I picked up this item a little while ago to practice restoration on.
I am curious how to go about dating this razor.
I am curious how to go about dating this razor.
I am also quite curious as to the material of the scales. I am relatively new to straight razors and am not familiar with all of the materials used in the various periods.
Plastic (acrylic), wood, bone, bakelite, celluloid, horn and ivory are the most common materials. Tortoise shell, mother of pearl, aluminum and stainless steel have also been used. Celluloid is a very late 19th century invention, Bakelite early 20th century and plastic acrylic (for scales) closer to mid 20th century.
Those particular scales on your razor are celluloid in what's known as a "cracked ice" pattern.
You are a wealth of information, thank you again.
Would it be fair to say then if these were the original scales that it would further help date this razor? Did Celluloid fall into disuse in general or is it still commonly used?
Start by buying it a drink, maybe some romantic music...
I acquired a C-Mon recently.... I google searched for information and this thread was part of the search results. Here's a pic of mine for posterity-
One thing I found interesting about the schales, they are almost identical to the schales on my Dubl Duck Goldedge, which leads me to believe whoever made the schales for C-Mon built the same schales for Dubl Duck, during that time period.
Would be interesting to hear a back story on my schale assumption, them being built by a 3rd party, presumably in Solingen, as that's where the Dubl Duck Goldedge I have was built, according to the blade tang
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
As johnmrson said it's hard to date straight razors and especially Carl Monkhouse. Carl Monkhouse started business in Solingen, Germany sometime around 1912. He and the company moved to Allegheny, NY, in 1937. If your blade says Solingen that might, at first, indicate that it was made before 1937. However Monkhouse also used imported Solingen, some Sheffield and some American steel in manufacturing their products. They also imported some products and relabeled them. Some Monkhouse scissors are labeled Sheffield, England, even though the company was in Allegheny. Some of their razors were labeled as made in Ellicottville, NY. I'm not sure when they stopped making razors, but it was definitely after 1955.
All Carl Monkhouse (and C-Mon) razors are excellent.
Carl Monkhouse III now runs Carl Monkhouse, Cutlery Associates and Reblade Manufacturing (a sharpening service), still in Allegheny. They make absolutely superb scissors.
As johnmrson said it's hard to date straight razors and especially Carl Monkhouse. Carl Monkhouse started business in Solingen, Germany sometime around 1912. He and the company moved to Allegheny, NY, in 1937. If your blade says Solingen that might, at first, indicate that it was made before 1937. However Monkhouse also used imported Solingen, some Sheffield and some American steel in manufacturing their products. They also imported some products and relabeled them. Some Monkhouse scissors are labeled Sheffield, England, even though the company was in Allegheny. Some of their razors were labeled as made in Ellicottville, NY. I'm not sure when they stopped making razors, but it was definitely after 1955.
All Carl Monkhouse (and C-Mon) razors are excellent.
Carl Monkhouse III now runs Carl Monkhouse, Cutlery Associates and Reblade Manufacturing (a sharpening service), still in Allegheny. They make absolutely superb scissors.