old razor

I was given tis old razor "J. Bestgen & Co Manufacturers Boston Mass. on side of the tang and Germany on the monkey tail and on the other side of the tang KING and maybe Cutter worn off and then Solingen. My question is, engraved on the scales opposite the pivot end there is the number 583 and an X on the other side. Could it be possible this razor was used in a barber school and 583 was issued to a student. The honing is uneven because the toe is not a wide as the heel and the spine honing marks are uneven also. I'm thinking this razor had several differant people honing it. Let me know what you think.

Thank you,
Dale.

dbc

Manufactureres sometimes called their razors "King" something in order to trade on the popularity of the King Cutter. If it's really a King Cutter you'll find Boker's "tree" mark engraved somewhere on the tang. Impossible to know whether it was ever a barber school razor, but I suppose it might have been. A great part of the pleasure of owning an old razor is speculating about who has owned it and where it's been in the course of its life.


Best Regards

goshawk