Guessing the age of a blade by its attributes.

I was wondering if anybody had formulated a systematic method of approximating the date of manufacture of razors.

Across the 19th century, the grind, curve and width of the blade and the shape of the monkey tail changed over time. As records of production are very sketchy at best, I was hoping that some of the more scholarly members here had posted or would do a wiki on how the design of razors changed over time to make dating old razors easier.

Thanks!

The Standard Guide to Razors third edition has a section that walks you through the development of razors. It gives a good idea of the evolution of razors.

I have that book to Ken.Amazing amount of knowledge, to bad they are more interested in the collecting attributes of the razors and not their usefullness.

Kristoffer

I am at work so I can't reference it right now but Collecting Straight Razors by Robert Doyle has a lot of info on that on both blades and scales. If memory serves by the late 1800s the full hollow as we know it had more or less evolved to the configuration that has followed to this day.

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Originally Posted by KristofferBodvin

I have that book to Ken.Amazing amount of knowledge, to bad they are more interested in the collecting attributes of the razors and not their usefullness.

Kristoffer

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I often get frustrated with the book as I try to find a razor that ends up not being listed.

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Originally Posted by Kenrup

I often get frustrated with the book as I try to find a razor that ends up not being listed.

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Same here. That, and they don't list years of operation for a lot of makers.

Hell, I already know the name of the maker, otherwise I wouldn't be able to look it up! :shrug: