Rare find ?

[oldblades]

Was looking around and asked the shop owner if he had any Str8's. He pulled this out and said "Doubt if it is any good, don't have a name brand on it."
Sticker had $X.00 on the old coffin. I opened it a said "I'll take it."

You don't find these in that good of shape, name or not it was wotht it.
Old English on the spine and silver steel on the tang, no other marks.
Touched it up on a 8K then on a 12K, cleaned, stropped and a great shave.
I love the old steel.

Enjoy
V/R
Tim

[bouschie]

Probably dates from early to mid 1800's. It was definitely worth it. I just picked one up also no name. Either early manufacture or home made. congrats on the find.

[Zephyr]

Wow, that's not something you see every day! Congrats!

[Phrank]

That's a gorgeous razor, will be interesting to hear what the historians on the site have to say, the shape and stamping of the blade look similar to the Wm. Greaves, Fine India Steel, blades I've seen, with the length and shape of the blade...will be very interesting to hear about it!

First time seeing one of those for me as well!

[robert2286]

Very nice!! Me likey

[Voidmonster]

It's a copy of John Barber's mid-1820's 'Old English' razor. It looks like someone used a buffer on it within the last 20-30 years.

Like 'I. Barber' razors, these were made to cash in on the success of John Barber's brand. He prosecuted some of the copies.

But copy, in this case is a complicated term. It could well have been forged, ground, polished, and set by the same workers that made Barber's razors, but made to sell to someone else.

The old Sheffield work system was a bunch of buildings where a whole lot of men and women worked making goods. A 'maker' usually owned the factory. Workers rented space and bought tools and raw materials from the manufacturer whose factory it was. But there wasn't always demand for the goods the manufacturer made, so the workers would make goods for other factories or for themselves. They were paid¹ for the product, not the time worked. The manufacturers weren't super-keen on their employees making goods for other people, but it was very much in their best interests for it to continue, otherwise the workers would go elsewhere. The rent system ensured the manufacturers got money one way or another. In fact, they even charged for the water that kept the grindstones and buffing wheels running and the gas that kept the space lit.

1. Paid didn't always mean money. There was another form of payment, called truck, which the workers hated. In place of money, some paid their employees with the products made, or inferior goods (like iron knives), or coffee. Throughout the course of the 1800's the workers fought against the practice, but it continued to wax and wane into the early 1900's.

[Noswad]

Nice find, Tim. Enjoy!

[ScienceGuy]

Zak, unintended pun with 'forged'? I noted the brass pins, I would guess it was repinned recently, I haven't seen a lot of razors with mixed metals of different colors in the pinning from that period. If it was buffed, it wasn't in bad condition beforehand. The polish is very regular on the blade.

[JimmyHAD]

That is a beauty !!

[bookdoctor]

Boy what a find!!!! I wonder what metal it is made of and how they got it looking that good. Nice razor