Thread: Wostenholm with an odd grind

Thanks voidmaster, that's some great information.

I can't wait to get it restored after seeing the one in the link.

Wostenholm home made a quality product. The top right pic shows that some of the makers mark was ground off. I don't think that's something wosty would've done. As stated above looks like some one started to hollow it and only got around to one side for one reason or another... Interesting to see though! It's a nice razor! Would love to see it cleaned up.

The grind itself looks pretty pro though... I have seen rattlers with hollow bellies like that on both sides... There are really neat looking grinds.

What ever the case enjoy! It's a cool looking razor!

I have one exactly like that, albeit resorted. I have also seen one that was etched Diamond Edge in the ground hollow. Mine is a great shaver!

I guess I should have read Voidmonster's reply a little more carefully! The thread he refers to is the one I saw with the diamond edge etch. Mine did not have an etch unfortunately.

Originally Posted by JoeLowett

Wostenholm home made a quality product. The top right pic shows that some of the makers mark was ground off. I don't think that's something wosty would've done. As stated above looks like some one started to hollow it and only got around to one side for one reason or another... Interesting to see though! It's a nice razor! Would love to see it cleaned up.

The grind itself looks pretty pro though... I have seen rattlers with hollow bellies like that on both sides... There are really neat looking grinds.

What ever the case enjoy! It's a cool looking razor!

Nah, Wostenholm razors were definitely made with incomplete, partial, and partly ground off stamps out of the factory. Look at the stamp on the bottom one.



The workers weren't paid by the hour, they were paid by the product they produced (and Wostenholm was infamous for his 13=a dozen policy for counting). While George claimed to personally inspect every blade he sold, by the 1860's he was selling so many razors that's just not plausible.

WHen you put it that way zak, your reasoning makes sense. I'll buy that it's factory grind.

I just checked my "single concave" and all of the stamp, except for the very bottom corner of the W, is visible. I originally bought this due to the odd grind and the fact it was nearly NOS. There was zero hone wear and the original factory polish as well as the coffin. Based on this, as well as other information, some listed above, I'm convinced this is an original factory grind. Maybe someone will come across on old catalog and prove this once and for all......

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

It was a style that had a surge of popularity in the 1840's and 1850's, maybe used later too. I don't know a name for it, but I've seen a number of them. It's original, and not a microtome. I know that point-on picture makes it look flat on the pile side, but if you look closely you'll see it's just a little tilted.......While it's tempting to say this is the 'doubly concaved' grind, I've also seen that referring to what's also called a rattler, which some people call a faux-frameback. Whatever it was called by the folks who made'em, it's essentially a variation of the long-cut which made shoulderless blades.

+1 ...

Here's a couple of pics before I restored it of a John Creswick that I have. Very nice shaver...

Any ideas why they grind only one side?

Certainly different! I'm not sure it's a microtome but I could easily be wrong about that. I bought a Joseph Allen that turned out to be a microtome a few years ago (took an Ebay risk). It was listed as a wedge and certainly appeared to be one until I put it to a hone. When examined closely it had a perfect wedge on one side and what could be described as a 1/2 hollow on the other. While interesting, it was not what I had been looking for so away it went into the "oddities" drawer. If I recall, I couldn't figure out how to sharpen it evenly because of the strange configuration.

My first impression after looking at your photo was that someone used a grinding attachment on a Dremmel and gave up after a concentrated first few passes along the top of the blade. But again, I could be very wrong about that - Void may be spot-on.

That said, a theory I subscribe to is that if a razor takes and holds an edge, and also shaves smoothly, I don't care what it's shape may be or how ugly/pretty is appears. That looks like it'll clean up nicely, so with a good honing and finish you may have a great shaver there!