Thread: Wostenholm with an odd grind

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.

This thread has a great example. Putting an etch of some sort into the small concavity was how it was usually done, but I've seen some that pretty clearly didn't originally have anything there.

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.

Thanks voidmaster, that's some great information.

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

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!

Originally Posted by Lemur

Any ideas why they grind only one side?

Sometimes they did both sides.

Voidmonster that photo looks a lot like a few Torreys I still have. They take a serious edge! Much different from the pic in the OP though.

Thought I would give this a bump with a link to the restoration thread for the razor. I'm very happpy with the results.

Linky!

I still go toward the microtome as the extra fuller is only on one side. An extra fuller may have been to keep the specimen from sticking to the blade and easier to remove.

I have a few of the blades similar to the link you gave us. They all have the fuller on both sides and are narrower blades. They were made by all the major players back then. The fancy fullering may be to hold a lot of lather on a small blade. All I know is that all of my double fullers shave a treat! The etch on them was from almost invisible after the years to as deep as the one you linked to.
~Richard