Thread: Acier Fondu?

Cast steel was invented by Benjamin Huntsman of Sheffield in 1740.

Great looking razor, much better looking than the one I picked up this morning. Here is a link to it:

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I found out recently, after I have been toying w/ the idea of learning to shave w/ a straight razor for about a year now, that my great grandfather was a barber. My mom showed me some of his razors and will give me any that my uncles do not want. I decided to get on eBay and purchase some as well, thinking I would like to learn how to restore some as well. Any pointers? Thanks!

Originally Posted by jccrabtree

I found out recently, after I have been toying w/ the idea of learning to shave w/ a straight razor for about a year now, that my great grandfather was a barber. My mom showed me some of his razors and will give me any that my uncles do not want. I decided to get on eBay and purchase some as well, thinking I would like to learn how to restore some as well. Any pointers? Thanks!

Welcome to SRP. That is a nice old stub tail you have there. I guess you know it is probably from the late 1700s .... As for restoring some of your great grandfather's razors, or your ebay acquisitions, go to the SRP library at the toolbar above and check out the tutorials. There should be good info in there. Also go to the forum menu and check out 'The Workshop.' There will be many threads in there with videos, tips & tricks. You might also want to check the forum menu and post in 'member introductions.' More people will see you there than will go to this specific thread.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Welcome to SRP. That is a nice old stub tail you have there. I guess you know it is probably from the late 1700s .... As for restoring some of your great grandfather's razors, or your ebay acquisitions, go to the SRP library at the toolbar above and check out the tutorials. There should be good info in there. Also go to the forum menu and check out 'The Workshop.' There will be many threads in there with videos, tips & tricks. You might also want to check the forum menu and post in 'member introductions.' More people will see you there than will go to this specific thread.

I am already impressed in my short time at SRP with a quick response to my first comment/question. I will follow your advice, JimmyHAD!

Originally Posted by cflaageriv

I wish to thank you gentlemen for your input. I thought that the razor may've been a Wostenholm or a Johnson. In any event, it is a nice shaver. However, the steel is very soft and it makes it gentle at its sharpest. I have shaved with it once shortly after cleaning it up just to be able to say "I shaved with a two-hundred year old razor." I know, wip-di-doo (that's what my wife said). The cleaning up was necessary because whoever owned it previously had taken a flat file to it and boy did it look ugly! Thanks again.

Wostenholm is only a claypipe mark, Johnson has a claypipe and dartdevice mark

Originally Posted by Zelenbakh

Looking at the stamp I would guess it is a very early George Wostenholm. This pipe is very familiar.

The pipe is been used several times, in combination with a dart device is a Johnson mark (Tweedale)

I have seen very old razor with similar pipe and Wostenholm stamp.

The oldest Wostenholm blade with the pipe isn't earlier than 1843.
The Wostenholm company acquired the Pipe trademark from William Hutchinson in 1843 (which was granted at 22nd Dec., 1694 and Wostenholm described as the oldest mark on the Company of Cutlers' register).

Originally Posted by Zelenbakh

I have seen very old razor with similar pipe and Wostenholm stamp.

Indeed, like I said, Wostenholm is only a claypipe mark (very likewise) but normaly it wouldn't have a dart, Johnson had the same mark but with a dart symbol, in the book "standard guide to razors" by Ritchie there is also an example of pressumably a Wolstenholm, but in this forum, with good reason, classified as a Johnson ( more info in Tweedale's directory to Sheffield cutleries)

Originally Posted by manah

The oldest Wostenholm blade with the pipe isn't earlier than 1843.
The Wostenholm company acquired the Pipe trademark from William Hutchinson in 1843 (which was granted at 22nd Dec., 1694 and Wostenholm described as the oldest mark on the Company of Cutlers' register).

Indeed, and without a dartdevice mark