Thread: Scarce Sheffield Cutler / Knifemaker Luke Oates Straight Razor

Found this lesser known Sheffield knifemaker / cutler Luke Oates razor example with dyed horn scales and the homage to Reynolds is apparent if at all? Alpha House, No. 20 Oldfield Road, Stannington shown where work was done by him until his death in 1875. His son Luke Paris Oates continued the craft there from 1875-1899. The cutler trade was conducted in the building behind the frontage road. A display of his "mark" as well. Probably a good candidate for restoration.

If I was some kind of hybrid collector of straight razors who concentrated on makers marks...I would try to add this one...nice!

Just purchased and waiting on a P heart Ford and while researching found a thread back about a year or 2 with a discussion about a few manufacturers that used the heart symbol and these two were mentioned.
Good info from Neil Miller and Sharptonn on the subject.
Here's what I have coming:


Pretty obscure couple of manufacturers! Love the oddballs and that Oates is one heck of a find. Congrats!

Just found the thread:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...rd-razors.html

5 years ago I found one (long gone) from a cutler that you never really see...probably because he wasn't in the business very long...
http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...w-florida.html

I remember the thread you mentioned....R.I.P. Neil

I like seeing the odd makers as well. It does not appear that it needs much in the way of restoration.Unless there is a good rusty reason for mowing down the old patina I kind of like seeing it hang on.

Originally Posted by AntiqueHoosier

Found this lesser known Sheffield knifemaker / cutler Luke Oates razor example with dyed horn scales and the homage to Reynolds is apparent if at all? Alpha House, No. 20 Oldfield Road, Stannington shown where work was done by him until his death in 1875. His son Luke Paris Oates continued the craft there from 1875-1899. The cutler trade was conducted in the building behind the frontage road. A display of his "mark" as well. Probably a good candidate for restoration.

Oh, how cool to see a 'modern' Sheffield using the really old school trade mark!

The mark goes back a ways in the Oates family. They were listed in Gales & Martin as manufacturers of spotted knives (an old category catch-all for anything in mock-tortoise shell). Back then it was Matthew and William.

Luke was William's son. Initially he made Barlow knives (though not for Barlow!) and fish hook knives. Unfortunately he got into a fight with Henry Mills who claimed prior ownership over 'Barlow' knives. Later on he got shirty in the papers over other people copying his stuff.

He had a couple of workshops. The Alpha Works in Stannington (which is where your razor was most likely made), and a co-rented space of the Rowell Bridge Grinding wheel on the River Loxley (he rented it with J.W. Pitchford of P{heart}FORD fame). The rented space only produced Barlow and Fish Hook knives (at least if his insurance claims are to be believed).

Luke died in 1875 and the business was taken over by his son, Squire Elijah Oates. But Elijah used different stamps, so your razor was probably made during Luke's life.

I'd guess, based on the general design, that it was made in the mid 1860's. Looks like it got a 'modern' hollow grind later in its life, but when those are done well they can be better than the original grind.

At it's heyday in the 1860's there were only ten men working at the Alpha Works, so yours is definitely an uncommon item!

(I pulled all this information from Geoffrey Tweedale's Directory of Sheffield Manufacturer's, Second Edition.)

Derrrrp.

Lots of that Neil had already turned up...

I really miss him.

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Derrrrp.

Lots of that Neil had already turned up...

I really miss him.

Interesting you mention that, was just going through a thread about Vie-Long Horse Hair brushes and there was some pretty snappy repartee going back and forth with Tom, Neil and some others...same thought crossed my mind...last post by Neil in the thread was of a guy at some Middle Earth convention dressed as a Centaur...solid Neil!

Originally Posted by AntiqueHoosier

Found this lesser known Sheffield knifemaker / cutler Luke Oates razor example with dyed horn scales and the homage to Reynolds is apparent if at all? Alpha House, No. 20 Oldfield Road, Stannington shown where work was done by him until his death in 1875. His son Luke Paris Oates continued the craft there from 1875-1899. The cutler trade was conducted in the building behind the frontage road. A display of his "mark" as well. Probably a good candidate for restoration.

Definate candidate.
That is screaming...shave with me
PLEASE

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Derrrrp.

Lots of that Neil had already turned up...

I really miss him.

I sure do too.... Thanks Zak for your quality narrative on Oates.