Auto strop Safety Razor Company

Just picked this little guy up at an estate sale. 1 whole dollar 😄. I don’t know anything about it. How does it auto strop? I know it takes single edge blades, but can you find blades still? On the outside of the razor it says Valet. On the bottom near the handle it says Patented 1914-1923. When you open the top part of the razor, where I’m guessing the blade goes it says Autostrop Safety Razor Company Limited Toronto Canada. This is stamped on a little door and if you open that there are 2 asmetrical bumps which would guess position the blade.

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Originally Posted by redtruck

Just picked this little guy up at an estate sale. 1 whole dollar 😄. I don’t know anything about it. How does it auto strop? I know it takes single edge blades, but can you find blades still? On the outside of the razor it says Valet. On the bottom near the handle it says Patented 1914-1923. When you open the top part of the razor, where I’m guessing the blade goes it says Autostrop Safety Razor Company Limited Toronto Canada. This is stamped on a little door and if you open that there are 2 asmetrical bumps which would guess position the blade.

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I have pics to add, but I don’t see an option to upload pics on my iPhone.

The blades are hard to find but regular SE blades can be modified. Or you can find them in antique stores or ebay some times.

I think Bruno was thinking of making some for someone before but you would have to be serious about wanting them. I dont think they would be on the cheep side. Plus the shipping.

Good video explaining the ins and outs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuLsp6a2IFw

Bob

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Originally Posted by Gasman

I think Bruno was thinking of making some for someone before but you would have to be serious about wanting them. I dont think they would be on the cheep side. Plus the shipping.

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those blades were not for auto strops.

I can certainly see modifying a modern blade to fit the razor but would there be any advantage and probably a disadvantage to stropping one?

These drop in perfectly. Shave great and last much longer than Feather DE blades. Thicker and heavier-duty I think.
Tale is Feather bought out Autostrop years ago....

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Originally Posted by 32t

I can certainly see modifying a modern blade to fit the razor but would there be any advantage and probably a disadvantage to stropping one?

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They say that it does no good to strop a new blade as their sharpness comes from a coating.

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

These drop in perfectly. Shave great and last much longer than Feather DE blades. Thicker and heavier-duty I think.
Tale is Feather bought out Autostrop years ago....

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Is that a regular feather single edge blade?

It is for certain older Feather razors and Autostrops. They also fit some high end SE's.
Seems you can get them in stainless or carbon. Check Ebay.

Here.......

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Originally Posted by tintin

The blades are hard to find but regular SE blades can be modified. Or you can find them in antique stores or ebay some times.

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If his razor has " asymmetric bumps" it will only take the Feather blades. An earlier model would take despined and trimmed SE blades.

Autostrop strops can be found on eBay, but you can also make a replacement.
You'll need a grained leather, my original strop is pigskin, but any grained leather that isn't stretchy will work.
The thickness is critical, too thick or thin and it will function poorly if at all. 1.3 mm or .05 inch or right around 3 ounce leather.
Cut a strip 1.58 inch wide( 40 mm) and it can be as long as you want. My original is 15 inches or 381 mm.
The Autostrop I have uses the despined SE blades so I crimped that spine onto the leather, punched a hole close to the crimped spine and tied a larkshead knot through the loop and around the spine.
The other end will need to be trimmed to a point so that it will easily go into the razor.
The one I made was given away, a pic of the original will show where the spine would go and how to trim the end.
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Thanks for all the info gents. I think mine might be the earlier version, since mine doesn’t have the half moon clips that hold the blade. I’ll check Maggards for single edge blades. Good to know Feather makes them, since that’s what I use in my DE.