Thread: New Heirloom Razor and a question

While we were at my grandparents' for Thanksgiving, my grandfather and I started talking about me making straights. I showed him a couple pictures of my blade I'm working on and a couple of pieces I've restored. He said that he might have something for me. He wandered off into the bedroom muttering to himself, and when bs came out he was holding a dark coloured razor coffin in his hands! He said he was never going to do anything with it, and it might as well be put to use by someone. It was his uncle's, which would be my great-grandfather's brother. He was still an Evans, so it's pretty special to hold something like this! I have several conjectures about the razor. If anyone cares to expound on them, feel free.

1. This was a hardware store, general merchandise type, non-fancy razor.
2. The "thistle razor co." on the back is an attempt to cash in on the more highly regarded Thistle Cut Co. razors.
3. This is probably from around 1920?

I guess that's all. Of course, I plan to restore the razor. I'm not sure the scales can be saved. They look like layers of plasic on cardboard wrapped from behind with thin metal. They are kind of neat scales, but they aren't much in the way of durable, and they are pretty beat up. I'd really like to preserve the originality of the razor though. Hmmm......

The blade doesn't center in the scales has a slight smile, and has some decent hone wear. But I finally have an heirloom razor story!

Btw, it's a thick 9/16 or a thin 5/8, however you want to look at it.

Pictures!!

Oh also, the box says
Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.

HSB & Co. Rev-O-Noc
Price $3.00

I know HSB started using rev o Noc after Conover started with the company. Other than that, I don't know much about my razor, or the thistle razor co.

That would be an especially fancy "hardware store" razor, given the scales. I can't tell from the pics, are they possibly leather over a metal liner? I'd do all I could to save those scales, they're unusual and attractive. Without the thistle engravings usually seen on the German Thistles, maybe this one came from the New York Thistle Razor co.

Go easy on those scales!

By all means do what you can to save those scales. I agree that they are leather and look to be in much better condition than other leather scales I have seen.

I don't know about leather. I will have to look at them closer. The scales are cracked, and look like what I expect celluloid or similar to look, but maybe leather looks similar. I'm not doing anything for a bit, I'll think and ask questions before I do.