Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 33
Like Tree8Likes

Thread: What makes a razor a "rattler"?

  1. #11
    Senior Member mrbhagwan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Dale City, VA
    Posts
    574
    Thanked: 182

    Default

    Neil and Jimmy,

    you both bring up the interesting perspective of sales and marketing.

    I remember reading a thread about "drummers" and salesmen, and specifically this post in that thread (Thanks Walt!)

    Perhaps "rattler" was meant in the sense of a noisemaker or attention getter, and "rattler razors" are really like "drummers."

    Or perhaps, Neil's observation of "rattling through" something (a beard) quickly lead to the name.

    Getting closer? Maybe I'm just overthinking the whole thing. . .

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to mrbhagwan For This Useful Post:

    Neil Miller (05-21-2010)

  3. #12
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    32,564
    Thanked: 11042

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mrbhagwan View Post
    Or perhaps, Neil's observation of "rattling through" something (a beard) quickly lead to the name.
    That is a distinct possibility. How many times have I seen hearing the razor cutting the whiskers mentioned. Aural feedback may have been the source for the nickname. As far as marketing, thinking about "For Barber's Use", and even more so the few I've seen marked "For Barbers Only." I'm sure anyone who anted up the $ could have bought one of those and the barbers were probably the last people in the queue who would have wanted to wield one of those monsters around a customer's nostrils. Maybe Sweeny Todd.

    Edit; I had missed Papa Bull's post when I typed the above referring to 'hearing' the razor. Seems great minds think alike.
    Last edited by JimmyHAD; 05-21-2010 at 09:52 PM. Reason: more useless drivel
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to JimmyHAD For This Useful Post:

    Neil Miller (05-21-2010)

  5. #13
    Senior Member welshwizard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Bucks. UK.
    Posts
    1,145
    Thanked: 183

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gssixgun View Post

    Look at the term GT as you look through the years that definition sure has been tossed onto the sides of many different types of vehicles, looking at it 100 years from now, you would have a hard time defining what the term meant...
    In Europe, GT has always meant Grand Tourer, I suppose it been with us since the 1920s, so nearly 100 years.
    However I doubt that many of the cars so designated could be considered to be Grand Tourers.
    'Living the dream, one nightmare at a time'

  6. #14
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Essex, UK
    Posts
    3,816
    Thanked: 3164

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by welshwizard View Post
    In Europe, GT has always meant Grand Tourer, I suppose it been with us since the 1920s, so nearly 100 years.
    However I doubt that many of the cars so designated could be considered to be Grand Tourers.
    ...or Gran Turismo? They both mean the same, but which came first - welshwizard starts a sidethread...

    Regards,
    Neil

  7. #15
    At this point in time... gssixgun's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    North Idaho Redoubt
    Posts
    26,947
    Thanked: 13221
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by welshwizard View Post
    In Europe, GT has always meant Grand Tourer, I suppose it been with us since the 1920s, so nearly 100 years.
    However I doubt that many of the cars so designated could be considered to be Grand Tourers.

    Totally off topic, but I was always under the understanding that it was
    "Gran Tourismo" which probably does translate to Grand Tourer

    PS; Neil quit typing when I'm typing or type slower hehehehe

    PPS: Neil we have a saying here in the US when two people say the same thing at the same time

    Jynx ya owe me a beer !!!
    Last edited by gssixgun; 05-21-2010 at 05:34 PM.

  8. #16
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Essex, UK
    Posts
    3,816
    Thanked: 3164

    Default

    I'll gladly buy you a beer Glen - but first just let me tip Jimmy the wink that its payback time for the "LMAO old fart" - he'll like that!

    Regards,
    Neil

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to Neil Miller For This Useful Post:

    JimmyHAD (05-21-2010)

  10. #17
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    32,564
    Thanked: 11042

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Neil Miller View Post
    I'll gladly buy you a beer Glen - but first just let me tip Jimmy the wink that its payback time for the "LMAO old fart" - he'll like that!

    Regards,
    Neil
    If the shoe fits we may as well wear it but the other side of that is we will all get there to bear that designation ..... or we won't get there. I'd rather be old than dead. At this stage of the game anyway.
    Steel likes this.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  11. #18
    Carbon-steel-aholic DwarvenChef's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Posts
    2,814
    Thanked: 823

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by PapaBull View Post
    "Rattlers", originally were thin blades that gave a lot of feedback or "rattled" when they shaved. The "rattlers" in all the lines like Wade and Butchers were the most hollow ground and it's the thin "rattling" grind that distinguished the "Barber's rattler" from "Barber's Use".
    That sure discribes my Northfields, insanly thin.

  12. #19
    Senior Member mrbhagwan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Dale City, VA
    Posts
    574
    Thanked: 182

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by PapaBull View Post
    "Rattlers", originally were thin blades that gave a lot of feedback or "rattled" when they shaved. The "rattlers" in all the lines like Wade and Butchers were the most hollow ground and it's the thin "rattling" grind that distinguished the "Barber's rattler" from "Barber's Use".
    I don't know how, but I missed seeing your post earlier today Robert - thanks! That does tie in with the grind of some of the rattlers I've seen.

    Guess I'd better get those bi-focals after all.

    Thanks again for all the replies - I know more than I did yesterday which makes today a good day - now. . .
    which one of you is going to nail down the orgins of "GT"?

  13. #20
    Senior Member blabbermouth ChrisL's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    4,445
    Thanked: 834

    Default

    Lee and Robert are correct. A rattler razor was the type of grind depicted in that drawing. That said, I've seen a significant number of razors that are in no way a rattler grind, but have RATTLER as an etch.

    Normally, in grinding a razor similar to grinding a knife, the blade is held horizontally to the vertical grinding wheel. For rattler grinds, the razor was held vertically to the grinding wheel.

    Half rattlers IMO are very cool looking grinds as well. Wedge on top half thin blade on the bottom half.

    I would love to see one of the razor makers grind a true rattler grind razor. That would be very cool.

    Chris L
    "Blues fallin' down like hail." Robert Johnson
    "Aw, Pretty Boy, can't you show me nuthin but surrender?" Patti Smith

  14. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to ChrisL For This Useful Post:

    DwarvenChef (05-22-2010), mrbhagwan (05-22-2010)

Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •