Thread: What's the notch for?

Bill, I'm glad you posted those pictures. I've been collecting straights for many years and had always referred to that feature as a "Sheffield" notch. My friend and mentor who spread that dreaded disease on to me called it that, so I just carried on with the same name. I guess since I had only seen the notch on the older blades made in Sheffield, I never questioned the characterization. This more functional description offered in this thread makes more sense to me. I wonder if this is a regional term, or was my friend just "off base", as I have accused him of being about many things over the years.

Hey I was even worse. I thought it was characteristic only to W&Bs until I got a Walker with a barber's notch. Alas, the poor thing has gone missing in transit from Canada to Macedonia, together with a nice Von Cliffe and some other stuff. Still praying that it's been delayed and that it will arrive over the next month or so.

...and had always referred to that feature as a "Sheffield" notch.

Your friend could be right. That makes sense, also. Or, maybe the first razors with the notch originated in England to give it the name. Torrey has the notch on some of their razors... they are based in the U.S. so it can't be just Sheffield. Maybe both terms are acceptable. Heck, the guys here at SRP made up the term toe to refer to the tip/point of a razor, so I guess anything is possible... and in this day and age... fair and equitable.

Originally Posted by urleebird

... it's an eliptical conclusion.

...