Thread: J.R.Torrey

I bought a razor marked J.R.Torrey Co. Worcester, Mass on the tang. Pictures looked good and seller had a good rating. I thought "what the heck" and it's a piece I can practice honing on if nothing else. And...the name did not appear on the "Razors to be avoided" list, which I checked.

When I received it the stampings were very indistinct. At 45X it was clear there was not even a bevel. After considerable honing beginning at 1K and moving thru 8K I still had a blade that would not shave arm hair. My honing is not that bad.

Well...I hit something before I was done scribbling. Anyway, question: Has anyone run across these before? I'm concluding the "Made in Pakistan" scribe is hidden somewhere. Let me know if this is a great brand and my honing and evaluation skills are worse than I can imagine or...be warned.

Torrey is a fine razor. Send some pics if you can.
Everyone, can always improve their honing skills. If it becomes a struggle, then the technique must be reevaluated. Honing eases my mind. I had a razor kick me for 8 hours, last year. Put it aside for six months, improved my technique; she was shave ready in 45 minutes.

Thank you, Hirlau. Yes, as a newbie I have a lot to learn and honing is right up there on the list. Just surprised I couldn't even shave arm hair. I'll endeavor to get pics. Might even consider sending it for honing if it's worthwhile.

Originally Posted by mumpig

Thank you, Hirlau. Yes, as a newbie I have a lot to learn and honing is right up there on the list. Just surprised I couldn't even shave arm hair. I'll endeavor to get pics. Might even consider sending it for honing if it's worthwhile.

Torreys are great shavers, although I put my first razor to the hones 1 week after I received it, I would not recommend to newbies to learn to hone on a first razor.
I'd suggest send the razor out to be honed and learn technique and when you feel comfortable get another one to hone yourself and use the first one as a benchmark od shave ready.

Mum,

I just finished another Torrey 'night before last. 'Very nice shaver. 'Very nice. If you'd like a hand w/ the edge - just pick up cost of envelope and postage to get it back to you. At least you can start w/ a known good bevel, which should make subsequent efforts easier to get a feel for. The Torrey I did had a slight smile (which I love). If yours also has a smile it can take some practice to get the stroke down for the smile. Glen's vid on honing a heavy sheffield chopper w/ a smile might be helpful. Pay attention to the strokes - not the stone - which is a coticule.

Hollar If I can be of help.

We have 27 Torrey razors. I have honed these and countless others for customers. As with most razors, the hardness of the steel varies. Some hone up very easily while others take a bit more effort. Most of the razors I hone are vintage and were purchased from everywhere one can find vintage razors. Some of them take a lot of honing on the bevel setter before I will move them to the next hone. In setting your bevel make sure the razor cuts arm hair cleanly and smoothly before moving to your next hone.

JR Torrey? Didn't he write about hobbits?

I own two, one I got from Howard Schecter, an "The Artist", and another "The artist" I found on FleaBay. Both are excellent shavers, and neither needed the bevel reset. Both have a slight smile, and if you go from a straight blade to these, you are soon reminded not to do anything but go in a straight line!

It's possible that you set the wrong bevel, and then honed that. The wrong bevel will not shave well at all. If you're new to honing, get with someone who can show you how to do it properly or send it out to be honed. I was fortunate enough to have a great lesson from Howard, and the lessons I've learned will last a lifetime. Howard and I both have found that Torrey razors were made of some great quality steel, and that's the best place to start with a razor.

I did find that while many other razors were almost good enough to shave by after just honing, the Torreys required a bit of stropping to start cutting cleanly and not leave a burn. Start slow, get the muscle memory down and strop, strop, strop.
Both of my Torreys needed 20 on felt and over 50 on bridle leather. No CrO2 here, but it might help, too.
Torrey was a strop manufacturer first, and then added razors to it's production in the 1880s. I drive by the old Torrey factory a lot as I work in Worcester on an ambulance. It's dead now, and has long since been gutted and had the lead and asbestos abated, and the building is now for SALE! For a cool $250,500 you can OWN it!

Torrey razor steel is the best out there in my opinion, it is also a harder steel, check your bevel.