Darwin Safety Razor ca. 1935

Darwin Razor ca. 1935

Another oddity rescued and refurbished. Somehow I can relate with, and to, the intrepid gentlemen in their drawing rooms, racking their brains, and un-racking the “Port,” for a final solution to the problem of self shaving, and getting around previous patents!


The Darwin Razor was similar to a Rolls Razor, using a hollow ground blade, removable, hone-able, and which was a bit thinner than the Rolls blade. The honing/stropping action was performed by pulling and pushing the end of the slider which was a moveable part of the box. The two sided strop was fixed in position by a catch. The two sided strop was changed from side to side by moving a lever and pulling it from the other end of the box very carefully to assure that the timing of the blade was correct and that it did not dig into the strop, and then returning it with the chosen grit side up..
Stropping was accessed by opening the top, removing the razor, and holding the end between thumb and index finger and pulling. The blade flopping action was the same as a Rolls,


BOX Closed:
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/...00001_crop.jpg
Box Open, razor assembled in carrying position:
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/...winboxopen.jpg
Stropper being pushed inward Razor removed, blade in carrier.
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/...00004_crop.jpg
Razor assembled
Stropper to the right blade out of carrier, Bottom of the razor as assembled for use.:
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/...00011_crop.jpg

Documents at Canadian Intellectual Property Office:
http://patents.ic.gc.ca/opic-cipo/cpd/eng/patent/341200/summary.html#View_Images
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/...neDarwin-1.jpg
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/...winPage2-1.jpg
SOTD to come!
~Richard

That is like a Rolls, only a bit more primitive? Wow, Richard, You and I like messing with the wierd stuff! :D

Just going to resurrect this old thread to comment on a Darwin I picked yesterday locally. I found this thread and PM'd Richard for any advise he had on them. Many thanks to Richard for the tips he readily passed along which I followed.

She cleaned up nicely but both blades had edges that looked like saw teeth so I honed one up this morning. Started with 3 layers of tape and the DMT, 2 layers of tape on the 1K nani and then 1 layer of tape on the 3K/8K/12K/Crox progression. The end result was a shave able edge that was just shy of being there totally, proven by a test multi pass shave. Back to the hones for some tuning but it has got good potential. Can't complain though and it is an experience to shave with one of these things that are more Rube Goldbergesque than even a Rolls Razor.

Bob

I have looked at buying any one of several "safety razors" with hollow ground blades. I never followed through because of doubts on honing the blades. How do you do that with nothing to hold on to?

It is a PITA, just picture pushing a soda cracker around a hone with some tape on one end.

Bob

The inventor of the Darwin Razor was Paul Richard Kuehnrich (pictured below)apparently he didnt test his edges on himself! his life history PAUL KUEHNRICH: STEEL INNOVATOR, BACON HOARDER - SUICIDE ECCLESALL SHEFFIELD 1932.
Attachment 150073
Some other Darwin related document.
Attachment 150074
Attachment 150075
Attachment 150076
Attachment 150077
Attachment 150078

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobH

It is a PITA, just picture pushing a soda cracker around a hone with some tape on one end.

Bob

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Thanks for THAT visual. Perhaps my instincts have been correct!

I use a loop of tape to make a handle on a side for honing the other. Still a PITA but I have only had to hone a blade once for each of the old razors I have. I do have a couple board type stroppers similar the one in the Darwin that work a champ.
~Richard
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/...r/KIF_0011.jpg
~Richard

I am resurrecting this thread @Geezer...today I picked up an identical Darwin Universal Hollow Ground Safety Razor. Amazing vintage razor. I had never seen one of these razors before. I was pleased because mine was in excellent condition, came with the instructions, an extra blade and even a small tube of strop paste! These were built to last...solid construction.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Whizbang

I am resurrecting this thread @Geezer...today I picked up an identical Darwin Universal Hollow Ground Safety Razor. Amazing vintage razor. I had never seen one of these razors before. I was pleased because mine was in excellent condition, came with the instructions, an extra blade and even a small tube of strop paste! These were built to last...solid construction.

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Do you have a Rolls Razor? I wonder how the two compare.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by benhunt

Do you have a Rolls Razor? I wonder how the two compare.

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No, I don't have a Rolls...I am waiting to find one in near mint condition in original packaging. It seems every antique store I go to has at least one...but not always in the best condition.

Here are some pics of the Darwin razor I picked up. First pic shows the razor case in the original felt sheath and instruction booklet.
Attachment 244741

The remaining pics show the razor box opened and then the razor itself. The box comes with a small vial of strop paste...and two blades, both in very good condition. It is in very good condition.
Attachment 244742
Attachment 244743
Attachment 244744

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Whizbang

Here are some pics of the Darwin razor I picked up. First pic shows the razor case in the original felt sheath and instruction booklet.

The remaining pics show the razor box opened and then the razor itself. The box comes with a small vial of strop paste...and two blades, both in very good condition. It is in very good condition.

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I would look at the parts diagram in your instructions booklet. I believe you are missing the guard bar that fits on the blade. If you are, I don't think it is a big deal as far as using it is concerned, though.

Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobH

I would look at the parts diagram in your instructions booklet. I believe you are missing the guard bar that fits on the blade. If you are, I don't think it is a big deal as far as using it is concerned, though.

Bob

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What part on the diagram were you referring to (letter/number)? I checked the Instruction booklet and looked at the diagram...no mention of a blade guard. (It could be I am missing something and just can't see it). All parts seem to be present and accounted for. I have read in other wiki type forums that this razor has been likened to "shaving with a straight razor on a stick"...that is, no guard.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Whizbang

What part on the diagram were you referring to (letter/number)? I checked the Instruction booklet and looked at the diagram...no mention of a blade guard. (It could be I am missing something and just can't see it). All parts seem to be present and accounted for. I have read in other wiki type forums that this razor has been likened to "shaving with a straight razor on a stick"...that is, no guard.

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Have to apologize, seems I was thinking of the Rolls Razor. Blame it on the old age. Yes, the Darwin, Rolls and Wilkinson SEs are like shaving with a straight razor on a stick. The blades are really literally just a short section of a straight razor blade.

Bob

No wonder this contraption never caught on. It's simpler just to use a straight!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wayne1963

No wonder this contraption never caught on. It's simpler just to use a straight!

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Not if you were a representative of England in the far flung Empire. A few spare blades could make the difference between an emissary and a bum where the folks were expecting an emissary to be "properly attired."
~Richard