Thread: Wostenholm "Grant Razor"?

I picked up a 7/8 Wostenholm IXL the other day at an antique shop for $10, a little rust on the edge but salvageable. When I started cleaning it I noticed some faint engraving - you can't see it in pics but it says "The Unconditional" then there's a pic of a bearded gent in what looks like military dress, then underneath it says ".....RRENDER GRANT RAZOR" (.... is the edge) Just curious if anyone had seen this before. And yes, it has different scales on each side.

I've set you a request via PM.

I have a 7/8 W&B with scales just like that. One slick black, one wood. Interesting...


I have no idea about the inscription though...sorry.

Just thinking that I saw somewhere that someone was marketing W&Bs as Civil War str8s. So the bearded gentleman is probably Ulysses S. Grant and the razor probably said Surrender Grant. Interesting. Especially if you can get the man to come out more.

The Unconditional Surrender Grant Razor.

The black and white scales are cool too.

Here's a scan where you can faintly see the etching, if anyone's interested. If you zoom on it you can see it better.

It looks to me like their is a number 76 over the soldier's heart. Grant was President in 1876, not fighting a war, so my guess is that the etching is of Gen. George Washington.

Originally Posted by ChrisMeyer

It looks to me like their is a number 76 over the soldier's heart. Grant was President in 1876, not fighting a war, so my guess is that the etching is of Gen. George Washington.

George looks like this:



He looks like Grant.

I Googled "Unconditional Surrender" and Grant and found a Wikipedia entry that says that "Unconditional Surrender Grant" was a nickname for him. "Buckner's surrender of over 12,000 men made Grant a national figure almost overnight, and he was nicknamed 'Unconditional Surrender' Grant." Therefore, you guys are correct and it is Ulysses S. Grant. (The info is in the paragraph under the heading Battle of Belmont, Henry, and Donelson.)

Wikipedia also says that ; "In 1876, Grant helped to calm the nation over the Hayes-Tilden election controversy; he made clear he would not tolerate any march on Washington, such as that proposed by Tilden supporter Henry Watterson." Perhaps that is what the "76" in the etch refers to, or maybe I'm just seeing things that aren't there...