Help on Razor Point.

I have a Trenton Razor made in Solingen Germany. It belonged to my great-great grandfather and still in very good condition. I have not been able to find much information on the razor outside of the fact that Trenton made razors from 1880-1906. My question is about the point of the razor. It has a half moon cut out of the tip. Outside of this it looks like a square point. The following link has a picture of a razor similar to mine.

Vintage Straight Razor Case Bakelite Straight Razor OLD

Is there a reason this razor has a point like this, or is it purely aesthetics? Thanks for any help you could give me.

I believe that is called a barber's notch.

**EDIT**
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ats-point.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LERigney

I have a Trenton Razor made in Solingen Germany. It belonged to my great-great grandfather and still in very good condition. I have not been able to find much information on the razor outside of the fact that Trenton made razors from 1880-1906. My question is about the point of the razor. It has a half moon cut out of the tip. Outside of this it looks like a square point. The following link has a picture of a razor similar to mine.

Vintage Straight Razor Case Bakelite Straight Razor OLD

Is there a reason this razor has a point like this, or is it purely aesthetics? Thanks for any help you could give me.

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It's called a barber's notch. There's a nice thread about it here:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ers-notch.html

Theories being that it allowed a barber to open the razor one-handed, that it was used to mark spots in the lather (e.g., a wart), or that it allowed the razor to shave under the nostrils more easily. I just like the way it looks, though.

Incidentally, I've seen a few razors listed on eBay saying that there was a chip in the blade and it took me a few minutes to realize that they meant the intentional notch. :)

Gentlemen,

Please put my two cents on the barber's notch. Love that type of a razor point.

Regards,

Obie

Welcome to SRP. If you would like to kick the tires and take it around the block send it to a honemeister first to tune it up. Here is the SRP Wiki where you'll find the beginner's guide and Lynn's suggestions for the first straight razor shaves .... and much much more. :gl:

Thanks for the information. After reading the thread on barber notch's, and doing more research on it, I feel like my razor and I understand each other a little bit better. Which is nice since he greets me before my coffee.