Who's shaving with the oldest razor?

[DogHair]

My oldest is a W. Greaves & Son. They produced razors from 1780-1816. Based on what I've seen I'd put mine towards the end of their production.

[Philadelph]

It's always hard to tell dates for sure. Manufacturers were always changing names and production facilities. Some companies would make razors for other companies under different names, etc. I'd recheck the dates you have for Greaves though- they produced until 1919 at least by some accounts. Yours looks at least mid-1800's to me. Regardless, guys do use late-1700's straights.

GREAVES, WILLIAM
Shefflield
1780-1816 ("Old Sheffield Razors" by Lummus. Antiques, December 1922 p.261-267)

WILLIAM GREAVES
Sheaf Works, Sheffield
ca. 1820 - 1858

WILLIAM GREAVES AND SONS
Sheffield
Built the Sheaf Works (first large factory in Sheffield) in 1823-6
1816 - 1850 ("Old Sheffield Razors" by Lummus. Antiques, December 1922 p.261-267)

GREAVES, W & SONS
THOMAS TURTON & SONS LTD
Sheaf Works, Sheffield
ca. 1845 - at least 1919

[mdunn]

Ive got an old stub tail - id put it at quite early 1800s

IMGP1967.jpg

[jkh]

I shaved with a sharpened clam shell yesterday, does that count?

Cool thread - post more pics of these awesome old razors!

[rm71]

Cool thread - post more pics of these awesome old razors!

+1. I know very little about straight razors but they sure are pretty! Unbelievable that sometihing over 100 years old is still in tip top shape and better than the modern junk most guys use today.

[DogHair]

I shaved with a sharpened clam shell yesterday, does that count?

Only if you can tell us when it was made.

[huracan]

It will not be the oldest by a long shot, but the oldest razor I own is a Marshes & Shepherd Ponds Works with a Queen Warrant Mark. The Ponds Works make it to be between 1840-1850.

I bought it from Seraphim after being Shenaniganized by him. It's really, really smooth and I like a lot.

[Ru4scuba?]

It will not be the oldest by a long shot, but the oldest razor I own is a Marshes & Shepherd Ponds Works with a Queen Warrant Mark. The Ponds Works make it to be between 1840-1850.

I bought it from Seraphim after being Shenaniganized by him. It's really, really smooth and I like a lot.

What version GtP scuttle is that in your pic? I like the color!

[huracan]

What version GtP scuttle is that in your pic? I like the color!

The picture was just tinted in sepia for the 'old school' look. It's a G3 in Hamada and Persimmon actually.

[professorchaos]

There was a period when razor makers stamped razor's tangs with the current monarch's initial, followed by an 'R' for Royal. VR, then, denotes that a razor was made during Victoria's reign, WR during William IV's reign and GR during George IV's reign. So I date my Greaves, which is stamped 'GR,' to have been made between 1820 and 1830. At least 179 years old and one of my best shavers.

[huracan]

There was a period when razor makers stamped razor's tangs with the current monarch's initial, followed by an 'R' for Royal. VR, then, denotes that a razor was made during Victoria's reign, WR during William IV's reign and GR during George IV's reign. So I date my Greaves, which is stamped 'GR,' to have been made between 1820 and 1830. At least 179 years old and one of my best shavers.

Well, that just points out something I didn't know and also about an inconsistency in uniclectica (not unheard of, I hear).

My Marshes has a WR stamp, so not queen but rather king William IV's mark, who died in 1837. Uniclectica claims Ponds Works started in 1840, that's incorrect since mine has the Ponds Works stamping on it (Marshes & Shephard itself started in 1825).

So my razor is at least 172 years old

[SRock]

cool thread - post more pics of these awesome old razors!

+1

[professorchaos]

Mine is actually stamped WR....so make it 172 years old, give or take.

[Seraphim]

It will not be the oldest by a long shot, but the oldest razor I own is a Marshes & Shepherd Ponds Works with a Queen Warrant Mark. The Ponds Works make it to be between 1840-1850.

I bought it from Seraphim after being Shenaniganized by him. It's really, really smooth and I like a lot.

Glad to see it!


Yes, that razor was/is oddly smooth. It can get remarkably sharp, and still feel silky on the skin.

[maierar]

Heres my oldest. Flower & Co. circa 1790.

[jadam318]

There was a period when razor makers stamped razor's tangs with the current monarch's initial, followed by an 'R' for Royal. VR, then, denotes that a razor was made during Victoria's reign, WR during William IV's reign and GR during George IV's reign. So I date my Greaves, which is stamped 'GR,' to have been made between 1820 and 1830. At least 179 years old and one of my best shavers.

Great little piece of information there! Thanks!

Great thread, guys. Keep the pictures coming. I'll add pics when I get a chance, though my stable of shave ready razors consists of maybe 3 right now. I have over a dozen at various stages of restoration, but I'm learning, so that is a slow process.

Still, here's a pic of my oldest shaver (which is still barely that since it is the second razor I've ever tried to hone, and I did a horrible job of it). It's a Wester Bros. Anchor Brand (bottom one in pic). This is the best pic of it I have on hand while I'm at work. Also, I don't know the date of it, but it is certainly older than my Double Arrow (hone practice), and I'm fairly certain it is older than my Boker King (1926).

[DogHair]

It's always hard to tell dates for sure. Manufacturers were always changing names and production facilities. Some companies would make razors for other companies under different names, etc. I'd recheck the dates you have for Greaves though- they produced until 1919 at least by some accounts. Yours looks at least mid-1800's to me. Regardless, guys do use late-1700's straights.

GREAVES, WILLIAM
Shefflield
1780-1816 ("Old Sheffield Razors" by Lummus. Antiques, December 1922 p.261-267)

WILLIAM GREAVES
Sheaf Works, Sheffield
ca. 1820 - 1858

WILLIAM GREAVES AND SONS
Sheffield
Built the Sheaf Works (first large factory in Sheffield) in 1823-6
1816 - 1850 ("Old Sheffield Razors" by Lummus. Antiques, December 1922 p.261-267)

GREAVES, W & SONS
THOMAS TURTON & SONS LTD
Sheaf Works, Sheffield
ca. 1845 - at least 1919

Thanks, you're right. The info in the Standard Guide to Razors is a little different than Uniclectica. My razor is stamped W Greaves & Son not "Sons" which the book lists as the Sheaf Works, 1818-1880. It's old just not as old as I thought.

[jadam318]

Heres my oldest. Flower & Co. circa 1790.

That thing looks really cool. How does it shave?

[wimbouman]

My oldest is a W. Greaves & Son. They produced razors from 1780-1816. Based on what I've seen I'd put mine towards the end of their production.

Wow!
And is it a beauty!


.

[wimbouman]

Heres my oldest. Flower & Co. circa 1790.