Picked up a new straight razor today

[cevulirn]

Sorry about the crappy pic, If you ask nicely I'll break out the SLR.

http://i54.tinypic.com/2i24sgz.jpg

Its a Crown and Sword 4720 razor, buy ERN out of Wald Germany, (a suburb of Solingen.

It had some light pitting on the edge near the toe, but an hour or two of honing worked out the pinholes and brought it to a razor sharp edge. I'll be shaving with it in the morning :D

[Richard Simmons]

Sweet! I would like to see more photos. In fact if you want to post pics of all your razors I think it would be interesting. Is the handle on this one celluloid?

[cevulirn]

I'll post some more pics after work. Get this, the scales are actually bakelite!

[Richard Simmons]

Bakelite! Excellent. That was my other choice but for some reason celluloid kept sticking in my mind as the most likely choice, don't know why? I know that the collecting community for razors, both straight and safety is pretty large and that there are some pretty valuable razors out there.

If you're interested in posting more pics and maybe a little history or collecting primer I know I and hopefully others would find it interesting. Might give me some guidelines to keep in mind next time I run across a razor for sale.

Perhaps your opinion on the best maker or steel, time frame, things to avoid, etc. Not sure I'd ever get the courage to shave with one but collecting them might be just the ticket. There seems to be quite a variety in not only handle materials but overall design and application. I've seen some of the custom knife makers on the various knife forums post pics on brand new straight razors they've made. Pretty awesome designs and they aren't just for looks. IIRC one maker even did one in a Balisong design.

[cevulirn]

I'm far from a true expert on straights, but I've floated around the straight razor forums long enough to pick up some of the basics :D I'll see about making a post or two with some info. Now that I'm actually home from work I can break out the SLR and get some decent pics, both of this razor, my shave ready razors, and some of my projects.

[awp101]

there are some pretty valuable razors out there.
Seems like every one I see at a show or junk-tique store is priced that way!:lool: That's why there aren't any in my accumulation of blades yet.

Cool throat slitter!:thumbsup:

[cevulirn]

Here's a better picture!

http://i54.tinypic.com/28bcxti.jpg

[Richard Simmons]

That scimitar on the scale, is that an ERN trademark or just a "manly" icon that they put on razors?

[cevulirn]

The 'crown and sword' symbol you are referring to is, IIRC, a trademark reserved for ERN's best line of razors. Most Crown and Sword razors also have ERN stamped on them, frequently on the other side of the shank, I'm somewhat curious about mine because there is no reference to ERN anywhere on the blade, but all Crown and Sword razors were made by ERN.

[Mark Ducati]

I bought a razor from http://www.theartofshaving.com when we were in Vegas last December... nice stainless steel handle with a great weight, I'm surprised how a heavy handled razor can give you more control and comfort when shaving... I also got a badger hair brush with a shaving cup/soap.... shaving is fun again.

I like the idea of a straight razor... but disposable blades stay sharp a long time. The only thing that turned me off about a straight razor was the need to sharpen it... Heck, I can barely sharpen a knife so I shied away from a straight razor.

So how do you sharpen something like that? Whetstone? Or do you use one of those straps like you see in the movies?

[cevulirn]

Japanese Waterstones, then a pasted paddle strop. The strops like you see in the movies don't sharpen the blade, they just make sure the blade's very fine edge is properly aligned to work properly. Most people new to shaving with straights do well to send the blade to a 'honemeister' to get it properly honed, then they only have to worry about stropping the blade to maintain it. Myself? my first shave was with a pocket knife :D


As opposed to traditional japanese waterstones, Naniwa super stones and Shapton glass stones are an excelent and easier to use 'modernized' water stone.