Thread: W. Greaves & Sons

Some with obvious signs of light regrinding. look at the junctions between blade and tangs, and notice some have a partial etch on the blade under slightly more course grind lines than the rest of the blade faces. Uneven regrind on reverse of a couple blades, difference in how oxidation presents and how light reflects off the different surfaces.

And here is a Clark & Osborn dating from 1822-30 (G crown R), perhaps a decade later or maybe contemporary to the op's Greaves, but shows similar shape anyhow. It shows the tang reshaped as I mentioned. Compare this to the razors in the linked threads I posted earlier

I'm not sure if this is a stub tail even though it looks pretty short, but that's due to how long this blade is - 3.5 inches about and it scares me to shave with it.

Originally Posted by silverloaf

And here is a Clark & Osborn dating from 1822-30 (G crown R), perhaps a decade later or maybe contemporary to the op's Greaves, but shows similar shape anyhow. It shows the tang reshaped as I mentioned. Compare this to the razors in the linked threads I posted earlier

Thanks ever so much, @silverloaf. What great explanations, images and links. I very much appreciate your input. Loaded with pearls and detail.

It's also worth noting though that it was very common for the blade face and the tang to have different surface treatments.

Most that did that used a satin finish (or glaze) on the tang and a mirror (or crocus, named for the type of polish used -- iron oxide powder which strongly resembles the pollen in a crocus flower) on the blade face. John Barber seems to have been one of the few who did the reverse.

And another odd tidbit -- GR stamps were actually, rarely, used before George IV (Jul 19th 1821 to June 26th 1829). There's a machete with that stamp on it in the 1813 Smith's Key. It was also used during George V's reign (1910-1936), you're most likely to run into that with John Weiss razors. The 287 Oxford St. address is the key -- they didn't move there until late in the Victorian era. During George IV's time, they were on the Strand.

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

It's also worth noting though that it was very common for the blade face and the tang to have different surface treatments.

Most that did that used a satin finish (or glaze) on the tang

"Glazed Tang mwamwamwa" (said in a Homer Simpson voice)
Indeed, and again in person examination is invaluable here. It's not always as straight forward as I described as Voidmonster pointed out.
first two pics show a razor in the manner described, glazed tang, crocus finish on the blade faces, though perhaps hard to tell from these pics and the level of oxidation. third pic shows a regrind, and not a blade done in the described manner. his third blade is a good example of what I was referring to, but again hard to see accurately in pics. See the differences between the two blades? (if the blade in third pic were brought to a simulated crocus finish it'd be harder or impossible to detect it being a regrind. This is the result I would say is a successful regrind, when it retains as close to it's original degree of hollow and blade surface looks legit)

MMMMMM, I love a good Greaves. Picked this one up for 10 bucks. It was so rusted and dirty I couldn't even tell it was a Greaves, just that it was a nicely shaped Sheffield wedge. Cleaned it up and got pretty lucky.

Originally Posted by Scrampson311

MMMMMM, I love a good Greaves. Picked this one up for 10 bucks. It was so rusted and dirty I couldn't even tell it was a Greaves, just that it was a nicely shaped Sheffield wedge. Cleaned it up and got pretty lucky.

Beautiful restoration!!! VERY nice.

Thanks man. Took forever sanding by hand. I was gonna have a friend make some new honey horn scales, but I just hated to ditch the originals, so I lightly sanded and polished, repined, and I think it turned out pretty good too... Cant wait to get my hands on another Greaves now though.

Originally Posted by Scrampson311

Thanks man. Took forever sanding by hand. I was gonna have a friend make some new honey horn scales, but I just hated to ditch the originals, so I lightly sanded and polished, repined, and I think it turned out pretty good too... Cant wait to get my hands on another Greaves now though.

I'll bet.
Did you use SuperGlue (CA/cyanoacrylate) to "heal" the bites, etc., out of the original scales?