Thread: Has anyone tried shaving with a bronze razor?

Hi everyone, has anyone tried to shave with a bronze
razor? Now it would be simple enough for me to purchase
a strip of bronze, and hone it, but it probably wouldn't
have the correct tin content. The higher the % of tin
in bronze the more brittle it becomes.
I also understand about work hardening the edge.

Thanks for any response.

Using bronze for a razor is so olde school, "olde school" should be written in Mesopotamian! A pre 1788 razor is my personal "grail" so to speak ... but I don't think I need to go THAT "pre".

If you check Youtube there are videos of guys shaving with obsidian shards, axes, daggers and even a spoon (well, sort of). So if it can take an edge then it has been used to shave with.

BTW Mick, you should check out the obsidian vid, that's about as old school as it gets!

i would love to have a obsidian razor... they even made razors from flint.....

The problem is bronze was great before they had steel and it was the hardest stuff around but it's too soft for a razor. Maybe a demonstration piece and it would be neat but not a real working shaver.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

If you check Youtube there are videos of guys shaving with obsidian shards, axes, daggers and even a spoon (well, sort of). So if it can take an edge then it has been used to shave with.

BTW Mick, you should check out the obsidian vid, that's about as old school as it gets!

I've seen one of those.

That's not "ye olde school", that's "Thag scrap face! Ugh!"

Bronze was what they used before steel, and you can find bronze razors in antiquarian stores without too much difficulty. Bronze takes a fantastic edge but dulls very quickly. If you do a search on something like "roman razors" or "steppe people razors" you should be able to find some of the designs they used, which are significantly different to the straights we know and love.

Men have been known to shave with not only their weapons and tools, but also with the sharp edges of rocks like "paco664" stated and sharpened clam shells.

You could maybe try using "Duronze?" It's strong as hell, but I have no clue how it would hold an edge. I've used it for metal turning projects and for fly rod ferrules. It can be turned thin and will maintain its strength properties really well. It takes a beautiful finish and the patina is very nice looking.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

If you check Youtube there are videos of guys shaving with obsidian shards, axes, daggers and even a spoon (well, sort of). So if it can take an edge then it has been used to shave with.

BTW Mick, you should check out the obsidian vid, that's about as old school as it gets!

Thank you all for the responses.
I did look at youtube, and viewed the spoon (it was a special spoon)
also various axes, and swords (talk about a wedge)