What Straight Razor did you use today?

Filarmonica DT 14

That's a beutiful Filly there sir!

Cheers, Steve

Thank you, Steve!

This is an old French razor, one of my best shavers oddly enough. I bought it at a brocante for 10€ though the scales were pretty well gone. It's a common design called 'rattler', kind of like a frameback but all one piece of steel. It was probably made in the late 1800s. It's stamped 'Gauthier A Pont St Esprit'. Pont St Esprit is a village about 30 miles/50km north of Avignon. When I use Google-fu, I find that there are still people named Gauthier in Pont St Esprit, and likely this razor was from an old cutlery shop owned by the same family maybe a century ago. The razor made another journey to the Chez Alfredo razor spa (Doc226.com) for new scales of Turkish burl walnut.

Pont St Esprit also has another claim to fame, and outbreak of hallicinations and 'madness' in the 1950s. Many of the villagers were affected and there were even a couple of deaths I believe. The cause was never specifically identified, but ergot poisoning (the same chemical as LSD) from tainted wheat that was then baked into bread was suspected. Later on, one or more British tabloids claimed that it was a secret CIA mind control experiment!

One of the good things about these vintage razors is that sometimes you can find out a little history about them and the people who made or sold them. St Joanis is another fairly well known vintage razor maker; St Joanis started business in the late 1870s and are still in business today as Alain St Joanis. If you want some very elegant and very expensive flatware, this is your brand!

Cheers, Steve

One of my rare SR shaves but my 6/8" Boker Silver Steel

Hayashi Diamond 1072, covered tang, sitting on the hone that finished the edge.

Cheers, Steve

Thiers-Issard Basic Black, the 'economy' series from The Invisible Edge UK

Cheers, Steve

Boker Silver Steel

Wade and Butcher Wedge.

Scales cracked on me so will be getting new ones put on.

Japanese Staraet-Super 55 Yasuki Tamahagane Steel.

First straight of the new year, Puma Friseur-Freund #1

Wilhelm Mandt #76