Thread: 1700's straight razor..

So I'm not sure wether to call this a 1700's razor or a 1800's razor. I thank you guys for all the input you have given. I never would have guessed this would turn out to be something of a "oddity". I guess i'll try to figure out what the future holds for this razor.

Originally Posted by Framedragger79

So I'm not sure wether to call this a 1700's razor or a 1800's razor. I thank you guys for all the input you have given. I never would have guessed this would turn out to be something of a "oddity". I guess i'll try to figure out what the future holds for this razor.

Edward Kindley is my 5th Great Grandfather. Your holding a piece of my family history. Do you still have this razor? I'd like to speak with you about it and I hope I have not found this too late.

FrameDragger79 and TroyKindley,
I would love to know what happened with this razor? Did it travel back to the family? Is it being used?
Please close the loop on this wonderful story.
Best
Kris

I found framedragger79 and I am in contact with him. We have been discussing the history of the razor, its owners, and possible source. I can give you the facts and I think most of us can come to a logical conclusion with those facts.

Edward A. Kindley (aka Andrew Edward Kindley) was born January 19, 1764 in Rowan, North Carolina. His father John W. Kindley (Kinlay in the old country) immigrated to the US in 1760. Edward was the first Kindley born on American soil.

Edward married Margaret Waymire in 1783 at the age of 19. Margaret' father, John Rudolph Waymire immigrated to the US from the Germanic states aka Germany. Germany is what is on his immigration papers. I'm sure it can be argued that there was no Germany officially at that time but, that is beside the point. Germany did exist just not in an official capacity (Germanic states etc).

John Rudolph Waymire was a member of a society called the Sons of the American Revolution. Edward A Kindley fought in the revolution after enlisting in 1776 or 1777. He was listed on several documents as either Edward A or Andrew Edward but, same DOB and same residence. I can find no other data that suggest these were two different people with the same DOB and residence. So I conclude they are one and the same. Now you have the history of the people involved, places, and time frame.

What I am going to suggest now is not fact, just my logical reasoning based on the matter at hand. I believe that John Rudolph Waymire of the Germanic states (aka Germany) may have given this razor to Edward Kindley as a gift. John was a Son of the American Revolution and Edward was fighting in the war. Maybe Edward had met Margaret and taken a liking to her, and maybe this was John's way of telling Edward he was okay with that. Who really knows? Either way after the war ended Edward married Margaret. The rest is history in the making and here I am today because of it.

The razor is still in the possession of framedragger79. I would like to see it come back to the family one day but, as part of my family discarded it like trash it is now framedragger79's to do as he wishes with it. I am happy though he saw the value in it and has kept it and done a lot of work on it to keep it in better condition than it was found in.

Hope this helps answer some questions for everyone has been checking in on this thread. Thanks for your time.

Troy,
Thanks for your thoughtful reply.
Personally you have to love the internet! A piece of family history found and then the family finds it!
I hope the razor finds its way back to the family and more importantly I hope that you, Troy, have a shave with it!

Best
Kris

Well, I haven't found a razor worthy enough to shave my mountain man beard with yet. In my book though, this is definitely the one worthy. I hope one day it makes its way to me.

If it was meant to be , it shall be. I don't know the circumstances of your negotiation, nor do I care to. I can tell you a great deal is when both parties walk away from it happy. Work towards that and you can have no regrets. Either of you. Good luck !

I'm coming a little late to the party here, but this will be useful to know regardless.

Sheffield Cutlers registered all their trademarks through the Cutler's Company of Hallamshire, and all those registrations were approved before they were put into use. For a long time the predominant trademarks were symbols (Joseph Rodgers' cross and star being a perfect, and quite old example). By the 1750's or so, there was a terrible glut of symbols that were so microscopically different no one could tell them apart, so cutlers were encouraged to use words or names instead. There was a brief fad for place name trademarks. I have a Brittain, Wilkinson & Brownell razor stamped 'France'. There were many, many place name trademarks (including Sheffield cutlers stamping their goods with LONDON as a trademark, much to the annoyance of the London cutlers guild). Senegal, Leipzig, Holland, Italy -- all were stamped on Sheffield-made razors.

Most likely, this razor was made in Sheffield and GERMANY was the trademark of a cutler there. I haven't found a specific cutler who used that mark (though I dimly remember seeing one at one point), but the chances are very excellent that's what this is.

I think it is amazing that the razor got traced back to the family though SRP... I hope they can work something out. Personally I would do anything to have a razor that was owned by one of my ancestors!!!

Wow, this thread was a hell of a read!!