IMPROVEMENTS IN SETTING RAZORS AND IN THE STROPS FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Marie Laurent, of the City of Lyons, in the
French Empire, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SETTING RAZORS AND IN THE STROPS FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Sealed the 24th September 1867, and dated the 27th March 1867.-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Marie Laurent
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th March 1867.
I, JEAN MARIE LAURENT, of the City of Lyons, in the French Empire,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN SETTING RAZORS AND IN THE STROPS FOR THAT PURPOSE," to be as
follows:-
form of the blades
They may be either
sickle, or 'they may
The object of this Invention is to preserve the concave
of razors for this purpose I cause the strops to be arched.
single backed, in which case they represent the form of a
be double, that is to say, in one case they have only one side to sharpen on,
and in the other two, on one of which the sharpening paste or emery is placed,
while the other has the soft leather as usual. When the strop has two sides I
cause the interior to be hollow and divided longitudinally down the centre,
forming two compariments wherein to place a pair of razors. In cases
where it is desired to retain the ordinary outward form of strops as at present
in use, I make the arched parts movable so as to shut into the strop on either
side when not required for use; for this purpose I mount the leathers on convex
Price Sd.1
1

page_text: steel bands, one end of each working on a hinge attached to the lower part of
the handle and on either side thereof, whilst the opposite ends fit in notches
made at each side of the strop at that end so as to keep the convex parts
perfectly firm while in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jean Marie Laurent in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN
MARIE LAURENT. of the City of Lyons, in the French Empire, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign.
did. for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Jean Marie Laurent. Her special licence that I, the said Jean Marie
Laurent, my executors. administrators, and assigns, or such others as I.
the said Jean Marie Laurent, my executors, administrators, and assigns.
should at any time agree with. and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SETTING RAZORS AND IN THE STROPS FOR THAT PURPOSE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jean Maric Laurent, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jean Marie Laurent, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
The object of the present Invention is to preserve the concave form of the
blades of razors as given to them by the grindstone.
For this purpose I
arrange the leathers or sharpeners in a convex or arched
form on the strop.

page_text: This new arrangement of the leathers has great advantages over the present
mode of placing them flat on the strop, which is most prejudicial to the
blade.
The accompanying. Drawings and the following description thereof will fully
explain the nature of the Invention and its advantages over the present system
of manufacture.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a single strop, that is to say, having a single back,
or in other words having only one side to sharpen on; it will be observed that
it. partakes of a sickle form, and that a blade of a razor is represented as in
the act of being sharpened thereon: Fig. 2 is a plan from above; and Fig. 3
a transverse section following the line A, B, of Fig. 1: Fig. 4 is a side view
of a strop having two sides for sharpening, one for receiving the paste or other
composition, and the other the leather; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of Fig. 4;
Figs. 6 and 7 are strops preserving the ordinary outward appearance of those
in general use at the present time..
It will be perceived that the leathers are arched lengthwise, the leather a
and wood b on which it is mounted are the only composite parts. the degree
of convexity is variable and would depend whether the strop was single or
double, it should resemble as much as possible the form of the grindstone which
has been employed in grinding the blade, that is to say, it should be as like
the Fig. 8 in form as possible, as that Figure represents a razor blade which
has just left the grindstone. The double strop or sharpener has some advan-
tages over that represented in Fig. 1 inasmuch as the razor can be submitted:
to the different effects produced by its application to the two sides of the strop.
But the Figures 6 and 7 are even more advantageous, as much on account of
the form of the strop as that it possesses two compartments in which a pair of
razors may be placed.
This arrangement, which in common with those already mentioned preserves
the same principle of convexity, requires some further explanation. In the
wood bare two longitudinal spaces c. c. for receiving the razors: these two
chambers form two opposite surfaces which are covered by steel blades or bands
d. d, capable of being opened out on their respective hinges e. e, the opposite
ends are received beneath the tenon or button f. which holds the bands
sufficiently firm as to oppose any disarrangement of the parts when the strop
is closed. On the blades d, d. are applied the necessary substances or materials
for sharpening, viz. leather, emery paper, or other substance capable of conducing
to the preservation of the concavity of the razor in sharpening. The free end
of these spring bands when developed or opened out is secured in a notch on
this side of the button, so as to occupy the position shewn by the dotted lines,

page_text: Fig. 6a number of these notches may be made gradually, in order that the
spring bands may be arched to suit the concavity of the razor to be sharpened.
It will be thus perceived that with my convex strop the concavity of the blades
is re-established and preserved, since the arched form of the leathers is simply a
faithful reproduction of the shape of the grindstone; whilst at the same time
by sharpening a razor blade on a flat leather the primitive form of the blade
is destroyed, becoming flat, as shewn at Fig. 9. and presenting a much
less acute angle than that of Fig. 8, which should be the true form of the
blade.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is the manufacture as herein described of razor strops having
convex leathers for preserving the form of the blades.
In witness whereof, I. the said Jean Marie Laurent, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
JEAN MARIE LAURENT. (L.S.)