Yeti
01-14-2009, 09:07 PM
Since I posted the first part of this bit on vintage razors I managed to add some pictures to the former and get the elder statesman of my collection in shape to use. It came from an old family in Connecticut who seemed to have a penchant for holding on to things and pasting old notes about them to the objects. As sometimes happens the estate was sold and this and a couple of other very early examples made their way into my hands. According to the note the razor which is typical triangle/wedge shaped blade with straight scales was first put into use about 1774. The cast steel or warranted process was invented in 1740 in England. It would be another year at least before Thomas Jefferson would be given the task to assemble the grievances against the crown of King George into a document declaring independence. This caused be to re-read that document. If published today in the papers of this country most of the grievences would be entirely familiar to the modern public. Almost all are in effect again today or a slight twist on them. I got the razor honed as well as possible and after getting lathered up placed it to my cheek. The "monkey tail" is just a knob and there is only smooth steel where the gimps should be. That would come later. Slippery ill mannered little devil! Looking in the mirror I realized that I would have to crank my hand around to get the triangular blade in the proper position. I took a stroke and it cut smoothly.
As the first owner would have been doing the same thing there would have been "No Knock" and "Warrentless" searches of citizens homes. Squads in Red rather than Darth Vader Black would have been teaming up to search for weapons and other things thought to be bad. In many areas check points would be on the roads. I found that I had to readjust the angle for my left hand as I moved to the other cheek. The Parliment and Crown would have been passing legislation against the wishes and detrimental to the people. The razor cut true and smooth limited only by my ability to adapt my grip and style. Gatherings were suspect and troops would be on hand for crowd control to "Keep things safe". Only the Pubs were "free speech zones". Correspondence was spied upon. I moved to my chin and found my technique did not match the shape of the blade. After a bit of fiddling around I decided to play it safe and finish with a more modern blade. One that was first used during the time that Tommy Jefferson was in the White House as the third President. (He had a habit of answering the door when visitors knocked, in his slippers and bathrobe). Things were a tad less formal then. That one finished me up just fine as the blade shape is more familiar. I continue to use and re condition these old timers. Most are in regular rotation. I just finished up a Boker souvenir razor from the 1893 Columbian Exposition. A picture of the building is etched on the blade. It is in pristine condition. It should be as it is only 116 years old. A real spring chicken in my lot. It came in the original box which seems to be where it spent it's life. The razor is fine without a scratch but the box is pretty beat up! All things said using these and thinking about the times when they were new puts my problems and difficulties in perspective.
I thank each of you who found my previous post of interest and managed to put a few pictures on it. Enjoy.
As the first owner would have been doing the same thing there would have been "No Knock" and "Warrentless" searches of citizens homes. Squads in Red rather than Darth Vader Black would have been teaming up to search for weapons and other things thought to be bad. In many areas check points would be on the roads. I found that I had to readjust the angle for my left hand as I moved to the other cheek. The Parliment and Crown would have been passing legislation against the wishes and detrimental to the people. The razor cut true and smooth limited only by my ability to adapt my grip and style. Gatherings were suspect and troops would be on hand for crowd control to "Keep things safe". Only the Pubs were "free speech zones". Correspondence was spied upon. I moved to my chin and found my technique did not match the shape of the blade. After a bit of fiddling around I decided to play it safe and finish with a more modern blade. One that was first used during the time that Tommy Jefferson was in the White House as the third President. (He had a habit of answering the door when visitors knocked, in his slippers and bathrobe). Things were a tad less formal then. That one finished me up just fine as the blade shape is more familiar. I continue to use and re condition these old timers. Most are in regular rotation. I just finished up a Boker souvenir razor from the 1893 Columbian Exposition. A picture of the building is etched on the blade. It is in pristine condition. It should be as it is only 116 years old. A real spring chicken in my lot. It came in the original box which seems to be where it spent it's life. The razor is fine without a scratch but the box is pretty beat up! All things said using these and thinking about the times when they were new puts my problems and difficulties in perspective.
I thank each of you who found my previous post of interest and managed to put a few pictures on it. Enjoy.