Thread: Shapleigh Hardware Diamond Edge DE 17

Hello all,
Promised pics when I had them, just picked up a lens for the cell phone and this is my first time posting any pic so here goes.
The Razor in Question is a Shapleigh Hardware 5/8
"Diamond Edge" (etched in the groove with gold fill)
<<-DE->> ( Deep etched on the blade) that's an arrow through the DE
Shapleigh HDW.CO ST Louis U.S.A DE 17 ( etched on the Tang)
No other stamps or numbers that I can find
My Qs are What blade shape is this called, who might have manufactured it and roughly how old is it?

Any info would be appreciated.
I like all things odd and this one got my attention on Ebay. Came with original box and is in pretty good condition, as far as I can tell anyway, still new to what passes for good condition.
Any suggestions on how to get good pics from a cell would also be appreciated.(lighting on a shiny surface...oy)
Thank You
Kurtesio

Information I don't have, but I'm with on this one being eye catching. Sweet blade.

Originally Posted by kurtesio

Hello all,
Promised pics when I had them, just picked up a lens for the cell phone and this is my first time posting any pic so here goes.
The Razor in Question is a Shapleigh Hardware 5/8
"Diamond Edge" (etched in the groove with gold fill)
<<-DE->> ( Deep etched on the blade) that's an arrow through the DE
Shapleigh HDW.CO ST Louis U.S.A DE 17 ( etched on the Tang)
No other stamps or numbers that I can find
My Qs are What blade shape is this called, who might have manufactured it and roughly how old is it?
Any info would be appreciated.
I like all things odd and this one got my attention on Ebay. Came with original box and is in pretty good condition, as far as I can tell anyway, still new to what passes for good condition.
Any suggestions on how to get good pics from a cell would also be appreciated.(lighting on a shiny surface...oy)
Thank You
Kurtesio

So you're the one that got that! I bid but was outbid. I have a few Shapleigh Razor's & they are good straight razor's.

Shapleigh Hardware has been around since the 19th century founded in 1843. They were a brother partner to Rogers Company in Philadelphia, PA. After they became a partnership, they purchased equipment & opened a branch in St. Louis, Missouri & was then named Rogers, Shapleigh & Company. They became A.F. Shapleigh & Co. in 1863 & in 1864 they took on the Diamond Edge trademark for their cutlery & tools. The company soon became A.F. Shapleigh & Cantwell Hardware in 1880. In this time period the cutlery made was marked A.F.S. & Co. until 1888 when the firm became A.F. Shapleigh Hardware Company. In 1902 they became Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Company. In the late 1800's a man by the name of Saunders Norvell started working as a clerk for E.C. Simmons Hardware. He remained a clerk until 1898 & by 1900 was a vice president of the Simmons Hardware Company.
He started working for Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Company in 1902 & by the time 1907 rolled around he was president of the firm. The name then changed back to A.F. Shapleigh Hardware Company around 1915. E.C. Simmons Hardware was bought out by Shapleigh in 1940. They continued to use the Simmons trademarks as another line to the Diamond Edge trademark until 1960 & continued to do business until then when the firm was sold.
Knives made by the firm were marked on the blades until the middle 1940's but after that they were marked on the master blade only.
Many of the markings sold by Shapleigh were Diamond Edge, Berkshire, Bridge Cutlery Co., Enders Oak Leaf (1864-1960), Keen Kutter, Empire, Norshap, S. Norvell, Norvell's Best, Norvell-Shapleigh, G.W. Putman & Co. Germany, Simmons Hardware Co., Enterprise Cutlery Co., Simmons Sonny, & J. Koester's Sons Germany (1940-1960).

Below are a couple Shapleigh Hones I have & a couple advertisements & a couple of my razor's.

Nice looking razor.

Thank you for that great info. Nice Pictures
Like many of the blades that I have been getting there is a pretty big window of when it could have been made. Older than me anyway.
"Diamond Edge" seems to have a following like "Keen Kutter" as well as others in the MO crowd. I was born in Missouri so also look at those companies to add to my collection of goodies.
I have only seen a couple of photos on the web of that blade and none say what the shape is called, purpose for the shape?. Any Ideas?
Thank You.
Do you use your hones or just for the collection?
K

That is a pretty neat looking grind on that razor.


Mike

Originally Posted by kurtesio

Thank you for that great info. Nice Pictures
Like many of the blades that I have been getting there is a pretty big window of when it could have been made. Older than me anyway.
"Diamond Edge" seems to have a following like "Keen Kutter" as well as others in the MO crowd. I was born in Missouri so also look at those companies to add to my collection of goodies.
I have only seen a couple of photos on the web of that blade and none say what the shape is called, purpose for the shape?. Any Ideas?
Thank You.
Do you use your hones or just for the collection?
K

The hones are just to collect.