Thread: R bladworth 5/8????

Hi, wondering if anyone can help, I have had a razor for some time and cannot find any information on it whatsoever, it is a 'R BLADWORTH' 5/8 full wedge, with pressed horn scales and a lead spacer. It has a slight smile. The only thing stamped on the tang are 'R BLADWORTH' and 'SHEFFIELD' underneath that, both on the same side of the tang. Has anybody else heard of this maker or have one of these razors? I restored and honed it myself, surprisingly it honed great and shaves really well considering it looked beyond help when i bought it. I love a challenge!! Sorry I haven't posted any pics yet, still trying to figure out how to do it on my iPhone!!!!

Pics of the above mentioned razor if anyone can shed some light on history, etc... Many thanks.

Hey There,

Hey There

Two things make me think that this is a pre 1900 razor. The lack of an England stamp, and the lead spacer. Lead was heavily restricted in the late 1800's early 1900's. I will do a namesearch in Sheffield directory and let you know if an exact date comes around.

Nice razor it looks nice!

Carl - SRH

Hi Carl, thanks.. Would love to know a bit more about the company, etc. thanks, it's a great shaver. And the John heiffor and Joseph Rodgers you restored for me a while back are still in my rotation. Brilliant shavers, thanks again.
Rob

Hey Rob

I'm glad they were/are to your liking! I will do my best to dig something up on these guys. Sometimes it's tough because there were so many small companies. The name check didn't turn anything up but I'm not giving up there

Thanks

Carl - SRH

Originally Posted by Manchestertattoo

Hi Carl, thanks.. Would love to know a bit more about the company, etc. thanks, it's a great shaver. And the John heiffor and Joseph Rodgers you restored for me a while back are still in my rotation. Brilliant shavers, thanks again.
Rob

There was a Thomas Bladworth in Sheffield, listed as a factor in 1825, then as a table knife manufacturer a bit later, however he died in 1833. He may have had a son 'R', though, but I think it unlikely that he is the one.

Maybe it is not the name of the maker, but an agent/hardware/cutlery store. There was an R and W Bladworth, hardware dealers in Scotland in 1817 which seems too early by far, and another two R Bladworths in the Edinburgh and Leith Directory for 1873 - one a hardware dealer, one another R and W Bladworth - R Bladworth designated 'jnr' - wholesale cutlery and hardware dealers.

Regards,
Neil

On the nose Neil!

"Bladworth, Richd. wholesale ironmonger, 375" 1959 was the date of registration. I think we were looking in the same place Neil. This is the link http://www.archive.org/stream/postof...0edin_djvu.txt

I think this chap is the likely manufacturer.

What do you think?

Carl - SRH

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

There was a Thomas Bladworth in Sheffield, listed as a factor in 1825, then as a table knife manufacturer a bit later, however he died in 1833. He may have had a son 'R', though, but I think it unlikely that he is the one.

Maybe it is not the name of the maker, but an agent/hardware/cutlery store. There was an R and W Bladworth, hardware dealers in Scotland in 1817 which seems too early by far, and another two R Bladworths in the Edinburgh and Leith Directory for 1873 - one a hardware dealer, one another R and W Bladworth - R Bladworth designated 'jnr' - wholesale cutlery and hardware dealers.

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by straightrazorheaven

... Lead was heavily restricted in the late 1800's early 1900's...

Carl - SRH

Are you sure, Carl? I thought the 19th century saw an explosion in the use of lead: lead pipes, lead sheeting, damp proofing, lead solder, lead paint, battery cells, silver refining, pewter making, photography, etc, etc. In fact England was the world's leading supplier at the beginning of the 1800s, what with lead being mined in Derbyshire, Somerset, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and many other places producing 17000 tons at the beginning of the century and rising to 66000 tons by 1850.

What is the significance of the late 1800s and early 1900s? Even though production in real terms declined due to the use of other metals instead of lead, the production figures in tons for 1893, 1896 and 1897 was 40000, 60000 and 40000 respectively. Still a lot of lead!

Regards,
Neil

My source was the Scottish Post Office Directory, too! From much earlier, though, so they were an enduring lot who favoured the name Richard!

As has been said before though, the inability to find small makers in Sheffield does not mean that he was not a Sheffield man, but I tend to think that the Scots Connection is likelier!

Regards,
Neil

Hey Neil

You are right but I think you may have misread my text. The 19th century being from 1800-1900, the regulations came into place late 1800's into the 20th century (1900's). It's funny that everything was made of lead and then people make a HUGE U-turn, I wonder what's next in that regard. The significance lies in that the spacer could (probably was) made before 1900. Helping to point to a probable date of manufacture.

This link has a good history of the regulation of lead.
http://scienceprogress.org/2008/10/a...ad-regulation/

I agree with the scots connection, the railroad made it possible for makers to move their wares across the British isles.

Thanks

Carl - SRH

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

Are you sure, Carl? I thought the 19th century saw an explosion in the use of lead: lead pipes, lead sheeting, damp proofing, lead solder, lead paint, battery cells, silver refining, pewter making, photography, etc, etc. In fact England was the world's leading supplier at the beginning of the 1800s, what with lead being mined in Derbyshire, Somerset, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and many other places producing 17000 tons at the beginning of the century and rising to 66000 tons by 1850.

What is the significance of the late 1800s and early 1900s? Even though production in real terms declined due to the use of other metals instead of lead, the production figures in tons for 1893, 1896 and 1897 was 40000, 60000 and 40000 respectively. Still a lot of lead!

Regards,
Neil