Thread: Razor history

This has probably been asked before; I did a quick search but didn't take a lot of time to go over the results...so I'll ask (I'm lazy).

I have a 6/8 McPherson Brothers Cutlers-Glasgow, silver steel, forged and real hollow ground in Sheffield, that I bought off of the classifieds here. It's a great shaver, seems to be the best one of the two I have. The scales had been replaced but it seems in great shape.

I was looking up the company history and from this site this is a clip of the history.

McPherson's Ltd.: Information from Answers.com

"Thomas McPherson died in 1888 and the business was taken over by Hunter McPherson and his brothers. The company continued to operate as a wholesale and retail merchant to the hardware, building, and industrial trade. But the company also began a transition into becoming an industrial company in its own right. Indeed, McPherson's willingness to reinvent itself remained a company hallmark into the 21st century. The company marked this change by reincorporating in 1913 as a proprietary company, McPherson's Pty. Ltd. The company remained based in the state of Victoria, but increasingly began to focus on sales throughout Australia."

From this little bit of information...is it safe to ass-u-me that the razor was manufactured between 1888 and 1913?

I don't have a clue.

Dunno, sometimes you can sorta tell by the grind. Also if it isn't stamped "England" than it is likely '88, before the treaty where all cutlery had to be stamped with country of origin. IIRC that began in 1889.

From the link you gave, it looks like you're confusing your McPhersons.

"Thomas McPherson was born in 1822 in Kingussie, in Inverness, Scotland. Like many Scotsmen of the period, McPherson decided to emigrate to Australia to try his luck in the newly established colony. McPherson arrived in Melbourne in 1852. McPherson launched his own business on Collins Street West, acting as a supplier for pig iron to the local foundry industry. The pig iron stock was brought in by trading ships coming to Australia to bring back wool and wheat to the United Kingdom."

ie No mention of a cutlers in Glasgow, UK. Sounds like your blade was made in Sheffield and sold through a Scots cutlers. From what I recall, the 'Silver Steel' would fit with your dating though. Late 19th-early 20th cent. Better than me should be along soon, so take what I say with a pinch of salt.

The important point is, of course, that it's a great shaver.

Originally Posted by AlanII

From the link you gave, it looks like you're confusing your McPhersons.

"Thomas McPherson was born in 1822 in Kingussie, in Inverness, Scotland. Like many Scotsmen of the period, McPherson decided to emigrate to Australia to try his luck in the newly established colony. McPherson arrived in Melbourne in 1852. McPherson launched his own business on Collins Street West, acting as a supplier for pig iron to the local foundry industry. The pig iron stock was brought in by trading ships coming to Australia to bring back wool and wheat to the United Kingdom."

ie No mention of a cutlers in Glasgow, UK. Sounds like your blade was made in Sheffield and sold through a Scots cutlers. From what I recall, the 'Silver Steel' would fit with your dating though. Late 19th-early 20th cent. Better than me should be along soon, so take what I say with a pinch of salt.

The important point is, of course, that it's a great shaver.

From what little I've read on the history, you are correct on no cutlers in Glasgow. Apparently McPherson moved from Scotland to Oz and had the steel forged in Sheffield, and maybe the blades ground in Germany, then sold through the company in Scotland.

Is that "outsourcing"?

Jimmy, not stamped England. The only thing on the blade is this...McPherson Brothers Cutlers-Glasgow, silver steel, forged and real hollow ground in Sheffield.

Without the commas and on different sides of the tang of course.

And I do like the shave it gives.

Originally Posted by simon1

Jimmy, not stamped England. The only thing on the blade is this...McPherson Brothers Cutlers-Glasgow, silver steel, forged and real hollow ground in Sheffield.

Without the commas and on different sides of the tang of course.

And I do like the shave it gives.

As previously noted if it isn't stamped with the country of origin it must be pre 1889 unless they were ignoring the rules.

Does anyone know how the law requiring country of origin worked in practice? If the blade was manufactured purely for the home market I think that omission of country would have probably been ignored, but have no idea whether or not this was the case. Sorry if this slightly derails your thread, Simon.

Originally Posted by AlanII

Does anyone know how the law requiring country of origin worked in practice? If the blade was manufactured purely for the home market I think that omission of country would have probably been ignored, but have no idea whether or not this was the case. Sorry if this slightly derails your thread, Simon.

I don't know but from what I've seen manah post ....IIRC... it wasn't a law, it was a treaty. So whether companies were compelled to follow it through some sort of enforcement is unknown to me.

OTOH, it would seem to me that any company would have wanted to have the option of exporting their goods and would have tooled their stamps up to allow for that. They wouldn't have wanted to have their wares refused by customs in the importing country for lack of a country of origin mark.

Originally Posted by AlanII

Sorry if this slightly derails your thread, Simon.

No problem; anything I can learn about any razor history is greatly appreciated...as Sgt. Schultz says "I know nothing, nothing."

The reason I thought maybe McPherson Ltd. might be involved someway was that I also saw they were involved in cutlery.

Did a little more digging and found this thread, and a few others. Haven't taken the time to go through them all yet.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...sh-razors.html

Mine doesn't have anything etched on the blade, but it could have been polished out during refurbishing sometime or the other. Those that have them seem to like the way they shave.