Thread: Top-heavy fractions on old razor scales

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!

"Aye Laddie, a mere common blade, but a cherished one never the less. "

Now Boys! . The idea of Barbers doing this to their "workhorses" seems to be the answer. While occasionally seen, these marks are certainly not common. I can say with certainty that the razors I have seen it on were at least 100+ years old.
Made back in the days when a barbershop shave was commonplace. The scratching of names were made by common people. Soldiers razors are seen with their names and regiment/group names on older ones and their number upon the handle from the days when numbers were put upon soldiers. However, when coupled with these numbering systems, or just the numbers themselves, I am convinced that a barber once used this as a tool to make money and valued it as a tool, much as a machinist would scratch or engrave ID into an expensive tool, as Pixelfixed related. I have many old tools with names on them. Unattractive, yes. But quite necessary, I think! I started out thinking it had something to do with honing, but can now see that it truly makes no sense. These old razors were common everywhere back then. Not the collectibles they are today. JMO

another scratched out number to add to the thread... if we get enough maybe we can decipher a code. The tang reads George Wostenholm & Sons / Celebrated IXL Razor / Washington Works / Sheffield. The blade is an 11/16 spanish or wide barbers notch with a wedge/near wedge grind.

Dang! Could that be the 222nd razor owned by old #1? or is it 19?