Thread: Top-heavy fractions on old razor scales

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Just so Jimmy does not have disappointment, here are a few more. Perhaps these guys had a bit different "system"!
Attachment 123614Attachment 123615

I bet there were different systems Tom - names or initials seem very likely.

I remember years ago I got half a dozen razors from a guy in Germany - he had very neatly inscribed his initials and a number or date code on each one, so perhaps some collectors, like Lummus, are responsible for some of these systems.

BTW, I have had a quick look too (got a bit carried away, to tell the truth) but haven't found any - yet!

Regards,
Neil

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Dang Ace, that was a whole mouthful of them thar fancy words

It shore was! Why do you think I done spent all them years in them high-fallutin' Yankee colleges?

Luckily I'm currently about 20 miles away from my razors or I'd be looking, but I know I've seen them too. At least a few times.

But I've seen a huge variety of stuff scrawled into the scales. Names, dates, initials... Even instructions like 'do not use'.

About the only thing I'd personally be comfortably certain about is that it's a system of some kind for some class of collector, whether someone who's using them, trading them or just keeping them.

It's worth noting that cultural notions of when and where it was appropriate to put your name have varied wildly through time and place. When Yellowstone national park first opened in America, park visitors regularly scrawled their names and *addresses* into rock formations and trees. It took a concerted effort on the part of park rangers to get folks to stop.

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

It's worth noting that cultural notions of when and where it was appropriate to put your name have varied wildly through time and place. When Yellowstone national park first opened in America, park visitors regularly scrawled their names and *addresses* into rock formations and trees. It took a concerted effort on the part of park rangers to get folks to stop.

Reminds me of when the fellow who was allegedly John Dillinger was shot down by LEOs in Chicago circa 1934. People dipped their handkerchiefs in 'Dillinger's' blood for a souvenir. (men and women used to routinely carry handkerchiefs)

More than one famous, or infamous, person's tombstone has been chipped away to the point where it had to be replaced and protected with a fence because of souvenir hunters. They wanted a little piece of the rock as a memento.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Reminds me of when the fellow who was allegedly John Dillinger was shot down by LEOs in Chicago circa 1934. People dipped their handkerchiefs in 'Dillinger's' blood for a souvenir. (men and women used to routinely carry handkerchiefs)

Jimmy - do you still have your JD hankie? We could have taken that to the Antiques Roadshow with us, too!

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Reminds me of when the fellow who was allegedly John Dillinger was shot down by LEOs in Chicago circa 1934. People dipped their handkerchiefs in 'Dillinger's' blood for a souvenir. (men and women used to routinely carry handkerchiefs)

More than one famous, or infamous, person's tombstone has been chipped away to the point where it had to be replaced and protected with a fence because of souvenir hunters. They wanted a little piece of the rock as a memento.

People are weird, man. WEIRD.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Maybe, but why would he tally the number of honed razors on the razor it'self, not paper or log book?
or I don't understand your hypothesis.

Because the guy sharpening the razor was too poor to buy paper, of course. Log books might have been in a shop, but the poor unskilled laborers (and what we consider a skill today was possibly considered a menial task back then) saved every penny they could. You had a basket with 100 razors in it, and you had to get them done by the next time the horse drawn carriage came round (remember, no priority mail either!) so you would mark this razor as "done this date"
If your going to imagine why these things were done, you gotta imagine in 19th century logic!

Originally Posted by Magpie

Because the guy sharpening the razor was too poor to buy paper, of course. Log books might have been in a shop, but the poor unskilled laborers (and what we consider a skill today was possibly considered a menial task back then) saved every penny they could. You had a basket with 100 razors in it, and you had to get them done by the next time the horse drawn carriage came round (remember, no priority mail either!) so you would mark this razor as "done this date"
If your going to imagine why these things were done, you gotta imagine in 19th century logic!

O.K., maybe your right in your hypothesis, I would never argue this, as it's only a game of guess the fraction here & it's sort of fun.

So lets approach your post & try to apply some 19th Century Logic:
I get to choose the weapon of choice here; I choose common sense.
Common sense is surely a major element of 19th Century Logic, wouldn't you say?

Here goes, a log book back then, 19th Century, was probably just as accessible/affordable as one is today; they just looked different, were made of different material. Probably anything that would hold a mark could be used as a log book. I can't really buy the, I'm too poor to find something to right on." excuse.

Ancient Writing Materials

Ancient Writing Materials | MLibrary
for a much poorer time.

Now lets look at this "basket of 100 razors" that you have just honed & need to return (remember: you are returning 100 razors to individuals who have "saved every penny they could" to buy that razor). The razors arrive probably a few days later (it takes at least a few days to hone 100 razors )
Out of the 100 owners, waiting with a few days of growth, at least 20 are pissed to see the special engraving you have given their razor.
Out of the 20; 8 to 10 of them are not happy with the "I'm too poor to buy a note pad." excuse you give them.
Out of the 8 to 10; 4 become verbally abusive to you.
Out of the 4 verbally abusive owners, at least 1 tries to kick your a$$.

This is an example of 19th Century Logic.
Remember , (no priority mail either!) to send a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.

On top of this example of 19th Century Logic, I just cannot relate the fractions that Tom showed us, with dates. Also to what advantage would a "honing date" be to the honer, when it's returned sharp, he's paid; whether it was last honed a week or month ago.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Common sense is surely a major element of 19th Century Logic, wouldn't you say?

Now lets look at this "basket of 100 razors" that you have just honed & need to return (remember: you are returning 100 razors to individuals who have "saved every penny they could" to buy that razor). The razors arrive probably a few days later (it takes at least a few days to hone 100 razors )
Out of the 100 owners, waiting with a few days of growth, at least 20 are pissed to see the special engraving you have given their razor.
Out of the 20; 8 to 10 of them are not happy with the "I'm too poor to buy a note pad." excuse you give them.
Out of the 8 to 10; 4 become verbally abusive to you.
Out of the 4 verbally abusive owners, at least 1 tries to kick your a$$.

This is an example of 19th Century Logic.
Remember , (no priority mail either!) to send a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.

On top of this example of 19th Century Logic, I just cannot relate the fractions that Tom showed us, with dates. Also to what advantage would a "honing date" be to the honer, when it's returned sharp, he's paid; whether it was last honed a week or month ago.

Outstanding - a sheer joy to read!

Logic, its over rated! =P

I picture the poor guy scribbling on a piece of slate with chalk (what they used for school work and almost all other writing of non essential works of the day) and the huge mess of hash marks that could not be correlated to a razor in particular. **by zues's beard!... Did I already do this one?!?**
Nobody who actually had a cherished razor would send it out with a bunch of common blades to be sharpened. The servants would bring it to the local cutler to have it done in person by an expert. So I believe my ugly mug would be safe from the pummlations and desecration that an angry owner would wish to distribute upon my person.
So there, Meh!