Thread: I think I'll call it "RADzilla"

Clean and huge! Are you gonna give it a shave now?

Originally Posted by maddafinga

Clean and huge! Are you gonna give it a shave now?

Once I hone it up, yes. I'm still awaiting delivery on my Norton stones and my coti. Once I have those in hand, I'll be getting this thing shave ready. Interestingly, once I started getting into the thousand grits, I unwittingly started to set a bevel on this guy & drew blood. She's a fighter, I can tell already.

I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but as you are a novice honer and wedges/near wedges can be notoriously difficult to keep an even bevel on, have you considered getting it honed by someone with experience? I mention this because just this week I've been trying to get a shave ready edge on a couple of old wedges and have ended up with completely uneven bevels and an edge that is nowhere near shave ready. I should add that I regularly hone my other razors without any problems.

I would hate to see you end up with something similar but it's so easy to do.

Originally Posted by UKRob

I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but as you are a novice honer and wedges/near wedges can be notoriously difficult to keep an even bevel on, have you considered getting it honed by someone with experience? I mention this because just this week I've been trying to get a shave ready edge on a couple of old wedges and have ended up with completely uneven bevels and an edge that is nowhere near shave ready. I should add that I regularly hone my other razors without any problems.

I would hate to see you end up with something similar but it's so easy to do.

Oh believe me... I have no intention of starting out with this monster. I've got plenty of other straights to practice on before I even think about taking on this thing. For the time being, I'm content for it to look pretty on my shelf.

Wow, that came out incredible! After the first progress picture I thought it was going to be a pretty rough looking blade. But nope, came out just dandy!! With the scales that came with it too? Its one mean looking chopper! Send it to me! I'll shave with it!

That's an amazing razor. Bigger may not always be better, but it's usually at least cooler.

There was a similiar E. L. & Co Manufactured for the United States on ebay (this one evidently was exposed to less radiation) that ended recently. I mention this because it included what appeared to be the original box which read:

"Edward Leon & Co"

Given that the razor is an 8/8 and the initials match, I feel safe in the assumption that the box is original.

Anyway, the earliest mention of them as a company that I could find is from an 1836 New York directory which places them at 7 Platt.

From 1840:


Also, they were involved in a court case around 1839, it seems the gov thought they were lying about the purchase price of their imports:


Anyway, by 1859 Edward had brought on several relatives: Abram, Heyman, and Theodore, and were operating out of 28 Dey h 51 London ter. At this time they were operating under the name Leon E. & H. & co. Though they may have continued to use their prior company name. However, if that was not the case, then that suggests that the "Manufactured for the United States" mark does not mean it was produced for use by Union troops.

See here for the 1859 Directory:
Imageshack - 1859.png

Abram is not listed at that residence in 1860.

It may also be worth pointing out this thread, especially posts 4 & 8:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...sheffield.html

This is pure conjecture, but this Edward may be the same as person as the Edward of E. L. & Co. I haven't found any solid evidence to prove that the Edward Leon who lived at 28 Dey was the same person who later lived with at No. 17 Endcliffe Vale. But I did find passport applications from 1859 belonging to an Edward Leon, who was born in Mecklenburg in 1816, who was married to an Emma Leon who was born in Hanover. As well as the passport app (1853) of a Heyman Leon who was born in Mecklenburg in 1820.

Unfortunately it's all circumstantial. Suffice to say that in the 1850's in New York there was a group of Leons importing english cutlery, as well as a group of Leons whose birth places and dates and names match that of an English cutlerer and some of his kin. I didn't go digging through English documents, only American ones. So perhaps someone may shed further light on this issue.

Wow! That's more information regarding this manufacturer than I had ever imagined. Thank you for your detailed and thorough research into this company.

Originally Posted by UrEnki

That's an amazing razor. Bigger may not always be better, but it's usually at least cooler.

There was a similiar E. L. & Co Manufactured for the United States on ebay (this one evidently was exposed to less radiation) that ended recently. I mention this because it included what appeared to be the original box which read:

"Edward Leon & Co"

Given that the razor is an 8/8 and the initials match, I feel safe in the assumption that the box is original.

Anyway, the earliest mention of them as a company that I could find is from an 1836 New York directory which places them at 7 Platt.

From 1840:


Also, they were involved in a court case around 1839, it seems the gov thought they were lying about the purchase price of their imports:


Anyway, by 1859 Edward had brought on several relatives: Abram, Heyman, and Theodore, and were operating out of 28 Dey h 51 London ter. At this time they were operating under the name Leon E. & H. & co. Though they may have continued to use their prior company name. However, if that was not the case, then that suggests that the "Manufactured for the United States" mark does not mean it was produced for use by Union troops.

See here for the 1859 Directory:
Imageshack - 1859.png

Abram is not listed at that residence in 1860.

It may also be worth pointing out this thread, especially posts 4 & 8:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...sheffield.html

This is pure conjecture, but this Edward may be the same as person as the Edward of E. L. & Co. I haven't found any solid evidence to prove that the Edward Leon who lived at 28 Dey was the same person who later lived with at No. 17 Endcliffe Vale. But I did find passport applications from 1859 belonging to an Edward Leon, who was born in Mecklenburg in 1816, who was married to an Emma Leon who was born in Hanover. As well as the passport app (1853) of a Heyman Leon who was born in Mecklenburg in 1820.

Unfortunately it's all circumstantial. Suffice to say that in the 1850's in New York there was a group of Leons importing english cutlery, as well as a group of Leons whose birth places and dates and names match that of an English cutlerer and some of his kin. I didn't go digging through English documents, only American ones. So perhaps someone may shed further light on this issue.

I was watching that razor and put in a bid last minute, but they wouldnt ship to Canada.
Was it one of you who got it??
Eric

Originally Posted by UKRob

I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but as you are a novice honer and wedges/near wedges can be notoriously difficult to keep an even bevel on, have you considered getting it honed by someone with experience? I mention this because just this week I've been trying to get a shave ready edge on a couple of old wedges and have ended up with completely uneven bevels and an edge that is nowhere near shave ready. I should add that I regularly hone my other razors without any problems.

I would hate to see you end up with something similar but it's so easy to do.

I had a near wedge done by a professional with a lot of experience and the bevel was uneven. Most of this full wedges are very old with lots of uneven hone wear, and unless you regrind the razor, the bevel is going to come out very uneven, no matter who does it ( maybe less uneven with a pro, but uneven never the less). Still makes a great shaver! So don't feel bad with your uneven bevel and keep on trucking! One of mine took about 45-60 min on the 1K (and that was after going to the DMT 325 to get rid of some very minor chips) to set the bevel! It was all uneven like the near wedge done by the pro. Double O