River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-04-03
CONCERNING RAZoRs.
Where They Are Made, How They Arr
Used ana What Becomes of Them.


Used ana What Becomes Of Them.
"Razors7 said the expert to a repre-
sentative Of the New York Sun,
swinging one of the tools in his hand
with freedom that made the reporter
shudder, "why. they're a field broader
than the moral law They are the touch
to nature that makes all mankind kin,
from President Arthur IN his dressing
room to his constituents at a penny-ante
poker game in Thompson street. No,
few raZors are made in this country
none worth speaking Of say one In a
million. The best come from England
The next best are Swiss. The French
raZors deserve proud distinction OF
climaxing the worst, 80 far as L know.
Some used to he made at Bridgeport
Conn, but believe the enterprise was
abandoned Some are made yet IN
Massachusetts. at Worcester, but not
many
I'm one respect We do better here
than in England We can give here a
deeper concave grind than the English
grinders can put upon razor, conse-
uuentlv many thousand dozens OF blanks
are shipped here every wear for finish
ing. The reason for this is that the
skilled and careful German grinders
are in the business here. The business
started in Hamburg and has drifted
into German hands almost entirely SC
far as this country Is concerned. Years
ago the most famous Sheffield firm OF
cutlers IN the razor trade imported two
German grinders to show how their class
of work could be done. 1t pTecipitated
a general strike, and the employers had
to come to the strikers demands-the
bouncing out Of the Deutchers.
"The Sheffield grinders are English
men and will not readily accept the
competition of men OF other national
tiles or adopt the method of others.
They are not fond Of change. Razors
ground to perfection over here
have been shown to them as models,
but do Won imagine they would follow
them? No, indeed. Primarily a
razor, to be good, must he made Of
good steel, but it must also be ground
properly to be fit for shaving. Every
thing, in fitting any edge tool for use,
depends upon correct understanding
of the service it is expected to perform
and nice adoption OF its edge to just
that service. A carying-kulfe, for in
stance, must be ground flat on one side
and wedged shaped on the others peck
ct knife must be ground convex, and
have a sufficient thickness behind its
edge to keep it; and a razor must bt
ground thin and concave. See this one
for instance. 1t is, as YOU will observe
thinner a little back of the edge thar
close to it, hardly thicker than a sheet
of paper. Nip the end of its edge will
your thumb-nail, and you Will hear i
ring like a little silver bill. More ia
Zors are spoiled by improper grinding
than in any other way. The only way
to know positively whether a razor is
good or not is to shave with it. The
eve will not determine its quality. Blu
even if a razor is of the best steel anC
faultlessly groundit may be spoiled anC
rendered quite unfit for shaving by i'm
proper stropping A little too muel
stropping, or not quite enough and Vol
will have a bad edge Then the razo
which is really not at all to blame, /
condemned sno good.
Often, too people who are no
adopts in the handling of raZors com
plain that their raZors do not shaw
we'll. when the fact is that they scrap
with them. holding the blade almost a
,.;rL4 .,,,,,Io., - a. -i.--s---- tl--
With a straight push of the edge agains
the hair The proper way IS to dra'
the razor with an easy gliding motto
against the hair-so. Use itright, anG
even If it is not quite Il trst-clasS raZO
or in perfe # condition. you can still &c
pretty satisfactory shave with Il
But. for lack of doing that, people &c
the queerest notions about their raZors-
actually attribute to them whims an
obstinacies as if they were sentien
beings, | know one gentleman VIII
aflirms that his best razor, his pet /
town. will not shave him at all in tn
country He actually beliyes that
The fact Is, that Le is away from hi
ordinary condition of being and sur
roundings when in the country, and
unconsciouslv of course, neither treat
his razor nor uses il as he would at home
Many men affirm that their razors refus
to work well on the seacoast, as if til
razor cared where it is used. Three
quarters Of the people who shave them
selves do not know how to use n razor
and consequently are liable to condemn
good one.
a razor is supposed to be better 70
n rest after it has been used for goo,
while. And II Is Ny idea about it i
that an imperceptible rust gathers on j
in disuse. and when that Is honed an,
stropped off its edge Is thinner ant
sharper than before. But Won will no
infrequeutlv hear a barber speak of
razor rs being tired and needing rest
Many men avoid wearing a razor b,
constant use bv the eNpedjent of havin:
several and using them IN turn. Her
fer example, is what we term a 'calenda
case. cot TO meet the requirements O
gentlemen who take that sensible view
of their raZors. 1t contains, rs vou vii
observe. seven fine raZors, lettered OF
the backs for the DAYS of the week
Such cases are sold at various prices
all the way up from 81 to S20. WIN
do | call It n sensible view = Because
naturally. seven r,szors, by such chang
ing ro',ud viii each do but oue-seventi
of what would Ire required Of one raZol
in constant use. and consequently tn,
evil day ofregripdug IS put seven time.
further away. Some men have a grea
number OF razors. and keep adding e
their collection all the time Joe JET
ferSon, the actor, buys at least dozeT
per annUm from big cutlery house OF
Nassau street alone. and l know he ais,
buys elsewhere. / should imagine thai
he must have trunk full of razors, i
he does not loose them or give then
away all the time
a good razor is worth from 81 80 tc
$3.50, but there are cheap kinds solo
as low as - a dozen. Those are ia,
kind generally employed in Thompson
street to stiffen up weak poker hand
or persuade people who don't carry
razzer. There are an infinite number
of STYLES and sizes of Tazors. Some hk,
o big, heavy blade; others, a small
light, very narrow and deeply concaveC
blade. rather think the latter are leas
liable to cut the skin. La all cases tn,
blade and handle OF the razor should