Thread: Rodgers - your expertise gentlemen please

Sorry about the pics being scattered had problems getting them to upload and can't seem to sort them...

I've just picked up this Joseph Rodgers and I'm a little confused by it. It appears to be virtually unused, doesn't show any signs of ever being on a hone.
Attachment 81259
Firstly the grind appears pretty uneven, at first glance I thought I'd bought microtome (was an eBay purchase so I didn't see it in the flesh before buying). But the blade is hollow face and pile tho' the pile looks nearer to flat (checked with a straight edge and gave it a couple of licks on a 1000 grit hone to ensure touch-down at spine & edge both sides);

Attachment 81261





The tang isn't stamped "England" which I believe indicates pre-1891. It is also marked "Cutlers to his majesty" which I've read refers to George IV (1820-30) but to my inexperienced eye it looked more mid to late 1800's. The blade tapers somewhat from toe (wide) to heel but the monkey tail is well developed if somewhat inelegant comapred to later profiles.
Attachment 81264



I suspect the scales are celluloid which would tie in with my 1870'ish guess (assuming they're original) there is a number embossed on the inside of both scales which I think is "163" otherwise they're smooth and glossy so are definitely a synthetic material. There is also not a seperate wedge it's an integral part of one of the scales.
Attachment 81262
So assuming this is a razor rather than microtome, does the unevenness just down to it being a 'Friday afternoon job'. Any ideas on dating?

thanks,
phil

Hopefully sorted the pictures...

Can I see an entire pic of the backside of the razor ???? just like the first pic in post #2 except the other side...


What I am looking for is the grind mark, like the first two pics in this thread


http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...microtome.html

See how the backside of a true Microtome has none??? that will help with determining what this one is, whether it is a mis-grind or a microtome. then again we may never truly know

One thing I like is it says " his" majesty I would like to find a Rodgers with that. They are my favorite maker. Even though they suck at shaving.............and not very good steel..........

Just go ahead and send that junk to me.

That looks like a microtome to me. Your reference to "pile side" makes me guess you are a knife guy ? Rodgers made great shavers IME. A microtome can be honed for shaving but they aren't really meant for it. Cutting tissue samples back in the nineteenth century, before more modern equipment came into being.

piccys as requested;
There is definitely a hollow grind on both sides and there is a clearly discernible shoulder;

I've also added a shot of the integral wedge.

I did come across this Rodger's microtome and the grind is very different - with, as you'd expect, a completely flat side.

JOSEPH RODGERS & SONS 6/8 Microtome Straight Razor in Excellent Shape! | eBay

From your photo looking at the point head on it appears to be an unequal grind. So IMHO it is either a microtome of an example of one that got past the quality control folks at Rodgers. I may be wrong, I was wrong once before.

Strangely enough I just honed one like that - very light grind on one side, more pronounced grind on the other and the spine kind of curved over to the more concavely ground side. I think Jimmy is right - QC issue - either that or the microtome orser went belly-up and a whole lot got re-ground!

And Sidmind - a joke surely? 'Suck' at shaving? What - like Einstein sucked at being a genius?

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by sidmind

One thing I like is it says " his" majesty I would like to find a Rodgers with that. They are my favorite maker. Even though they suck at shaving.............and not very good steel..........

Just go ahead and send that junk to me.

And to think of the poor Royal English lineage (5 successive monarchs no less) that knew no better than to invest in their "junk".
The shame of it all...........

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

And Sidmind - a joke surely? 'Suck' at shaving? What - like Einstein sucked at being a genius?
Regards,
Neil

yes a joke... I happen to really like them.