Thread: Thiers Issard without documentation?

Maybe it is their trademark to do unique razors - no two alike.

I dunno. Do they make the scales/blanks still in France? However, it is quite ... uncaring ... that such things leave TI - surely somebody must have noticed something.

Originally Posted by ursus

Maybe it is their trademark to do unique razors - no two alike.

I dunno. Do they make the scales/blanks still in France? However, it is quite ... uncaring ... that such things leave TI - surely somebody must have noticed something.

Someone did notice. All of us

I can't imagine that all the people working at/for TI shave with these razors, so it probably doesn't really make a difference to them.

Regarding the Thiers-Issard scales, I politely disagree.

What you are looking at are cow horn scales and they are very nice. However, I do have to admit that the off-center pinning at the rear is a disappointment. My understanding is that their quality in this respect has improved recently, but I have absolutely no way to tell if the blade is of recent manufacture or from some years back.

The only possible clue would be in the leather pouch. I can state that this pouch form is no longer made, the current ones have a leather tongue that folds down over the razor from the top and is secured under a loop of leather sewn crosswise across the pouch.

Beyond that, the blade appears to be one of the 'historic' blades decorated with TI's 'Eagle' design. It should perform very well.

I have some additional information to add to this discussion. Remarkably, my contact at TI telephoned me to let me know that he had seen this thread and wanted to acquaint me with the facts of this particular razor.

This series of 'historic' blades that TI sold were blanks which were produced by another razor producing company, the rights and materials of which were acquired by TI when said company ceased doing business.

My contact tells me that my surmise concerning the form of the leather pouch is completely correct and that this is an older historic blade.

The blade blank in question was from a limited amount of stock that had a forged-in bolster on the tang to allow for application of the riveted-on cheek pieces. Unfortunately, some of those blanks also had a defect in that they were somewhat warped. The factory had a choice: either toss out the slightly warped blanks (pure loss for both the factory as well as the straight razor community) or else compensate for the warp by making adjustments in how the blade was pinned into the scales. The company opted for the second approach, drilling the rear pin hole at an angle (intentionally) to allow for the bend of the slightly warped blade... which explains why the hinge pin looks wrong to us.

Furthermore, I understand that this particular forging was of very high quality and performs well. Do note that the stocks of the blade blank in question have been used up. There will be no more produced.

In short: this is absolutely a Thiers-Issard razor. It appears to be in excellent condition and it is worth a fair price.

My dear Ignatz,

Thank you for this most illuminating historical information. Well done, sir.

Regards,

Obie

Thanks. I guess that explains the unusual pinning. Well done clearing it out, mate

Very impressive. My hat is off to you sir.

IGNATZ,

Thanks for the great information. I had no idea that this particular blade was so special.

V/R,
sho91