Thread: What is this?any ideas

English posted this link to the Sheffield University's Ken Hawley collection article on "Open Razors". Note the menu on the right of the page to navigate.

On the page on "hollows and grinding" it shows this photo. Note the next to last "half rattler". It seems to me to resemble the mystery grind ?

Randy no words medical it had only company name which is wiped out when i was cleaning.i didn't notice even.i checked it was gone.at least i could wright down name of it

Thanks Jimmy! I had not looked at that web site for a long time. It definitely does look like a "Half Rattler" grind.
What I really liked was the drawing of the "Rattler" grind. I have a number of razors with that grind. Many of us have been referring to that grind as a "Frameback" which it obviously is not. A true Frameback has a blade that is inserted into a slot that has been milled into the spine. The exception is a razor that has had the "spine"( honing guide) pressed over the back of the blade. I call that a "Poor Mans Frameback".

Just my $.02 this snowy Sunday morning,

Originally Posted by Rajagra

Could it be a blank that was never ground?

Originally Posted by ignatz

Since it is obvious that is in no way a finished razor. It is possible that this was meant as an instructional piece

I concur: we shouldn't speak of a 'weird grind' as there is no grind in this razor. Look at the wavy 'grind' line in the first pic, or the reflection line in the second: this razor wasn't ground, I venture it was cast in this shape. (Compare cut crystal glass ware as opposed to cheaper cast crystal for similar characteristics.)

The question is: what's the use of a cast, not hammered, unground razor in a shape that is both difficult to hone and without obvious advantages? If it were unfinished, why stamp it with 'made in Germany' (but not with any trade name or mark)? I'd say it's a blank for demonstration purposes (further subdivisions: barber school, sales, production, cinematographic/stage use), or for play.

Nonetheless: very interesting find!

It does look a little like the "half-rattler" diagram, but you can make out concave shoulders on the diagram and a possibly a hollow grind below them to the lower part of the blade - Sham's doesn't look like that at all. I know it's only a quick pencil sketch, but I would reckon that the spine and the blade edge would still touch the stone at the same time.

Regards,
Neil