1. home
  2. preface
  3. razor parts
  4. blade points
  5. razor identification
  6. the edge
  7. grinds
  8. grinds, why
  9. sharpening introduction
  10. stones
  11. strops
  12. using stones, introduction
  13. blade - stone geometry
  14. first stroke on stone
  15. last stroke on stone
  16. using the strop, introduction
  17. first stroke on strop
  18. last stroke on strop
  19. preparation for shave
  20. numbered shaving paths
  21. face, right side
  22. face, left side
  23. chin
  24. coup de maitre
  25. throat
  26. second over
  27. preface to archives
  28. La pogonotomia I
  29. La pogonotomia II
  30. La pogonotomia III
  31. La pogonotomia IV
  32. the razor I
  33. the razor II
  34. the razor III
  35. the razor IV
  36. the razor V
  37. the razor VI
  38. references
  39. summary
  40. guestbook

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     All images and text
     ©1998-2003 Arthur E. Boon





Preface

razor.jpg

Two centuries ago many people understood how to use and care for a straight razor, but most of the written information is lost now. Since the end of the eighteenth century, declining knowledge brought bad performance and the subsequent fall of the straight razor, a process still going on. Wrongly, because the efficacy of a well treated straight razor is unmatched by any comparable instrument.

This website is a reference that treats the orginal principles and practice of straight razor usage. Its purpose is to bring together science, skills, and the art of the craft, and to analyse the many opinions and habits which are and have been the primary cause of failures. To put everything in perspective, I included abstracts of two historical books which treated the pogonotomy in detail, and predicted why one of the most perfect tools in history would almost vanish more than two hundred years after publication

I thank all contributors, specially Mrs. and Mr. Lorenzi for giving me the great book of Perret, La Pogonotomia, translated by Mrs. Lorenzi; Mr. Schremmel from DOVO Solingen and Mr. Morocutti from the Knife Shop in Vienna for their instructions and the guided tours on location; Mr. Newson from Claremont, Australia for sending me valuable documentation and ideas; and last but not least the core of sincere contributors to rec.knives. Special thanks to Mr. Peter de Weijer from the Electric Shaver Museum in Amsterdam who sent me very valuable information, and who exploits an excellent site partially dealing with the subject. Further, very special thanks to Mr. David Loft, Mr. Gilles Reynewater, and Mr. Fayette, from SABATIER / Thiers-Issard, for the many hours they spent to demonstrate to me in detail the secrets of the square.

Arthur E. Boon
NOSPAM_bono@outblaze.net [remove "nospam_"!]