Thread: Razor Sharpness

So just a quick thought i was having. Back in the day do you think everyone had as sharp of razors as we have now, or did they just deal with the rough shave? What my thinking is is that everyone didnt have 4 or 5 hones and do pyrmid honing, so in my head they wouldnt have the same razor sharpness that we have. Am i completely off track or what does everyone else think?

Interesting point. I think we still have people around today that have a varied idea of sharp, so to speak. I am amazed sometimes at the edges that some people are able to shave with. I also think there is a much different mentality when a straight razor is all that was available then to what it is today with so much else available and us choosing to shave this way as a luxury or hobby so to speak. Don't know if that makes sense.

My bet is that they still had pretty sharp razors in the generations that preceded us.

Lynn

I was in Canada and looking over the British Supplies of a British Soldier for 1812 and there was a straight razor, strop, shaving soap bowl, and soap and it looked exactly the same as we use today. The soldiers were required to shaved on Wednedays and Sundays and the razor scale looked a little bit like a Dovo Renaissance Scale.

I have to think they wanted a great smooth shave just like we do today and tried their best with what they had. I wish I thought of getting a picture of it for everyone.

Someday I will get my hands on a straight razor that old and put it back to working condition.

Pabster

I suspect that some men were very used to getting by with rough shaves, but I am also inclined to imagine that most men had a better knack for maintaining their razors with ease. Since their were many more straight razor shavers then than now, I bet there was a wider variation in quality as well.

I can't imagine that most men went to the lengths we do today. Before we had the modern cleaning products we have now, standards of cleanliness were very different. Also, far more men wore beards from the photos I've seen.

After thinking more about it i belive most would have a comfortable shave. If you grew up honing your own knives and tools you lived with you would have a good understanding on how to keep a razor sharp. they didnt have our same modern hones but i bet they had pretty good natural stones. i know they took god care of the blades bassed on all the straights we still have and use so why not take as excelent care of the edge as well.

Most men did not shave themselves. Most went to a barber who was an expert (generally) at honing, stropping and shaving.

I think we often fail to appreciate just how resourceful people were.
You only have to visit a cathedral built many centuries ago. Just look carefully at the quality of the masonry and carving. Man has been able to make, sharpen and use precision cutting tools for a very long time.
I think in many ways they could achieve more with less.
Perhaps, in some ways, we have 'dumbed' down with the majority relying on a few to produce 'user friendly' solutions.

I would suspect that blades where kept and sharpened much like they are today. In fact, if you were to look at percentages, I bet more people today who use straight razors don't know how to keep a sharp edge as compared to the generations before us. I think it is due to how easy it is to send your blade out for honing.

Lets give the generations before us a little more credit. A lack of modern technology didn't stop the japanese from making one of, if not the most kick ass swords of all time. Also I suspect more people back then were trades people, good at working with their hands, so I bet they knew how to keep a blade in good shape.

I would guess most would just go to their barber for honing. Some may have had a barber hone for keeping the blade sharp.

They were not buying "ebay quality" razors and trying to make them sing again.

Originally Posted by freyguy

I would suspect that blades where kept and sharpened much like they are today. In fact, if you were to look at percentages, I bet more people today who use straight razors don't know how to keep a sharp edge as compared to the generations before us. I think it is due to how easy it is to send your blade out for honing.

Lets give the generations before us a little more credit. A lack of modern technology didn't stop the japanese from making one of, if not the most kick ass swords of all time. Also I suspect more people back then were trades people, good at working with their hands, so I bet they knew how to keep a blade in good shape.