152-S Schrade Cut Co Straight Razor

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

Schrade and straight razors. Here's an area that still seems pretty muddy. Larry's thread regarding them (http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/780375-Finally-found-a-Schrade-Cutlery-Co-Walden-N-Y-Germany-Tang-Stamping) has some good info but there are still many questions that I can't find definite answers to. No razors in the 1926 catalog and no catalogs prior to 1926 that I can find.

Today I landed my first one. A "152 S". This oldie seems to be in very good shape from the sellers pics. I will post them for now and do some scanning when I actually receive it.








I need some help from those that know. Please answer my questions as you can. Thanks guys!

1. S vs R? Larry's 155-S has the rounded "Safety" point, my 152-S appears to have the "Square" point but it may have been sharpened to this profile. I'm thoroughly confused! Does anyone know for sure what the S vs R was all about? Handle material? Mood of the knife maker's wife?

2. What would be the approximate date of my razor? I'm guessing 1916 to 1926. Any thoughts on this guys?

3. Did Schrade make razors such as mine in-house or did they contract them out in America same as they had from Germany?

4. Have any catalogs pre-1926 surfaced? I scoured the web and found nothing but a rumor.

 

[delmas2nd]

i have a Wade & Butcher shaver and its end is very much like the one on yours. it came from Sheffield England. and it is unbelievable at how sharp it still is with a little stropping.

 

[Mack]

Congratulations on that one. Now that I've seen it, I know what I'm in the market for next.

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

Delmas, I did some surfing regarding old Schrade razors on straight razor forums and folks that have them say they get unbelievably sharp too. I can't wait to see what that means! Mine will be made "shave ready" at some point.

protourist - Thanks, I know very little about straight razors. Any comments regarding the blade profile of my example? To me it looks hardly used but maybe it had 20% more blade originally and I just don't know what to look for.

 

[delmas2nd]

Delmas, I did some surfing regarding old Schrade razors on straight razor forums and folks that have them say they get unbelievably sharp too. I can't wait to see what that means! Mine will be made "shave ready" at some point.

just a suggestion cause it worked with mine. do not try to reshape the edge just strop it or like i did use it with a ceramic tool. this takes nothing away from the profile just rehones the edge. i just moved mine on the ceramic stones for a couple of times and it took the hair right off.

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

just a suggestion cause it worked with mine. do not try to reshape the edge just strop it or like i did use it with a ceramic tool. this takes nothing away from the profile just rehones the edge. i just moved mine on the ceramic stones for a couple of times and it took the hair right off.

Sounds like good advice Delmas were I to try and do it myself but I was thinking of sending it to a pro straight-razor barber (we still have a few in town) and having him/her do it. They sharpen and strop these things all day long. I'm a newb to razors and I don't want to learn on this one. I just want it to be the tool it is. Once sharp I will be leaving it alone. One of these days I will buy a good strop and all the pastes and get practicing but I have waaaay too many projects on the go right now as it is.

 

[Motey]

Dave, I've been shaving with straight razors for some time now, and have found them to be extremely easy to sharpen. I think they're easier than a knife, because you don't have to worry about angles to the stone. Just lay it flat and grind/strop. It's the best shave I've ever had, honestly. If you've never shaved with one before, don't make the mistake I did of not realizing that the square ended razors are the hardest ones to learn with. I have the scars to prove it! My dad once told me I looked like a German duelist...

Anyhow, that's a nice addition to the Schrade collection. I suppose I'll need to be keeping my eyes open for one as well.

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

I have the scars to prove it! My dad once told me I looked like a German duelist...

Thanks for the tips Motey but I think I will leave the facial slicing to a minimum. Now if you want to talk tattooing and branding where it can be hidden if desired that's a different story... We all have our unique ways.

 

[Motey]

Tattooing I have. Probably about 60 hours of custom work, and plenty of old school Sailor Jerry flash and such. Branding... haven't done that. To each his own! I'm certainly not against body mods. It's yours after all... I gotta tell you though, there's nothing like an old fashioned wet shave with a neck cutter!

