Thread: French Point & Irish Point: Any Difference?

Hey, guys.

I was wondering if there is a subtle difference between a French point and an Irish point razor. Or are they the same?

Do the French point razors have a propensity to CHEAT like Thierry Henry did on that hand ball in the World Cup qualifier against Ireland?





Seriously...is there any difference? Thanks!

~ Ryan

I think it's a question of what you call it. To me

French Point: Edge extends past the spine by a noticable amount; angle down and away from spine to point

Irish Point: At the spine it looks like a round point but at the edge it looks like a square point.

I agree its a matter of opinion my personal dichotomy is a French point is quite pointy, an Irish point is more rounded (at both spine and point).

I think Bill Ellis was the one who relatively recently decided to name a point design he was making as 'Irish', so this isn't very established terminology.

From what I can tell, the difference with a french/oblique is that the corner at the edge is sharp, basically a sharp spike, but rounded at the spine.

Here's a photo (used with the generous permission of Mr. Ellis, even though it looks like he hasn't figured out how he managed to give it)


An alternative point of view can be found at Charlatans (don't miss the last slightly veiled part about the berries).

so Gugi is the middle one French and the outers Irish, or vice versa or what?

Personally, I think the term "Irish Point" is some sort of screwy new term...

...really. They don't exist. It's a French point. Or maybe if I change the degree of the arc by 2 degrees more its a "Bulgarian Point"?

Originally Posted by khaos

so Gugi is the middle one French and the outers Irish, or vice versa or what?

I believe vise versa...the outers are French and the one in the middle is the Irish.

Hmmm... but aren't Wapi's considered French point?

Originally Posted by khaos

Hmmm... but aren't Wapi's considered French point?

I was going off of how Gugi described them.

He said the French toe has a spike.

I just purchased a Wapi that looks a lot like the center blade up there in Gugi's post. I'm going to call it an Irish point no matter what.

Polish point FTW?