Thread: Travelling Light: My 4 'on the road' razors.

The pouch is my crappily home-made travel pouch. This is what happens when I have a broken leather office chair. The leather does not go to waste.

I'm about to head off on a long car trip, and then staying with friends. Normally when I travel, I bring razors that I won't mind losing. This time I feel like they're secure enough to bring the nice ones.

What's in the pouch?

Left to right.



Trud Vacha, 1956 -- a Soviet-era Russian razor made for hospitals. Stainless steel blade and scales (the balance isn't great, but the edge sure is!). Thanks to SRP member Bonbon for the trade. This continues to be one of my favorite razors.



S.D. Shaw Barber Supply Company, 1900-1910 -- A German made barber shop razor made for a company out of Wichita, Kansas. Plausibly a distant relative, as my Grandfather was a Shaw with some cousins out that way.



Rameau Sens (Yonne), 1870-1920(?) -- This is a superb razor. The jimps are tool-grade, the thumb notch is just right and it's my preferred very light grind with enough of a spike to get in there and work on fidgety bits between mustache and nose. As an extra bonus, the name scratched into the scales is unusually attractively done. "D. ROUSTAN". The eBay seller claimed Mr. Roustan was a Rosicrucian doctor, but I never was able to figure out why he thought that. I know very little about French razors, so my time-frame for it is pure guesswork.



William Greaves & Sons, 1830 -- This is identical to the one in Lummus' article, complete with 'CAST STEEL / WARRANTED' and the original SHEAF-WORKS scales. It's a fine, fine shaver and came to me in shockingly good condition for a razor of its age. All I've done is clean and polish what was already there. These were some of the first Sheffield razors to be produced all under one roof. Before Greaves built the Sheaf-Works, most razors were made with steel from one firm, ground by another, put into scales made by someone else and put into a box made by someone else again. In 1823 the Sheaf-Works went into business. They took ore in one end and shipped product out the other (or so the lore goes). It was a big deal. Big enough that the factory changed hands repeatedly over the years after William, then his sons Richard and Edward all died. By its total closure, the building had been run by the Greaves, B.J. Eyre, Thomas Turton & Sons and finally Frederick Mappin.

The one caveat to the condition is that the pile side of the blade acquired a farmer's tan at some point.



That dark line on the blade has survived light sanding and a whole lot of polishing. This, kids, is why you need to be careful with celluloid scales. Especially those pretty honey-colored Double Duck scales. When they go to rot, the outgassed nitric acid will do this to innocent nearby razors. Happily, it doesn't affect the functionality in the least. I seriously doubt I could get rid of the pitting without a major regrind. Some of those holes along the spine are deep.

You have some beautiful razors.
I love the idea of recycling the chair.
The case looks nice.
Thank you for taking the time to share them

Originally Posted by Hirlau

You have some beautiful razors.
I love the idea of recycling the chair.
The case looks nice.
Thank you for taking the time to share them

When I first made the case all my razors fit into it! That's the part that staggers me a bit. Now... Well, I have a lot more.

That is 4 beautiful razors.
Here some more information about your french razor.
The "Coutellerie Rameau et freres" was founded in 1849 by Gustave Rameau, closed in 1981.They produce razors, strops, pocket knifes,scissors etc.
The trademark, La Colombe avec une branche d'olivier / The Dove with an Olive branch

According to their advertising their claim to be the inventor of the frameback razor, Le rasoir a baguette.......

Very nice. Thanks for sharing some of your razors! Sweet idea on the pouch.

Very cool . I'm hitting the road on Monday for a week. This is my first time shaving with a SR on vacation. This gives my some good ideas. Thank you sir.

Great way to recycle! Very nice set to travel with.
Thanks for sharing

Nice razors and travel pouch! I do see a potential problem though, you need to have some spots free or bring another pouch for on the road razor purchases. ;-)

Originally Posted by mattluthier

Nice razors and travel pouch! I do see a potential problem though, you need to have some spots free or bring another pouch for on the road razor purchases. ;-)

The last time I was in town (Kansas City) I found 0 razors after scouring 5 different antique stores. Very sad... But I'll be looking more. There's plenty of room for more in other bags.

Originally Posted by Martin103

That is 4 beautiful razors.
Here some more information about your french razor.
The "Coutellerie Rameau et freres" was founded in 1849 by Gustave Rameau, closed in 1981.They produce razors, strops, pocket knifes,scissors etc.
The trademark, La Colombe avec une branche d'olivier / The Dove with an Olive branch

According to their advertising their claim to be the inventor of the frameback razor, Le rasoir a baguette.......

Heh. Invented the frame back, eh? They might have missed one or two other inventors that came a liiiitle bit before them.

With razors like this one, I'll happily forgive their hyperbole!