Thread: Help with Puma razor identification

Just wondered if any of you gents could help me identify this razor. It seems to be a 4/8, but I can't find anything on the wiki/google on the "88"

Thanks in advance.

It appears to be a Puma Special, I'm not sure, and someone more experienced than I could confirm, but it looks that this razor might have started out a 5/8 and has been ground down. That is not to say that this will not be a great shaver as most all Puma's are. Again, I will be interested to hear from someone more in the know than myself.

Enjoy,

Joe

Did you check the Puma club?

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...needs-one.html

I saved a .jpg from the gutmann catalogue (used to be available in the old help files here on the SRP) that shows that the Puma 88 is a 4/8 ths razor and is called the Puma Special. It's the second razor down on the left.

I'm attaching the catalogue photo to this post, but I don't know how large the resulting picture will be.




You can see a bit of the remnant of the wash in the photo you posted.

Man, you fellas are quick!

I was assuming that this blade was a 4/8 based on it's size, and it seems as though I was correct. I picked it up at a antique mall.

I'm looking to shave with it, so would it be okay to have it professionally honed or leave it be?

The Cathouse would be good to visit for fun and info. I would have it honed that way they can make any alterations to the edge if needed. Most likely there will be some adjustments that need to be made since it has been honed down to a 4/8th. The edge doesn't look very even now. You can also have it cleaned up.
Check here for members who can do that for you.
Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

If you look close it says "Special" on the blade.

Originally Posted by Gunner777

The Cathouse would be good to visit for fun and info. I would have it honed that way they can make any alterations to the edge if needed. Most likely there will be some adjustments that need to be made since it has been honed down to a 4/8th. The edge doesn't look very even now. You can also have it cleaned up.
Check here for members who can do that for you.
Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

If you look close it says "Special" on the blade.

So I'm confused now. Was this originally a 4/8 or was it modified to a 4/8. Everything I've read about the "Puma Special" indicates it was a 5/8 stamped with "89"

Mine is clearly a smaller blade, marked with "88"

Again, I'm just wondering if anybody has seen one of these before, knows if it will work out as good resto/shaver.

It was originally a 5/8th probably but over time with honing you remove steel so by the time 80 years of use and honing goes by it's honed down to about 4/8th inches. You can also tell it's been honed down in size by looking at the spine sides at the top of the blade. They are flat from honing instead of the original rounded shape.
As far as the name it does say special on the right side of the blade pic.
I probably wouldn't spend a lot on it but a honing won't be a big deal I imagine several members would do it for free since you just joined up:-)
You can also get great inexpensive razors on the classifieds here for $30 or so and it will be ready to go. There are a good number of guys here more experienced than I am but if nobody else with more experience volunteers I'll do it for you. Just email me:-)

Originally Posted by krevo81

So I'm confused now. Was this originally a 4/8 or was it modified to a 4/8. Everything I've read about the "Puma Special" indicates it was a 5/8 stamped with "89"

Mine is clearly a smaller blade, marked with "88"

Again, I'm just wondering if anybody has seen one of these before, knows if it will work out as good resto/shaver.

Here's an attempt to post a close-up of the "88" with its size noted. If this doesn't turn out large enough, PM me and I'll e-mail you a copy of the original file, and you can peruse all of these gorgeous Pumas "in person"

Hope this turns out ok:

Originally Posted by mrbhagwan

Here's an attempt to post a close-up of the "88" with its size noted. If this doesn't turn out large enough, PM me and I'll e-mail you a copy of the original file, and you can peruse all of these gorgeous Pumas "in person"

Hope this turns out ok:

Cool. So I guess it was a 4/8 then. I'll definitely pursue a honing job.