Thread: The Barber's Notch

My theory is that is mostly decoration.
In practicality, a person shaving another, as in a barber, would be able to see, within the notch, how close he is shaving to ears, noses, etc. The notch is a window to tell how close one is shaving to facial features without going too close.
Imagine shaving someone else and seeing a line of the work within the cutout. Pretty safe and handy! I would think this is why it is dubbed the 'Barber's notch'! Could be wrong! !

Just from personally finding the notch point easier to work between the top of a trimmed mustache and the nose I have always felt that was the motivation. OTOH, Tom raises an interesting point (no pun) and there may be something to that. I could never get with the notch being there for ease of opening. The spine is thick and heavy enough to get hold of, epecially the old wedges from Sheffield. I could be wrong but we all know how rare that would be .......

It seems logical that it would have given the grinder a second grip point and ease in the grinding, and they look cool, and you can stick them up your nose.

I think they look good and use them around the nostrilliums, whether i'm supposed to or not.

Also comes in handy when honing.

edit +++great minds+++ a copost with #11

In the 30 year anniversary video, Chimensch holds a razor how I think it would be used at about 8:08 or so. His blade doesn't have the notch, but again I think this is how it would be used if it did. Every time I watch him shave his lip toward his nose it gives me chills...way more advanced than me.

And here we go again

First I have a pic of a "Notch" that I believe would fit Pixel's theory of an index, totally different style and size and I believe the razor was ground lengthwise first, which would lend credence to his theory at least on this razor.. This razor however is much newer then the older Sheffields..

BTW you ain't sticking this one in yer nose hehehehe in fact many of them just won't work that way...






Second they have never been found to be called a "Barber's" Notch at least not that anyone has posted YET..
All the old ads I have seen they are simply listed along with every other "Point" style with the name Hollow Point / Notch

I have yet to see an old ad with anything special written about the point style or really any other point style...

Looking at the very old razors, "The Stub Tails" you tend to find a Clipped point on those, it looks almost like a very shallow C

Anyway I keep looking and reading and to this date I haven't found any proof of anything, my latest discovery was the pics I posted above as that one made no sense other then Pixel's theory...


All I got

I don't care what it's for...all I know is that on certain razors it looks darn cool If it serves a purpose then great, otherwise it just falls into another design like a Spanish Point, French Point etc.

Originally Posted by Catrentshaving

I don't care what it's for...all I know is that on certain razors it looks darn cool If it serves a purpose then great, otherwise it just falls into another design like a Spanish Point, French Point etc.

I'm goin with that theory too cause....well.....it is pretty damn slick lookin any ol way.