Add me to the envy list of that blade. Truly, it's a shame about the chip -- I have to think it would've remained whole if it hadn't been reground.

I've been looking for a copy of Mister Rhodes' pamphlet on razor manufacture for a while now, but sadly haven't turned up anything. However, his more famous book is available through Google Books, over here.

Supposedly, his 1821 pamphlet on razor manufacture talks about (among other things) how the historical art had faded terribly from it's glory days.

Neil, do you have any idea if anyone was using the GR stamp for George the III? I'd gotten the impression that the tradition more or less started (at least with razors) when George IV got going in earnest and had pretty well died out by the end of Victoria's time (though I have seen a J. Weiss 7-Day set that is unequivocally 1920's with a GR stamp).