Thread: Tapered blades.

Originally Posted by AirColorado

Wow that's a LOT of tapered blades! I noticed all the barber's notches - though at some point if they keep getting the tips honed hard those notches will become pseudo Spanish points like the Elliot and the Fenney! Do you feel you get better shaves from the tapered blades or just like the look? I don't doubt the Greaves takes a good edge - I have an affinity for them though so I may be biased.

It's a combination, for me. I like the look a great deal, the shape suits my style of shaving, and it's an especially interesting time, historically, for razors. Also, I just like oddities.

Originally Posted by ScienceGuy

Dunno if it's mine you're remembering, but my Marshes & Shepherd taper is a WR.

Ayup! That would be what I'm remembering, I think. Though I'm pretty sure I've seen others, too.

I just purchased a Joseph Elliot tapered blade on fleabay. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

I don't have one of those. Nice pile! I have not heard the reference "quill backed spine" before. Wot does that mean???

Originally Posted by sharptonn

I don't have one of those. Nice pile! I have not heard the reference "quill backed spine" before. Wot does that mean???

Just a terminology for spine style. Here you go: http://straightrazorpalace.com/site-...tml#post355466

Gotcha! So quill is a rounded spine. Good to know as were the others!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Gotcha! So quill is a rounded spine. Good to know as were the others!

D'oh!

A bit late to the party here, but I see ScienceGuy's got ya covered!

What's not fully clear from the drawings on that page (done by Ken Hawley of the Hawley Trust collection of tools in the Sheffield museum) is the difference between an Arris spine and a Swage spine. The Arris is flat, while the Swage is concave (like a swaged razor). The drawing makes'em look the same.

Hawley got the terms from one of the last working Little M'esters, whose name I'm drawing a blank on... But he worked for Wostenholm in the early 1900's (well the company Wostenholm, not the man, the man was dead by 1900).

I'm really doubtful about the fact that those blades were originally made this way.

In my opinion, it typically looks like a blade sharpened by a street grinder.



A back m/l well preserved, a blade with a m/l smile with a less broad nose.

Just my piece of thoughts.

Originally Posted by Thaeris

I'm really doubtful about the fact that those blades were originally made this way.

In my opinion, it typically looks like a blade sharpened by a street grinder.

A back m/l well preserved, a blade with a m/l smile with a less broad nose.

Just my piece of thoughts.

Look at the M&S though, it has its original finish (you can tell because the finish is near perfect and it has An Excellent Razor etching still.) I have another piece like this that has definitely not been reground, as well as a M&S identical to Zak's with the same taper, but also no messing with the finish.

I think that grinders were able to wear only the edge, without striping the sides or the back of the razor.

Or perhaps they could polish it with a leather wheel and polishing pastes after the work of the stone.

It's my opinion, but without seeing a picture of a vintage catalog showing this kind of blade new, I can get myself used to see those as razors originally shaped this way.

How are the angles when you put those new looking razors on the stone ? Are the back and the edge both in contact with it ?