Thread: Thiers Issard, from GW?

I've got a French made Thiers Issard straight razor that I bought brand new from a mail order tool vendor known as Garrett Wade. I got it about ten years ago. They were selling a limited amount of them and they stated that this razor was high quality and had collectible aspects to it. Out of curiosity I went ahead and shelled out about $90 for it.

I was wondering first of all if any of you other guys might have that same razor? Also I'm new to this game and I'm wondering if indeed that particular make of razor is a good one. I do know that it is made in France. It has gold leaf work on the blade and it says "Sheffield Silver Steel".

I have another question. I've been hitting a few garage and estate sales here lately and I've been seeing a few straight razors for sale. I've heard that almost all of the straight razors made in Solingen Germany are usually made with good steel. Is that true? And what should I look for when checking out these garage sale and flea market razors?

Theirs Issard is a darn good razor IME. I would say that most Solingen razors are made of good steel.... again, IME. I like to have an eye loupe in my pocket and check the condition of the edge. If it is badly pitted in the honing zone I pass no matter what the rest of it looks like. .

I look for full bladed razors with no cracks or large chips and with scales that are solid with no cracks around the pivot or cell rot. None with a lot of hone wear, particularly uneven hone wear. A little hone wear is acceptable if it is even. Condition is the main thing I look at and I like a blade to be at least 5/8.

Hi

The WIKI has lots and lots of usefull info.

What you should look for buying a razor:

The straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki


Good razors to look for:

Good Straight Razor Brands - Straight Razor Place Wiki

I recently talked to a guy who has a shop that sells, amongst other things, straight razors made by Dovo, Thiers Issard and Puma.

His opinion about Thiers Issard was that the quality varies a lot, you could have good ones but also not-as-good-ones. He made a joke about it: it depends on whether it was made before or after lunch (including wine...).

Originally Posted by decraew

I recently talked to a guy who has a shop that sells, amongst other things, straight razors made by Dovo, Thiers Issard and Puma.

His opinion about Thiers Issard was that the quality varies a lot, you could have good ones but also not-as-good-ones. He made a joke about it: it depends on whether it was made before or after lunch (including wine...).

When I first got this one back in 1999 from Garrett Wade I mainly just got it to add to my growing knife collection at the time. After I had it about a year I started doing research on straight razors. I got the name of a guy out in Phoenix AZ who at the time had a razor business out in Phoenix and he sold razors and other items. I sent the razor to him for his expert opinion and he said that it was a very good razor in his opinion. He actually tried to buy it from me. Because at the time I sent it to him Garrett Wade had completely quit selling them. Garrett Wade sold these as a promotional type deal. Because they said that razors of this quality were kind of a dying breed and at that time there were not many really good quality razors being made ( so they said).

The fact that this guy offered to buy it from me for what I paid for it indicates to me that he really must have thought it was a fairly decent piece. I would be more than happy to send it to anyone here on the Forum who also has expertise on razors to see if his opinion is valid. Now I had read an article on one of the knife forums about a year ago concerning Sheffield Silver STeel. Which is what this razor is supposed to be made of. The guy who wrote the article said it was very good steel indeed.

Well anyway I hope that's the case because I would hate to discover that I shelled out $90 for something that is not of good quality . If any of you other guys know anything about this razor I would sure like all the input I can get. Because if I'm going to learn how to hone, shave and maintain this razor I want to know 100% for certain that I've got a good quality tool to use. If not I'll find another one. I have a cousin who is a barber and he told me he uses a Dubl Duck and has used that brand for years. I don't see or talk to him very often but I'll make it a point to contact him again around Christmas time.

Why don't you post a picture of it ?? What are the scales made of ??

Originally Posted by decraew

Why don't you post a picture of it ?? What are the scales made of ??

I will as soon as I can. I'm unemployed at the moment and my camera needs new rechargable battery that I can't really afford right now.

Now the scales are either some type of acylic or polycarbonate> I can't really tell exactly. They are colored like a tortoiseshell. The razor came in a red box. Oddly enough though the box doesn't have Thiers Issard inscribed anywhere on it. It has the word "SAM" with an arrow through it and under that it has a "made in France" sticker.

AS soon as I can I'll try to get a picture up but it might be a month or so the way things are going.

The blade itself is interesting. There are 2 gold leaf figures: One of a wolf and one of a ram. And it has Sheffield Silver STeel also inscribed on it.

Now on the tang it has the number 188 stamped on it. I know a thousand words aren't worth one picture but that's the best I can do for know. JD

I've got over a dozen of their razors. Some are the new steel and most are the silver steel and one probably pre-WWII. They are all great shavers without exception. There are a couple that have quality control issues.

One beautiful horn handled work back 6/8 has one scale (handle) slightly longer than the other. Another bone handled work back has a slight space between the bone on one side of the wedge end which cannot be tightened.

The worst I ever got from a TI is a 7/8 with horn that had a double bevel on one side and not the other. Required a lot of work to correct. Once corrected it is a top shaver as all of the TIs I have are.

My guess is your razor is well worth sending out for professional honing. If you go to member services in the classifieds here you'll find folks who provide that service.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

My guess is your razor is well worth sending out for professional honing. If you go to member services in the classifieds here you'll find folks who provide that service.

I'm a little confused here. If I learn to hone the razor myself which I completely intend to learn how to do>> then why would I need to send it out and have it professionally honed? Can't I just learn to do that myself? Because that's one of the main reasons I"m getting into this new hobby is to learn more about the art/science of sharpening.

Not trying to be a bragger at all because that is not in my nature. But I will say that I am proud of the fact that I am very good at knife sharpening and I can sharpen about any blade steel out there with great long lasting results. I have friends who won't let anyone but me sharpen their knives.

Or is honing a razor much more complicated than I think it is? Or do they have to be professionally prepped so to speak before the average guy can sharpen them properly to keep them maintained? Hey I'm new to this game and I'll be the first to admit that I currently know enough about razors to be dangerous, so to speak

I'm already getting the jest that razor sharpening and knife sharpening are 2 completely different animals all together. I'm very interested to know

Originally Posted by jdX

I'm already getting the jest that razor sharpening and knife sharpening are 2 completely different animals all together. I'm very interested to know

When starting out having a pro honed razor gives you one to shave with and a benchmark to judge your own efforts with other razors. IMO getting vintage razors, preferably cheap, off of ebay, flea markets, or antique stores is the best way to practice. Develop some skill before attempting your more expensive razors.

Here is what Lynn Abrams SRP founder and chief honemiester said,"
I think the biggest problem out there not unlike shaving is that people think because they have honed knives or tools forever and shaved since they were 12 that it's gonna be very easy and expect it to be. "The problem *CAN'T* be me".

But a razors edge is a very delicate instrument and with a little patience and experimentation, you *CAN* learn to hone with the best of them, even if you are just honing for your own satisfaction. The search for that absolute perfect or just a little better shave resulting from that just a little better edge is never ending."

Lynn still hones razors for people BTW.