Thread: Some oldtimers

Alex,

Thank you so much for this information. If they are really even close to that old, i will probably leave them as they are, maybe very careful and mild cleaning to remove the rust. In no case i think they ain't gonna end up to be my everyday shavers.

Finding these 3 razors from the local flea market was maybe something that isn't happen too often. I think i gonna get back there and take a deeper and closer look for the rest of the razors.

Had to get back to that same place today just to check if there was something worth interest i hadn't noticed before. Finally picked up these two razors that looked nice. The price was 5€/each. Probably it was bit higher as these two have scales that aren't broken or look dirty like the Parker i bought last week.
First is nice Heljestrand. Looks like unused. The thumb notch or whatever that is, looks special. This razor has been a part of the seven day set, as there's 'Sunday' engraved on the tang. Scales are celluloid.
The second looks bit older. 'Army razor', made by Thomas.W.Ward & Co, Sheffield. The scales are horn. The blade was almost totally blackened so i took the pics after i had wiped them once with a cloth and Autosol.

Originally Posted by Sailor

First is nice Heljestrand. Looks like unused. The thumb notch or whatever that is, looks special. This razor has been a part of the seven day set, as there's 'Sunday' engraved on the tang. Scales are celluloid.

Those celluiod scales look more like ivory than any celluoid I have ever seen, I would like a few sets like them.

Nice finds and interesting grind on that one. Almost looks like a full wedge with a relief. Almost like the groove in some puukkos. Amazing find if you take into account how bone-dry of razors shops here are...

Originally Posted by ursus

Nice finds and interesting grind on that one. Almost looks like a full wedge with a relief. Almost like the groove in some puukkos. Amazing find if you take into account how bone-dry of razors shops here are...

Hi,

It really is sort of groove in that Ward razor. I hope not blood groove, but the time will tell as i start shaving with it

You are absolutely right that finding such weird things as straight razors from any antique store/flea market is a small miracle here. I think there's no use to try lottery or horse races for some time, as now i've used my good luck already.
There's a 'big' antique & handicraft exhibition held in Turku every year. I've seen few razors for sale over the years, but they were mostly junk and/or the prices where from Mars. Maybe in some countryside auction there still might find something worth interest and cheap. I've kept my eyes open on the dead man's auctions as well. My wife has a nasty habbit of dragging me from the auction to another every now and then (razors are not the problem but everything else my lady keeps buying )

Sailor, I could be wrong, because I don't have them in my hands, but I'm pretty darn sure those Heljestrand scales are ivory.

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

Sailor, I could be wrong, because I don't have them in my hands, but I'm pretty darn sure those Heljestrand scales are ivory.

Thanks for this. You might be right as i've never seen ivory before. Those scales are very thin; i have no celluloid scales that are as thin as these.
(i showed these to my wife and said that these are maybe ivory and she asked me to throw them away ).

Thanks for the advice for using neats foot oil with the old horn scales. At first it seemed impossible to find neats foot oil here, but my wife who uses her time with horseback riding every now and then managed to get me a 0,5 liter bottle. It made miracles to those old scales. I could have never guessed.

Where does one find Neetsfoot oil ??

ah yeah those are ivory scales on the heljestrand - touch them with a red hot pin and you'll believe me. is that mk31 or mk32?
at 5 euro you almost overpaid for it
but, of course to save your marriage i'll be happy to dispose of that stuff for you.

btw is the grove on the ward razor on the front only? i have one, but mine looks like has been reground so i always wondered if there was one on the back too.

Very nice razors. It seems to be little wider blade on the Heljestrand, am I right? Is it 7/8 or 8/8?