Thread: Joseph Rodgers 10/8 razor, possibly an earlier model?

Hey, I was the one to get this Joseph Rodgers from the 'bay recently and must say that I am just tickled pink with it. The seller had listed the razor as "1-7/32-inch wide" but as you can see in the photos below I found it to be a true 10/8 and even a shade more. Total weight is 3.55 ounces or 100g, compared to 4.35 ounces for my other 10/8 Rodgers.





The blade has more of what I consider to be the classic Sheffield style with the slight smile to the edge and swayback to the spine compared to my other Joseph Rodgers 10/8 razor (which I have seen other examples and know some of you have). I believe this razor must be an earlier production, evidenced by the lack of "England" on the tang stamp.





Also, note that the tang stamp has a weird curve to it; ScienceGuy had this to say about it, "What's most interesting to me is the distortion of the stamp - it looks as if the stamp was applied and the blade was given a last shaping before hardening." Compared to my other 10/8 Rodgers, this one has a smaller tang, more rounded spine, thinner lighter scales, and a thinner grind, more half hollow versus the quarter hollow of the other.



The scales are just top notch, no cracking or delamination caused by drying out. The horn is the deepest black with just a hint of brown translucency at the tips. Scales are perfectly straight with no warping and the blade closes dead center with good tension on the pivot throughout the arc.













The third razor in the photos is my largest Joseph Elliot which is just a hair under 19/16 and a more traditional near wedge grind.

I polished the razor up and honed it yesterday and took it for a test run today. I hadn't shaved since I won the auction so I had a good five day beard going, haha. The razor was quick to set a bevel (used one layer of 3M Super 88 tape along the spine) with a thin, even bevel along the entire length of the blade. Actually, near the round tip on the back side of the blade, the bevel didn't want to quite set. I tried some exaggerated J-strokes on my Chosera 1000, using a good bit of down force, but gave it up once it started cutting some arm hair (but not easily popping hairs like the rest of the edge).

I found it didn't matter as the shave went great; the blade is LOUD, very audible with that thin grind on the lower part of the blade. I will definitely be using this razor for the next week as I like to play a game where I see how much of my face I can shave before the lather falls off, pretty sure I can get half my face with this one!

Imgur album of the photos in slightly higher resolution

Imgur album of my first 10/8 Rodgers

Absolutely love the shape of that new Rodgers, beautiful lines on it...congrats on a classic piece of history.

Here's a seldom seen, Freddy Reynold's, 9/8, "The Celebrated Hollow Ground Razor, For Barber's Use" (have to look close to see the etching), another razor with that classic stamp.

FYI - Frederick Reynolds

Fantastic score. Nice collection of monsters

Originally Posted by ejmolitor37

Fantastic score. Nice collection of monsters

Really - the belly on that Rogers and the shape of the toe are amazing, classic example of a gorgeous piece of history and Sheffield steel. Looking at those blades, when people say, "They don't make them anymore...", and, "They can't make them like that anymore...", vintage blades like that hold the heart of straight shaving for me....my opinion only of course.

100% Phrank

Those are beautiful beasts! Congrats, those are really something special

Also, note that the tang stamp has a weird curve to it; ScienceGuy had this to say about it, "What's most interesting to me is the distortion of the stamp - it looks as if the stamp was applied and the blade was given a last shaping before hardening."

The stamp is "warped" in a different shape than it appears to me would have happened if it would have been applied before the final shaping.

I lean more towards the idea that the stamp itself was warped.

Oh my word-that is a gorgeous big beast of a Rogers, and nearly immaculate!

Off topic: I have become a huge fan of WhollyKaw "croaps" myself-some of the best I've ever tried on all fronts. Ive got eight samples I'm working my way through. Enjoy!

Originally Posted by goldragon

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Also, note that the tang stamp has a weird curve to it; ScienceGuy had this to say about it, "What's most interesting to me is the distortion of the stamp - it looks as if the stamp was applied and the blade was given a last shaping before hardening." Compared to my other 10/8 Rodgers, this one has a smaller tang, more rounded spine, thinner lighter scales, and a thinner grind, more half hollow versus the quarter hollow of the other.

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I am going to check out the higher resolution photos but as I look at this more the word SHEFFIELD looks like it is a different font and is not curved like the rest of the words.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Oh my word-that is a gorgeous big beast of a Rogers, and nearly immaculate!

Off topic: I have become a huge fan of WhollyKaw "croaps" myself-some of the best I've ever tried on all fronts. Ive got eight samples I'm working my way through. Enjoy!

I have the Monaco Royale and Chypre Rose Concerto soaps. I'm not a big scents guy but both smell very nice with the CRC being a definite rose scent. Be sure to try their aftershave products as well if you haven't already. I can't remember if I have tried their splash but the toner is nice though I am not too sure about the virtues of the Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer that they really hype. I guess I just don't get any real razor burn to need it. The balm is top notch; it comes in a small can like Edge/Barbasol shaving cream and one pump is twice what you need to make your whole face feel like a baby's butt.