Thread: Crocus finish or Satin?

Just my 2 pence but glazing is the Sheffield word for polishing. Still now as it always was

I too have noticed a tendency to imply that crocus is something less than a polished finish - especially by people who criticise restorations with a high polish - they seem to think the original blades were not finished this way. Crocus finish is way more shiny than satin.

I had never heard of a crocus finish until reading this thread.

Stan Shaw is the only guy alive who was polishing blades when this way of working was common in industry and he told me he uses emery powder stuck on leather wheels with hide glue for pre-glazing and cotton mops for glazing.

Stan is a living legend

Some input from Neil Miller here:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ck-polish.html

Just my 2 pence but glazing is the Sheffield word for polishing. Still now as it always was.

Right, but there was a glazed finish, more of a satin finish and a Crocus or “black” shiny, mirror type finish and some now call a mirror shiny finish a glazed finish and some use the terms interchangeably, but they are not.

Both were applied with hard, wooden hide covered wheels. The money, stamped side was often polished bright with crocus and the pile side left dull or more of a satin finish. More for knives than razors I think. I read somewhere that Sheffield “sealed and burnished” (as they called it) the finish with, Crocus to better protect razors from rust. Burnished with a hard wheel.

Interestingly, you don’t see as many old neglected Sheffield razors with red rust, not like you do with other razors, perhaps they knew what they were talking about…

What is sad, is the intricacies of the whole process, seem to have been lost and many of the tools do not exist anymore. I have talked with guys and read where some have tried with other leathers and hard felts, but cannot achieve the same level of finish.

On one of the threads, I think the one I linked, they talked about dipping a piece of a felt hat in oil and Crocus powder to apply a thin coating to the wheel, (it was applied in thin layers, daily) and then burnishing the Crocus wheel with a pebble, prior to polishing for the final finish. Those little details are the tricks and tips that only come from learning at the shoulder from one of these old masters that did this for many years, kids when they started.

I would love to watch Stan Shaw work, for a couple of days and just pick his brain and examine his tools. Soon the whole process will be lost forever.

Stan loves to talk and is happy to share his knowledge. If ever you fancy a visit look me up

There are still a handful of younger makers in Sheffield with direct links to the 'old ways' but their machinery has moved on a bit since Victorian times! Steven Cocker and Stuart Mitchell are both good guys to talk too.

I've got some video footage of Stan's workshop if you are interested....

Yes, I would love to see that, is it on line somewhere. I have always been one of those that look in the corners of shop photos to get a glimpse of a shop and tools and jigs that craftsman use.

I did look up Steve Crocker and look at his postings on Facebook and his Photobucket library. Wow, some beautiful work, I especially love his pocket knives. Those done in jigged and picked bone, stag, horn and Mother of pearl are just amazing as is his spine worked blades. He also produces some amazing bright finishes and I do like his remake of classic style & design. Love the photos of the Parsers and templates and one in use.

Do you know if the design books he has photographed and used as backgrounds, with drawing and design descriptions and notes written in pen ink are his or old Sheffield design books?

Here is the Photobucket link for Steven Crocker.




And Stewart Mitchell’s work more in the fixed blade modern style, I do love his workshop photos and his photographic eye, one can see where his design style comes from. On the home page there is a gorgeous leather knife roll, I may have to try and duplicate… Very nice work and photos. Here is a link to his workshop to Stewart Mitchell’s website.