Let's see some knives from your collection.

[SoonerP226]

A straight razor will teach you quick to have a steady hand or jitters for life.

Why does the paranoid schizophrenic have a beard?
Because he doesn’t trust the dude holding the razor.

 

[mtngunr]

I’d wanted something from Winkler since I read The Terminal List, but the long waits dissuaded me until I learned that BladeHQ stocked the Operator, which was actually the fixed blade I wanted. I want one of his tomahawks, too, but those are kind of spendy, so I’m still thinking about that one…

Had a couple of his "belt knives" but ended up giving them to some local boys for a good tough knife likely to survive teen use, there was no wait back when I bought them. Suprised to see his shop has a 3-4mth wait now, but I've waited for 5yrs on some, so a few months no big deal, often depends on when ordered, leading into hunting/holiday season a bad time, most folk get orders out far faster when ordered end of Jan into spring/early summer. Knew that when ordering this one first of September, and it did not arrive until mid-December, but good knives always worth the wait, they last a lifetime and more.

 

[mtngunr]

Here are few from my straight razor collection. The oldest was made circa 1770-1790 (bottom-right). Every now and then when I’m feeling especially manly I’ll take one out and have a shave. Lemme tell ya you’d better not be in a hurry.


View attachment 541505

Are the older (still?) flat ground or hollow ground? Most of the old razors in the house in which I grew up started as flat ground, and were later taken to a local cutler and "modern" hollowground, whether German or British.

 

[Firpo]

All of them are hollow ground, even the one from the 1700’s. I blew up this picture which may be easier to see.

 

[Mr.Glock]

An Ulster fruit knife. Ulster mfg was from 1870 to 1940. And a Red IMP Wedge mfg by Case 1957.

Have shaved many times with the Red Wedge.

 

[sumoj275]

I think it may be a little tough, I prefer a ribeye.

Auto correct strikes again

 

[montesa]

I thought razors had to be hollow ground in order to achieve the right edge geometry. I don't think it would work out even zero ground with any stock thickness.

 

[mtngunr]

I thought razors had to be hollow ground in order to achieve the right edge geometry. I don't think it would work out even zero ground with any stock thickness.

Razors are not very thick knives to start with, and hollow grinding was a sometimes yes, sometimes no thing. I have even read old metallugical analyis of steels from old razors where it was specifically mentioned the razors were not hollow ground, which did not suprise me what with the knowledge of razors in own family being later hollow ground (in hopes of improvement? Following latest fad? Longer lasting edge? Easier to lay over for more acute edge?). Mass production did not come in until the industrial revolution, along with the ability to mass produce hollow grinding with required belts, wheels, work stations. Any time I see a very old razor that is hollow ground, my first thought is, "Was it made that way, or something done later back when most any sizeable town had a cutler and shop who could do the job?" My German and Swede great-grandparents had the job done in St Louis, during their days of travel from the eastern seaboard to gateway to the west, before trying North Carolina and then back when the husband died, and then down to Alabama with the then young adult children buying and working land in coastal Alabama. And the family razors moved with them, which razors assuredly were German and started as wedge ground.