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

I here ya Motey regarding the quality of the shave. I've had 'em. I like 'em. I've just never given myself one. Below is a pic of Merina Shearing from Hair Saloon hard at work here in K-Town. The decadence of having someone else give you the hot-towel and shave is a big part of the experience too. My understanding is that back-in-the-day only broke, single men would shave themselves regularly. Rich men had valets. Middle-class paid the barber. Po-boys like me had their wives or daughters do it.

 

[delmas2nd]

i've never had the pleasure of a straight razor shave. it would be just pure decadence now to have one. ah the feeling, sitting there while someone resists the urge to slice ones neck.

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

I cleaned the razor of some old gunk and now it's looking pretty nice. A little patina on the blade as is expected. Etch is very readable. Handle/spacer not falling apart. Sweet! I just wish I knew exactly how old it was and exactly where it was made. Some mysteries may never be solved. Enjoy the pics.

The super-thin blade makes an awesome sustained ringing sound when you give it a little flick with your finger. It's like no other Schrade I own, that's for sure. Thin, thin, thin... I believe it will get insanely "zero-edge" sharp. I'm almost afraid to sharpen it lest I cut off a finger polishing it some day.

 

[thawk]

I have one with similar handles, French Ivory celluloid. Probably from the same era as the Schrade Cut Co. Mine is German made with bolsters. It is easy to find some nice old razors without spending a ton.



This one came in an old box. Really they are a friction folder.

 

[delmas2nd]

I'm almost afraid to sharpen it lest I cut off a finger polishing it some day.

trust me you can't do it. i have unintentionally tried several times while sharpening my knives. i like to keep them shaving sharp so some times i miss and go all the way to bone. unless you get real unlucky and cut tendon just a scar of which the hands have plenty of lines to hide them.
that being sad i would try to find an old fashion barber and have him sharpen it that way when i cuts you it will be a nice clean cut.

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

I have one with similar handles, French Ivory celluloid. Probably from the same era as the Schrade Cut Co. Mine is German made with bolsters. It is easy to find some nice old razors without spending a ton.

This one came in an old box. Really they are a friction folder.

Thanks for posting that Hal. The handles really are close.

I'm almost afraid to sharpen it lest I cut off a finger polishing it some day.

trust me you can't do it. i have unintentionally tried several times while sharpening my knives. i like to keep them shaving sharp so some times i miss and go all the way to bone. unless you get real unlucky and cut tendon just a scar of which the hands have plenty of lines to hide them.
that being sad i would try to find an old fashion barber and have him sharpen it that way when i cuts you it will be a nice clean cut.

lol Yeah, I've been there too. You want to be paying attention or these tools will indeed bite you.

 

[Mack]

Delmas, I did some surfing regarding old Schrade razors on straight razor forums and folks that have them say they get unbelievably sharp too. I can't wait to see what that means! Mine will be made "shave ready" at some point.

protourist - Thanks, I know very little about straight razors. Any comments regarding the blade profile of my example? To me it looks hardly used but maybe it had 20% more blade originally and I just don't know what to look for.

Hopefully Unit will chime in here. He has honed three razors for me and knows a lot more than I do about their condition. It looks good to my eyes but I only shave with them.
It looks to have a slight smile and I certainly like that. Smiling razors work well on my beard especially on my neck. I'm betting that with that profile it will sing beautifully on the strop and will sound like you're tearing apart heavy duty velcro as it removes your beard.
Other than that, I'd have to have it in my hands to really appreciate it. I know that if I'd had the money and had seen it for sale, I would have jumped all over it.

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

Hopefully Unit will chime in here. He has honed three razors for me and knows a lot more than I do about their condition. It looks good to my eyes but I only shave with them.
It looks to have a slight smile and I certainly like that. Smiling razors work well on my beard especially on my neck. I'm betting that with that profile it will sing beautifully on the strop and will sound like you're tearing apart heavy duty velcro as it removes your beard.
Other than that, I'd have to have it in my hands to really appreciate it. I know that if I'd had the money and had seen it for sale, I would have jumped all over it.

Thanks a lot for your observations.