Doc's Thread of rediscoverd Facts!

[Joed]

Great idea Doc. I just saw this in the Genco Pura club and thought of this thread.

Special thanks to matt321

The Genco plant in Geneva was the largest in the world at one time making several thousand razors a day! Read more here:

1917 Dunn's Review description of company:
http://books.google.com/books?id=7MspAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA58&dq=geneva+cutlery+company

[Joed]

Here;s another posted by Croaker.

Thanks again Croaker!

I found some very entertaining and informative reading about razors and cutlery, in the
Full text of "Reports of artisans selected by a committee appointed by the council of the Society of Arts to visit the Paris Universal exhibition, 1867"

Here is the link to the full document, which is very long, but entertaining and informative about not only arts and technology, but labor practices in different countries in 1867. I hope some of you enjoy it!

Full text of "Reports of artisans selected by a committee appointed by the council of the Society of Arts to visit the Paris Universal exhibition, 1867"

Here is an excerpt: my favorite quote would be:
The British exhibitors exhibit no trash in this department. (razors and cutlery)


In the quantity of cutlery in the French Exhibition, England compares
disadvantagcously with the French. Such a result is not unexpected.
Great Britain has only eight exhibitors in cutlery, while France has more
than fifty. Besides the paucity of numbers, there is an absence of the
largest Sheffield manufacturers. Mr. George Wostenholm, being one of
the jurors, did not exhibit, and yet there are few trade-marks better
known than the I.X.L. The celebrated firm of Rodgers and Sons, whose
corporate mark has been granted more than a century, was conspicuous
by its absence. This is more to be regretted when we remember the
display made by them in the Exhibitions of 1851 and 18G2 in London,
as well as that of Paris in 1855 ; besides, no firm has done perhaps so
much to extend the fame of Sheffield for its staple productions. The
principal exhibitors are Mappin and Webb, London and Sheffield ; Davis,
London ; G. and L. Morton, London ; and Brooks and Crookes, Atlantic
Works, Sheffield. The last-named have a splendid assortment of
scissors, razors, and knives ; they are tastefully arranged, and the credit
of Sheffield is worthily sustained by this young and enterprising firm.
The jurors award them the "Gold Medal," and I fully endorse their
verdict. Mappin and Webb have a good assortment of cutlery ; I doubt,
however, if, in the grinding department of their best specimens, they
equal those made by the old firm of " Arundel and Mappin," or the
subsequent one of Mappin Brothers. Morton's case is one of wiucb any-
one might be proud. Some of their razors are elaborate specimen* of
workmanship, both blades and handles. The aim of an exhibitor
be, while not despising ornamentation, to keep to the tiseful and cheap.
The scissors in this case are good and elegant, and though bearing the
impress " Morton," I think that they, as well as the ra/ors, arc made in
Sheffield : I should guess the makers to be J. and Win. Ragg. The
British exhibitors exhibit no trash in this department.

[gregs656]

The MAB company are another one that recommend a good strop (their own, naturally). They also recommend only a FEW passes and say this will provide a good edge for MONTHS.



The before AND after thing is interesting as well.

[manah]

About strops.
Instruction for this English strop.

[matt321]

This advice is from a 1923 Genco ad.



Popular Science - Google Books

[AFDavis11]

I'll post here although I'm not trying to be difficult in either this thread or the other related thread, but all this makes perfect sense to me. Anyway here is the primary source of many of my understandings of how to use a razor/strop/stone . . . particularly the historical stuff in the last several links, though its foreign I think and not American . . .


RazorCentral - Home of the straight razor

[Doc]

The Seal Skin Svvaty Strop Co Ottum wa Iowa manufacturers of the Seal Skin Swaty Razor Strop report a rapidly increasing trade They have prepared a special insert page for use in catalogues issued by hardware dealers and jobbers showing a three color illustration of their Razor Strop

found this here and thought it was interesting
Hardware dealers' magazine - Google Books

[Doc]

this one is fun as well

[Pyment]

From the label on my Emerson's Elastic Razor Strop:

DIRECTIONS FOR USING EMERSON'S ELASTIC RAZOR STROP;
Which by its elastic power, is sure to act with regularity, and by its peculiar property, revive the edge of your Razor.

If your Razor is dull, strap it first on the brown side ; if it has a wiry edge, drawing it frequently on the thumb-nail, while strapping, is the best way to determine when it is smooth; then strap it on the dark side, which will give your Razor an exceedinglykeen, smooth edge. If your Razor is new or newly set, the dark side only need be used. When your strap becomes dry, through age, a few drops of sperm oil, rubbed on with the finger, will be useful to soften it, and thereby destroy the gloss. To make this Strap more convenient, a box of Superior Composition is fixed on the handle, sufficient to keep it in good order for many years. This is to be moistened with oil, and spread on the brown sideof your Strap, very thin and smooth, once in ten or twelve months: and when the Strap becomes coated the old dressingshould be wiped off, before the new is laid on.

WARRANTED BY
Chas H Emerson

My Strap is below

[Pyment]

On the reverse is the story of Mr Emerson who originated the elastic razor strap and how it had imitators. The business was left to his five nephews who encourage people to buy their straps only from "responsible dealers."
The green label with the story is pictured below.