Vintage WOSTENHOLM & SON\'S IXL Straight Razor 13/16+\" FOR BARBER\'S USE RESTORED For Sale

The Razor: This is a sweet notch-tipped cutthroat IXL straight razor manufactured by the hugely renownedSheffield cutler, George Wostenholm & Sons. It measures just under 7/8\" at 13/16+\" in width.It has some residual pitting visible to boast its long decades of steadfast service to generations of gentlemen. It has new custom dark water-buffalo horn scales with the original brass collars. The blade\'s grind falls somewhere between 3/4 and full hollow, yielding a confident, heavy razor capable of gliding through a heavy beard growth under an experienced hand. This blade also features nice grippy jimps on the tang for enhanced control.

It has been restored, as described below.

The Work:I refurbished this blade by removing all rust and as much of the pitting as I could without endangering its lines and original essence, polishing it to a nice sheen. I made new buffalo horn scales, pinning them together with the original brass collars and new brass pins. The wedge is made of lead. Less visible to the eye, I also added brass washers to the pivot to reduce future wear and enhance its already impressive longevity.

I honed this razor with great care, as I would for my own razors I use for personal daily use.

This razor was honed with the following progression with 3 layers of tape to protect the spine and optimize bevel angle:

Naniwa 1k

Shapton Kuromaku Ceramic 2k

Shapton Kuromaku Ceramic 5k

Seuhiro Kouseki 10k

Maruka Narutaki Asagi

Vintage Scottish Linen Fire Hose Strop

Tony Miller Rough Out Strop

Tony Miller Fast Bridle Strop

My Story: I fell in love with vintage straight razors some years back when I became irritated with the exorbitant cost of disposable razor cartridges. Utilizing my background in jewelry and sculpture,I taught myself to refurbish antique straight razors, to make custom razor scales, to pin them properly,and, through great effort and dedication, have gained a reputation for nicely honed shaving edges. Each of these blades is a journey, with a history. A man\'s hands created it long ago to last for generations. You and I are part of those generations. I try to be sensitive and cognizant of the historical context of each razor, as well as the spirit and intentions of the original blade-maker so that I may bring them back to life for you, my customer.

FYI: any props used in photos (sharpening stones, rulers, etc.) are not for sale as part of this listing unless specifically detailed in the title and description sections of the listing