Thread: Travel razor by R. Wass, 1807 - attributed to George Damer

Originally Posted by ChrisMeyer

That's very interesting. I wonder exactly what his patent covered. The part stamped "R. Wass" looks like a separate piece to me. The front edge of that stamped portion doesn't align with the blade, and the line toward the end of the tang looks like metal was blended in there.

Where the first arrow is, you're right, there's something unusual going on - but it's all one piece, it was just a stylistic thing seen occasionally on razors from this period where the tang is much thinner than normal and is ground to be below the level of the rest of the blade. The are of the second arrow is just some rust where the blade sits tight against the scales in the closed position.

Some more information here. This was found in Leader's History Vol. II by Zak (Voidmonster), so hat's off to him for this. Apparently Lord Milton was a chief guest at the Cutlers' Company feast in both 1804 and 1807. I don't have any evidence, but want to believe that the receipt of this razor coincided with the visit to Sheffield.