Thread: The Truth About The Barber's Notch

Originally Posted by gssixgun

*As of this point in time no one has ever found a pre-1970's factory or advertising reference to the name "Barber's Notch" in the old references they are called either Hollow Point or Hollow Notch razors...

Regarding that, I have an interesting vintage piece from 1971 which may help explain how the "barber's" aka "babar's" qualifier entered into the picture. As legend has it, the king of the elephants had a razorburn problem. In order to solve this, babar's barber introduced him to the straight razor. As you can probably guess, his schnozz was always in the way. So Barb, Babar's Barber, suggested Babar let the Barber create a special design just for him in mind. Borrowing from what was soon to become known as the barber's notch, babar's barber barb and her brother-in-law bob the steel worker came up with a design which allowed for the passage of the razor around babar's prominent snout. See for yourself:



So the "Barber" in "Barber's Notch" is actually "Babar". If anything, hollow point razors with larger than average notches should be referred to as having a "Babar's Notch"

The point is ..... Glen's post listing the various styles illustrates ... the point .... that they were modified with a purpose in mind. IMO anyway. A Spanish or Oblique, a hollow, or a spike. The round is/was probably for safety and speed while a barber's notch ..... more correctly called a hollow for maneuvering around nostrils and a French or a Spanish for reaching difficult areas more efficiently. Just thinking these various points were motivated out of a utilitarian motive rather than style.

Is there a reason why a certain point has a geographical name attached to it?
I mean, it would be an interesting research line. Is the geographical attribution due to the place where it has been invented? Or to the place where it was, at a certain moment through history, a state of the art shape? Specialized producers? Some very old urban legend? Or what else?
Has anybody ever investigated on this?
It could be a lot of fun...

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

So the "Barber" in "Barber's Notch" is actually "Babar". If anything, hollow point razors with larger than average notches should be referred to as having a "Babar's Notch"

It was originally a hoglahoo point but they shortened it to hollow point ..... at least that's what I heard .

If it is really round (circular) isn't that the same as not having a point, or maybe more correctly a point in every direction?

I'm flabbergasted that after all this time, when these threads come up, people still forget the Lou point! And I think therein lies the secret to the points. Lots of old 19th century dudes, sitting around over a quiet tankard or two in the local hostelry, trying to one-up each other over who can come up with the funniest razor nose. Parchment and charcoal are called for, and the rest, as they say, is history.

James.

It would be useful to extend and slightly spoon out the spine half of that hollow point, so it could have a scooping action.

Originally Posted by roughkype

It would be useful to extend and slightly spoon out the spine half of that hollow point, so it could have a scooping action.

I think I see where you're going with this. If we could also somehow incorporate a bell with which to ring the butler, it would be perfect

I eat pie with mine...I mean, wait, what are we talking about?


Still the best argument I've heard for the notch is NOT nose hair trimming. Noses vary too greatly, and a French/Spanish point razor would do as good or better a job. Not to mention that as long as there have been scissors, they've made small narrow pairs for trimming noses, pairs that work in small noses as well as bigguns! No, the best argument I've heard is that the notches were a development by post-war amputees for opening the razor; which is surprisingly hard to do one handed without a notch, particularly with a round pointed blade. The utility of said modification was not lost on manufacturers who then produced notch point razors. Eventually the more marketable segment for said razors was the barber, who still had use for such notched razors after King G's invention became the more logical choice for the shaving impaired. The result then was that the notch was associated with those who most commonly owned and used them: barbers.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I think I see where you're going with this. If we could also somehow incorporate a bell with which to ring the butler, it would be perfect

Lee if you would take your spooned spine and do alternating circles on a coticule ... with slurry of course .... let us know how long it takes to set the bevel on that one we'd greatly appreciate it. Inquiring minds want to know.