Thread: Is this razor unique?

Sounds like a microtome to me!

They were used to cut up scientific samples that had been preserved in wax. The microtome could slice the samples thin enough that the scientists could view them under a microscope.

I've only honed one of them and it was a bear to do. I had to tape the spine in a really weird way.

I put a layer of tape on the spine as you would any other razor, but then I had to cut a thin sliver of tape to put on just the flat side to raise that side up a bit more and get a symmetrical angle on the bevel.

It was definitely fiddly to do but that did get her shaving...! There may be a better way to hone these blades, but that's what I did.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Stubear,

Thanks for that. Obviously great minds think alike because I have been doing exactly what you describe, but getting the angle of the hone from the flat side is certainly a trick, and to date have got it nowhere near shave ready. But if it is a you describe it was never intended for shaving, so it might just end up being an interesting thing to have in the collection. I can see if its used for slicing specimens I could imagine the specimen being held in jig or whatever and the flat side rests on the top of the jig and pushed through the specimen taking off whatever thickness was required