Firth Stainless George Ibberson & Co

Been waiting awhile for this one. As she is after some soap and water. Not too bad a condition for probably one of the first times stainless steel was used to make a straight with, possibly circa 1920-30. That is aside from the ugly hone wear and slight frown some bright lad did previously. I don't think they come up too often and fits my liking for a Canadian theme having been sold by the T Eaton Co. Very pleased.

Bob

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ps1f3b5de4.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ps97fdf1aa.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psda9858b0.jpg

NICE one. Beautiful razor.

I've got a Challenge Cutlery "scout" knife that has stainless blades. I've seen a few other stainless knives from Challenge and the springs were broken. All of mine are still intact. Don't do anything with it other than look at it every now and then. I'm wondering if their investments in stainless steel knives helped Challenge go out of business in 1928. That type of steel had a lot of teething pains before it really came of age around the late 30's.

I should take your advice but I just may try and hone it. Hate razors that can't earn their keep.

Bob

I know absolutely nothing good or bad about "Firth" stainless save for it was one of, if not the first commercially viable stainless steels.

It's been used, I see no reason why it won't do what it was designed to do. Maybe one of the hone wizards will chime in.

I agree with you about razors that don't earn their keep. I've got a very few NOS razors that are going to stay that way. Got a pile of potential wind chimes that will never shave again, but most of mine are used for what they were designed to do. Some get used more frequently than others, but they get used. ;)

GO FOR IT!

Wind chimes, I never thought of that. Have to keep that in mind for the derelicts, thanks.

Bob

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BobH

Wind chimes, I never thought of that. Have to keep that in mind for the derelicts, thanks.

Bob

---

Have to give credit to Sharpton for that STELLAR idea. He made one up for the last meet he put on. It was WAY COOL! :tu

Downside is that unless it's made of stainless blades, IT'S GONNA RUST LIKE A BIG DOG!! :nj

I don't know about that razor or much about stainless steel origins. I thought I remembered reading that Queen Cutlery out of Titusville, PA was one of the first pocket knife outfits to use it for their knives, but I'm not sure.

I do recall having an Ibberson pocket knife with tortoise scales and a worked spine back in the '70s. A very high end little gentleman's knife that I traded somewhere along the way.Ibberson made some good stuff AFAIK.

Well, shaved with her today and it is back to the hones. I dunno maybe Wullie was on to something about the early stainless steels and "teething pains".

Bob

Revisited the hones and it seems it was the fault of the person honing not the razor for the poor shave. It just gave a BBS shave so I think there is not much wrong with this early stainless steel in razors. So this one earns it's keep and goes into rotation too.

Bob