my rotation).

My first razor is two razors. Does that count? No? You see I ordered a Boker from David Uthed here, but the ebony scales kept breaking so it took a long time to arrive. In that time I landed a Dubl Duck Special #1 on eBay, cleaned it up and shaved after a light honing. It's a blade I plan to have rescaled to suit its place of honour.



Most recently, I landed an E A Berg frameback which I cleaned and stropped and after only a VERY light finish honing on my Honemaster barber hone, shaved. It wasn't advertised as shave ready and I guess it wasn't because of the patina, but the edge sure was ready to go.



X

My first straight razor was an ancient Folsom hunting knife which I had put a keen edge on and decided to see if it was really "razor sharp". The shave wasn't the best, but it did take off the whiskers. Then I remembered two old straights that I bought in a box lot at an auction several years before. I dug out a Joseph Rodgers and Sons with patched up scales and a LF&C Universal. I bought a Norton 4k/8k stone and a strop and it was all downhill from there. I have since rescaled the Rodgers and five years and more than 80 razors later my last pick-up was a C-Mon Blackie I found in an antique store last weekend for $35.

Regards - Walt

My first razor was a Dovo "Best Quality" 5/8 that I still have and I suppose I'll never sell and also because it's on of my absolutely favorite shavers.
My most recent acquisition was a W&B hollow ground. I recently bought a Le Grelot to restore but I'm not sure if I'll keep it... I like it very much but I have other plans for it. I'm thinking about giving it to my brother for Xmas... I converted him to DEs... now it's time for that extra step!

Hmmmm Tuff one...
My first was back in 1981 and all I remember for sure was that it had a Sheffield Steel Blade, unfortunatly it has passed from this life years ago, after jumping from the bathroom counter !!!!

My lastest is a NOS Carl Monkhouse C-MON HandMade Blackie

Attachment 17145

My first razor was a TI 6/8s sheffield steel with horn scales and my last was a Livi-Silvano 7/8s with mammoth Scales. I still have the TI in my rotation.

1. My first was a warranted full hollow Imperial 5/8with faux bamboos scales. I do not use it

2. My last razor, purchased at an estate sale yesterday, is 4/8 DD special no. 1