I think I'll call it "RADzilla"

I just got back from a local antique mall with the absolute largest straight razor I've ever laid eyed on. Yes, you're reading that tape measure correctly. This monster is a full 1 5/16" at its widest point and the blade has 3 1/2" of cutting surface. And, yes... this sucker is heavy. For $10 I figured that it is at least an interesting curiosity - I'd probably be hesitant to actually shave with the thing. The tang is marked "Manufactured for the United States ______" (I can't make out the last word). I can only imagine that the reaction on my face when I opened up this beast must have been priceless.

Attachment 119002 Attachment 119003 Attachment 119004 Attachment 119005 Attachment 119006

That's one damn great find and it will look pretty once all cleaned up and it might be a wade and butcher but I'm probly wrong

I say get that beast restored and put into your rotation. Nice find!

I just picked up a couple of these on eBay, both only 17/16.
There are a couple of informative links in this thread.
It's made by el&co, other then that there isn't much info available...
http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=92832
I'd leave that one as is and hone it up, your going to find it won't be an everyday shaver!
Nice find,
Eric

Quote:

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Originally Posted by epd

I just picked up a couple of these on eBay, both only 17/16.
There are a couple of informative links in this thread.
It's made by el&co, other then that there isn't much info available...
L & co 17/16
I'd leave that one as is and hone it up, your going to find it won't be an everyday shaver!
Nice find,
Eric

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Thanks for the ID on this razor. My intent is to clean it up a bit but not go crazy restoring it. I have a set of Nortons (220/1k and 4k/8k) as well as a coticule to get this guy nice & sharp.

*Edit*

Well, isn't this interesting? I took some light polish to the blade and it revealed some unusual etchings. I've adjusted the contrast in this photo to make them stand out more.

Attachment 119011

Those etchings are Aramaic for "I belong to Ace".

That is just too cool. You will have to show us what it looks like once it's all cleaned up. You can sand the scales and finish them with Tru-Oil, or the like. It should all come out nice. Good luck.

It's cleaning up fairly well too. Here's what I've got so far with just a little polish & elbow grease.

http://i.imgur.com/tQYw2Yd.jpg

Notice on the zoomed-in view that you can clearly make out several Masonic symbols. On the other side is a map to Nick Cage's gold.

That is a whopper of a razor congratulations! I wonder if those scales are original?

Etching to me looks like something on the water and reflection in the water picture.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dustoff003

That is a whopper of a razor congratulations! I wonder if those scales are original?

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After epd told me that it's an E L & Co, I was able to locate photos of other like it online. The scales do appear to be original.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by proximus26

Etching to me looks like something on the water and reflection in the water picture.

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They're definitely masonic symbols. You can get a closer look at them here.

Oh man!! Nice find....Yes I am jealous!

That's one cool looking razor you got there.

I looked up 9/8 razor in the completed listings on eBay. Judging by the final price on these razors, I'd say that at $10 I got a steal! :D

Thats one hell of a find,Congrats! :dropjaw:Are you going to post finnish product pics?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blackstangal

Thats one hell of a find,Congrats! :dropjaw:Are you going to post finnish product pics?

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You bet I will!

Very cool. The scales look replaced - the originals were most likely horn. I'd love to find one of those for $10.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScienceGuy

Very cool. The scales look replaced - the originals were most likely horn. I'd love to find one of those for $10.

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I've found others similar to it online with identical scales. They do appear to be original.

Thats not really a razor, it's the ax that Washington used to cut down the cherry tree!
Nice Find.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PhantomJM

I've found others similar to it online with identical scales. They do appear to be original.

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I'd like to know where your finding these online! Please share your links here or in the other threads if you can as my searches have come up pretty empty.
The 2 I have and the one that Joed has all have identical horn scales with pointed tops. The others I have seen online (only 2) one was rescaled in some fancy wood and the other has some celluloid scales.
Eric

Quote:

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Originally Posted by epd

I'd like to know where your finding these online! Please share your links here or in the other threads if you can as my searches have come up pretty empty.
The 2 I have and the one that Joed has all have identical horn scales with pointed tops. The others I have seen online (only 2) one was rescaled in some fancy wood and the other has some celluloid scales.
Eric

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This one appears to be close to what I have.

I've completed work on this guy. I didn't want to go all out and completely restore it. Instead, I wanted to make it nice but still as original as possible. I was able to keep the original scales and I just oiled them a bit to freshen them up. I tried to get away with just a light polish on the blade. However, the other side of the blade was too far gone with deep rust. So, out came the pin and I started sanding starting at 60 grit all the way up to 2000 grit and chromium oxide on a wheel. I was able to salvage the washers too. So, the only part I had to replace was the pivot pin. I like the "clean old look" of this job. How about you?

Attachment 119094 Attachment 119095 Attachment 119096

Excellent job with the refininsh, looks very good.

That looks great!

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by maddafinga

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

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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.

Quote:

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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.

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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:
http://imageshack.us/a/img202/6812/1840.png

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:
http://imageshack.us/a/img607/3525/federalcases.png

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.

Quote:

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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.

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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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PhantomJM

I've completed work on this guy. I didn't want to go all out and completely restore it. Instead, I wanted to make it nice but still as original as possible. I was able to keep the original scales and I just oiled them a bit to freshen them up. I tried to get away with just a light polish on the blade. However, the other side of the blade was too far gone with deep rust. So, out came the pin and I started sanding starting at 60 grit all the way up to 2000 grit and chromium oxide on a wheel. I was able to salvage the washers too. So, the only part I had to replace was the pivot pin. I like the "clean old look" of this job. How about you?

Attachment 119094 Attachment 119095 Attachment 119096

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Congratulations! It came out beautiful! Hope she becomes a great scary shaver for you! Double O

Quote:

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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:
http://imageshack.us/a/img202/6812/1840.png

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:
http://imageshack.us/a/img607/3525/federalcases.png

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.

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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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by epd

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

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It wasn't me, though I did certainly bid. Next time I ought to divert more time towards moneymaking and less time towards researching during the bidding phase. :rofl2: I'm sure one of the members here must have got it, who else would want an 8/8? Funny how small that is compared to the Radzilla...

So, after practicing my honing for a while on multiple straights and watching more honing videos than I care to admit (several of them by members here), I decided to give honing this beast a go. After setting the bevel on my Norton 1k, I progressed up to 8k and finished on my coticule. The last test shave went pretty well too. However, I've come to the realization that these Sheffield choppers just aren't to my liking. I really prefer a nice 6/8 blade to these guys. So, I put it up for sale over at B&B - I won't link to it since I'm not sure about the rules and I don't wish to anger the shaving gods ;)

Anyway, I thank all of you for your advice on this beast. At least I learned a lot about these mammoths and I even picked up a few new skills. So, it's a win/win all around.

So you post photos, tell us all about it, get us all hooked and interested, and then you offer it up to the OTHER place?
you sir, are a tease!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magpie

So you post photos, tell us all about it, get us all hooked and interested, and then you offer it up to the OTHER place?
you sir, are a tease!

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Haha. I wish I could offer it here. But sadly, I don't meet the membership requirements yet. Truth be told, I hadn't originally planned on selling it. It's just one of those things where you don't know if you'll like these guys or not until you try them.