Thread: Edward Saville help please

Picked this up with several others. Near wedge. descent shape. has SILVERSTEEL on the top of blade. can not seem to find anything on it. all info would be appreciated. thanks.


also, between the scale inserts there used to be a boobie girl. she has, unfortunately been removed, but her shadow exists. the words seen is all that exists.

Nice looking razor.
What I found was Edward Saville was a razorsmith in 1829 in Sheffield. Thanks to GENUKI: Sheffield Directory of Trades and Professions for 1829 His name is under razor manufacturers about 3/4 down the page. Unfortunately it doesn't give much more than that.

Very interesting razor. It looks to me to older than the celluloid scales it's in. The thing that really caught my eye, though, is that celluloid pattern. Maybe other members can help me out here, but isn't that the celluloid pattern that's prone to out-gassing? Maybe not, but if it is, it would be worth keeping it away from other razors and maybe storing it with the blade unfolded.

Great-looking razor, though.

Originally Posted by stimpy52

Very interesting razor. It looks to me to older than the celluloid scales it's in. The thing that really caught my eye, though, is that celluloid pattern. Maybe other members can help me out here, but isn't that the celluloid pattern that's prone to out-gassing? Maybe not, but if it is, it would be worth keeping it away from other razors and maybe storing it with the blade unfolded.

Great-looking razor, though.

I think that that's the faux Tortoiseshell, that's when I've seen it anyway. I don't often say this, but that one needs new scales. Beautiful blade. Don't sand, just polish.

thanks for the help. that is more than i have been able to come with. gas out? new term to me. it was in an old barber roll with 10 razors, 2 combs, and 2 finger files. so hopefully it would have done this. a duble duck that was in there had clear yellow scales that cracked and are really quite fragile, gas out? a good score, it had been in a trunk for at least 20 yrs untouched. most all the blades have no stain damage and little use.

Gas out is similar to cell rot from celluloid scales or is the same thing. Some faux tortoise scales will cause the blade to rust in a pattern matching the darker spots on the scales. It may be caused by the chemicales used to dye the scale material, if celluloid, it may cause a more rapid breakdown of the material where dyed giving off a gas that causes the metal to rust.

Expanding on what Joed said, gassing out or out gassing is what happens when celluloid decomposes. The gas given off has a high concentration of nitric acid. When a razor is left in a box or drawer with no air circulation, the nitric acid fumes attack the steel.

The strange part of the phenomena is that there seems to be no rhyme or reason that the scales will start to decompose. I've got cell handled pocket knives and razors from the turn of the century and the cell is as good as the day it was made. I've bought knives made in Germany in the 90's that have ruined due to the cell breaking down.

Some of the reasons I have read that cause it seem to be a lack of quality control in the manufacturing. Seems they'd make a good batch and then the next might not be so good.

End result is that it will destroy carbon steels rather quickly, especially a razor due to the fact that the edge is so thin and it doesn't take much time for rust from both sides to meet in the middle.

As for the pattern of that cell? It looks similar to what we refer to as "butter and molasses" when describing pocket knife scales.

History, directory, gazetteer 1822, Saville Edward,22,South street, razor mfr.

London Gazette 1828.

Indeed!Also:

General & Commercial Directory of Sheffield, 1825,
Saville Edward, razor manufacurer, 22,Duke St.

And:

Robson's Birmingham & Sheffield Directory, 1839:
Saville Edward, 27 Burgess st., razor & fluted & other Table Steel Manf. (Corporate Mark)