Thread: Estimating the age of razors

Fellows: Do any of you out there have info on how to tell the age/time frame of a razor's manufacture? Are there grinds, blade shapes, handle shapes, markings or handle materials that can positively, however roughly, place a razor at a given time?

All I have heard is that hollow grinding did not become the rule until around 1870. I'm not certain of the vulcanite or celluloid origins. Isn't there a specific time frame for certain import markings such as "Germany" vs. "Made in Germany," for instance.

Grant

Grant,

The wiki has an excellent resource page to books and info related to straight razors. There are a few very interesting price guided books with lots of history.

LINK

The only one I am familiar with that has much of that type of information is Collecting Straight Razors by Robert Doyle. The "made in" country of origin thing was instituted in 1890 IIRC. Stub tails and the gradual development of a distinct tang , curved instead of straight handles, styles of grind are all different ways that Doyle notes in his book. There are other books but that is the only one I have.

Yes. There are specific things, that fit for time periods. For example, the maker's mark.
But the grind, the type of steel, the handle shape, material, the pinning, etc... are all "age"
markers.