Thread: Civil war razor? Really?

While hitting up a local flea market yesterday looking for that one straight that will cure my RAD, I happened upon a display case showing what they called a "civil war razor" and "knife." Now, I'm no history buff, but I could have sworn the civil war was mid-nineteenth century. I have a W&B that I date around 1851. The 'thing' in the case looked similar to something a caveman might use. Incredible. Anyone know anything about these. The thing on the top of the pic is the razor and below it is supposed to be the knife. Apologize for the pics, but all I had on me was an old iphone that takes awful pics.

I don't buy it with razors like that. Civil War was 1860's, and, at least in Sheffield, razors where pretty much coming into their modern form (albeit quarter hollow). Those things look waaay too primitive. But who am I to disagree with historians and/or ebay sellers...

I've seen threads on those before and IIRC they are from China, may be blood letting quasi medical tools from back before national health care.

Ya really can't go by what people call items. Can't tell ya how many time Carrie and I see mustache cups called shaving mugs. Part of their culture is being able to spin some yarn while not getting caught. It improves sales and a lot of people won't know any better.

I can see how some old civil war buff might get all excited and want to get these things, but for $80? C'mon now.

BTW, seems like a lot of rochester around here..

A similar razor compelled me to start this thread, entitled Please don't be a moron, last year.

It's funny, usually when I do a search in this forum, it takes a long time find what I want. There have only been two posts with the word "moron" in the title. We must all be brilliant!

Oh, and by the way, that is clearly not a Civil War razor. It is obviously a Revolutionary War Razor!

Gentlemen:

As if life were not miserable enough for the typical Civil War soldier, to have shaved with that so-called Civil War straight razor hustled on E-Bay would have been the ultimate crime against humanity.

At this stage in my life I'll believe anything, including dancing rabbits and singing raccoons; however, I have learned to view with one eye and a half a mind some of the claims on E-Bay.

Civil War: what country's?

Following up on Joed's comments about the mustache cup, the other day at a rummage sale the vendor tried to hustle a chipped mustache cup as an antique shaving mug. "My good man," I said, "what do you propose I do, saw my shave brush in half to make it fit in this spittoon you call an antique shave mug?"

I suppose on E-Bay he can call it an antique shave mug and get away with it.

Regards,
Obie

I don't know about the razor but the other blade looks much like a Khukri from Nepal. I know a few Ghurkas and they all have at least one, the weight of the blade is very good for chopping and the part nearest the handle is usually sharpest, for doing more delicate tasks.

Originally Posted by TartanJim

I don't know about the razor but the other blade looks much like a Khukri from Nepal. I know a few Ghurkas and they all have at least one, the weight of the blade is very good for chopping and the part nearest the handle is usually sharpest, for doing more delicate tasks.

I concur!
I own one - a more modern version - and it's a Khukri, alright.

I am NOT a Ghurka, BTW.

Originally Posted by TartanJim

I don't know about the razor but the other blade looks much like a Khukri from Nepal. I know a few Ghurkas and they all have at least one, the weight of the blade is very good for chopping and the part nearest the handle is usually sharpest, for doing more delicate tasks.

That is exactly what the knife is. The razor is a Chinese razor from the 1800s.