Old Razor Stropper

rusty6 · Apr 10, 2020

I wonder how many have heard of, or remember, the Twinplex razor sharpener. My dad had one when we were kids and I used to by fascinated by the crank that turned the gears and rotated the razor blade to sharpen it. There was a good one still in the box in my uncle's house that I saved. Along with some "NIB" blades. I did a little demonstration video of how it works. Well before the days of throw away plastic razors. You sharpened them and re-used the blades.
Twinplex Stropper

SVcummins · Apr 10, 2020

Pretty neat old mechanism . Wonder how they figured out to make the rubber sharpen the edge

rusty6 · Apr 10, 2020

(quoted from post at 23:35:46 04/09/20) Pretty neat old mechanism . Wonder how they figured out to make the rubber sharpen the edge

I'd guess the same principal as the leather belts they used in the barber shop where the barber would run the razor edge over the leather to put a fine edge on it.

SVcummins · Apr 10, 2020

That makes sense

Bruce from Can. · Apr 10, 2020

Maybe that?s why I never liked shaving. While my dad didn?t have a stropper, he did shave with that style of safety razor. And I used them before the disposable plastic too. Dad moved to the electric. I tried the electric razor too, but wife always thought it didn?t do much of a job, and once it burned out, I just grew a beard.

Gene Dotson · Apr 10, 2020

That is The exact razor I started shaving with and dad gave me when I left for the Air Force in 1960.
Dad always used a strop to sharpen his butchering knives. Can still hear the rhythm on morning of butchering day.

Gene

Fred Werring · Apr 10, 2020

I use that style razor.

Had to buy some blades for the double razor I was using 10ish years ago, decided the blades were just too expensive for what they did.

Bought a cheap double edge safety razor from ebay and some blades. Did not like the short handle. Had some 5/8" round plastic stock, made a bigger handle.

Been using it ever since.

RayP(MI) · Apr 10, 2020

We still have one of those around here unless wife threw it out. was my dad's. Went with old brass razor, turned green with corrosion. My choice after I got to college was the Shick injector, I got free in a gift welcoming pack.
Dont think they make those blades anymore. Bought a lifetime supply a few years back emptying every store I went into for a while.

Kansas4010 · Apr 10, 2020

I don't recall my dad using a razor strop to sharpen anything but I do remember him threatening to take the razor strop to my rear end several times.

quefan · Apr 10, 2020

Thanks Rusty, interesting device.
Never knew my dad to have a sharpening device.
Still have his kit

When it became difficult to get shave cream in a tube, I got him this brush that attaches to the foam can (what an awkward piece of crap lol)

Stephen Newell · Apr 10, 2020

I've seen those before. What I've heard was they didn't work very well. Anyway who wants to work on a razor blade you can replace cheaply.

coshoo · Apr 10, 2020

I got my belly full of blade shaving when I was in basic training- just seemed like too much rigamarole to go through, just to have to do it all again tomorrow. Have used Norelco rotary shavers ever since, and am well satisfied with them.

rusty6 · Apr 10, 2020

Yes, I've heard it said the leather strop was also used as a disciplinary device although I never saw it done here. My dad used those type razors many years ago but he graduated to electric. So I went the same way. No they are probably not as close a shave as a real razor but I think they are faster. I've got quite a few of those old pieces of shaving memorabilia collected here. This one was likely purchased by my grandfather or great uncle when they first came to Canada in the early 1900s and worked at Indian Head, Sask. as the name on the container says. The name is also on the blade.

pete 23 · Apr 10, 2020

Hid dad's razer strap under boards in attic. He was using safety razer by then and didn't need it!!!!.

Steve@Advance · Apr 10, 2020

Never seen a sharpener like that, neat invention!

I remember seeing a double edge razor in my dads stuff, but he never used it. It didn't come apart like that one, but you turned the handle, it opened up and the blade was dropped in.

All I remember seeing him use was the injector type razor.

By the time I was old enough to shave the disposables were out. That's all I ever used, and didn't use many of those. Had a full beard since I was in my 20's.

retired farmer · Apr 10, 2020

Back in the fifties. Probably got sold when my dad died.

Bob Harvey · Apr 10, 2020

I have 2 of these Rolls Razors, left to me by an uncle. They are very clever devices. One side is a stone and the other is a leather strop. As shown when the blade is mounted in the handle it will push the blade on the stone, then flip it over and push the other direction. On the stop side it pulls the blade then flips it over. Neat !

Bob Harvey · Apr 10, 2020

P.S. The lids only fit one way.

1948CaseVAI · Apr 10, 2020

Thank you for taking the time to make this and post! Very interesting. I had no idea blades used to have two edges.

L.Fure · May 18, 2020

(quoted from post at 07:35:46 04/10/20) Pretty neat old mechanism . Wonder how they figured out to make the rubber sharpen the edge

The strop had to be covered in jewelers rouge. Jewelers rouge is made of powdered ferric oxide and is used as a polishing agent. Watchmakers also use it to polish the steel parts of a watch movement.

Old Razor Stropper

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