Thread: I just opened the mail...

...and was happy to find these:

An 8" (!) Swaty in great shape!

A Savigny Warranted (I like the tang)

A Hilger & Sons. I like the etch and scales (they're badly warped, but don't interfere with the blade)

[All photos from eBay]

Very nice, the big swaty that is, and to some extent the savigny (I don't much like regrinds), but for the last razor I think I've seen those scales fairly often, so you may have been better off waiting for non-wrapped ones. You can still probably straighten them up though.

What are you gonna do with the swaty? You know the regular ones recommend only 5-6 laps, on this one you'll be done before you start

Nice.

Bet you can't wait to lap and re-condition that hone! That is a HUGE barber hone. I wonder if it will make palm honing awkward.

Yeah, I knew about the Hilger's scales being warped up front, and almost didn't bid on it. But the combination of them and the blade etch overcame my hesitation. And for for less than $20 (before shipping), what the hell? If I can't straighten the scales, maybe I'll find a better set. But they don't impact function at all.

So the Savigny is a regrind?!? Oh well...but again not a problem...I'm not buying them for resale value! Where can I find info on Savignys; I haven't found anything here to tell me how this one ironically looked?

"Rainy days and Regrinds always get me down"...One razor I regret buying because it was a regrind...( an awesome one at that) was a LARGE Wm. Stenton...couldn't pull the trigger. Zak is your man for research on your find...Member voidmonster

Man! My swaty is miniature compared to that one

Ok so Im curious. I am still fairy new to restore an straights in general. How can you tell that its a regrind? I just see a pretty cool straight. LOL

Warranted blades were from a certain era when blades were originally made closer to a wedge than a full hollow. I say that so you don't guess that we all have superXraypixelvision from looking at razors all day :<0)

Can you get a better picture of the Savigny's tang? My guess is it's most likely 1830's. Definitely a regrind, and while I agree with the others that I'd rather have a razor in its original grind, a lot of period regrinds are amazing shavers.

Savigny was a London outfit. They primarily made surgical equipment and had a really cushy government contract or two. They were also one of the first companies whose razors were advertized by name in the states.


February 3rd, 1801 - City Gazette, Charleston, SC

The company was probably founded around 1720. Despite the name, the family is quite British, and the company still exists. They were a major deal with London's Worshipful Company of Cutlers.

There's all kinds of skullduggery about steel formulas and alternate founders and whatnot, but by the time your razor was made it was all pretty straight forward. They were a company producing cutlery in London.

They also made this brand for army deserters.







(The screw in the end is blue because it still has ink on it -- branding in this case was a tattooed capital letter D, with serifs)

You can read more about the tool here.

Originally Posted by AntiqueHoosier

"Rainy days and Regrinds always get me down"...One razor I regret buying because it was a regrind...( an awesome one at that) was a LARGE Wm. Stenton...couldn't pull the trigger. Zak is your man for research on your find...Member voidmonster

William Stenton is the kernel of what's likely to be my first non-fiction book. His story starts with a job in a grocery warehouse circa 1790, and ends with his granddaughter's murder at the hands of a serial-killing lawyer on the grounds of a run-down mansion that may have been loaded with river-pirate treasure.

Really.