Thread: please help me id this razor

i found it in a shop in san pedro ca. and purchased it for $15.
due to the outragious prices of disposable razors i decided id like too sharpen this old thing up and learn to use it but i wanted to know more about it if anyone does.

<a href="IMGP3358 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!" title="IMGP3358 by wesd1991, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/...18b0ebe99a.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMGP3358" /></a>

<a href="IMGP3361 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!" title="IMGP3361 by wesd1991, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2779/...f61568007a.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMGP3361" /></a>

<a href="IMGP3364 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!" title="IMGP3364 by wesd1991, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2803/...f34cd4e667.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMGP3364" /></a>


if you know anything please let me knoww, thanks!

Welcome to SRP!

I haven't heard of this maker before, but I looked it up in Goins' Encyclopedia of Cutlery. Your razor was sold by C. Christoffersen, 106 1st Ave North, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The dates of operation for this company were 1920 - 1940. No information on the details of who actually manufactured it in Germany.

Now, the bad news. That razor, like any good German made razor, was likely a very fine shaver at one time. But that razor has been honed and worn down to a nub over many years of use, and would never be satisfactory for you to use anymore. It looks to only be about 3/8" left of what was likely originally a 5/8" blade, so 1/4" of blade is worn away. Sorry to break that to you, but it's true.

$15 was an inexpensive mistake, or maybe you could get a refund or swap it for a different razor at the same shop. If there are other razors at the same shop that aren't rusted, pitted or chipped, and have a blade width of at least 5/8", you could buy one for similar money, then send it out to be properly honed by one of the forum honemeisters for $15 to $25 and still have an inexpensive shaver. I wouldn't try honing your first razor yourself.

Another, better option is to check the forum classifieds section for a razor in the $40 - $60 range that comes pre-honed and shave ready. Much more of a sure thing when starting out, than antique stores or eBay. If straight shaving isn't for you, then you can just sell it back on the classifieds for what you paid for it, no loss.

well thanks very much, i tryd to hone it with a oil stone made for buck knives and got it darn near sharp enough to cut hair but not realy to make a clean shave. i do understand that i need to hit it with a strop aswell, there is an old school barber in town that i may take it to and see what he can do. if all fails then im game to spend even $100 on a good razor, kinda a large amount at first but so much cheaper in the long run.

if anything ill make a little stand and leave it in the restroom for good looks.


again thanks so much, now i know im not spending alot of time on nothing.

I have a 3/8 Wester Brothers that was made in Germany. It never was a 5/8. This razor might be the same. The tang is stamped "Wedge". In my opinion, there is no way that someone wore 1/4 inch off of the edge of a wedge or 1/4 grind. The hone wear that would correspond to that type of abuse would be through the roof. This razor has virtually no hone wear from what we can see in the photos. Lets see some more pics before we make such dismissive judgments on this one. If it is anything like the Wester I have, meaning it was make that way, then it should work out fine for you. I just have a hard time seeing how this razor was honed down as much as you say without ANY hone wear. Aside from someone intentionally removing width due to a crack or massive chip, that is. Looking at the size of the tang, relative to the size of the blade, it seems pretty proportional to me. I have smaller and larger razors by the same manufacturer, and there is a variance in the size of the tang, scales, and monkeytail. This does not seem to have a tang that is out of proportion to the width of the blade.

Lets see more photos of this one. Give us a straight on shot of the grind (looking straight at the end, so we can see the shape of the blade's grind) and one from the top so we can see the thickness of the spine. Put something in there for a marker as well. Like a tape measure or a dime.

Austin

Austin makes a good point. Looking at the pictures again more closely, it could indeed be an original 3/8" or 4/8" razor. Normally a worn-out razor would also have excessive hone wear, and would often have an uneven wear at edge. This razor has neither.

Taking it to an old-time barber isn't a bad idea - if he's been around long enough to have stropped razors for a living, he'd likely have a barber hone or two laying around. That could improve that edge from an oilstone, before stropping.

If in fact it is a smaller width razor, and a wedge type grind, you might have really scored! Let us know how it turns out.

<a href="IMGP3375 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!" title="IMGP3375 by wesd1991, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/...34717132bf.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMGP3375" /></a>

<a href="IMGP3366 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!" title="IMGP3366 by wesd1991, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/...f3aeac4d45.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMGP3366" /></a>

all these images are on my flickr, they are larger size there.


i think itd be best to take it to the barber and see what he can do.

thanks guys im really glad to get your help, i didnt think there was much to talk about with razors but geeeeez theres alot.

again thanks

wes

I say you scored on this one. You seem to have a nice little wedge there. The thickness of the spine is much less than a wider, more hollow blade would have started life as, and the end on shot only seals it. Take it to the barber to have him hone it for you, and give it a shot. After disinfecting it, that is.

***If you copy the image info and hit the "insert image" button you can just put the image into your post. Same size as you have on flickr.


See?