Barber's Notch?
- Thread starter howdydave
- Start date
Salamander
Well-known member
Pages from "The Barbers Manual" by A.B. Moler, Edition 1924.
Salamander
Well-known member
I’ve read some reasons why it existed including allowing detail work around the nose, but nothing definitive. I suppose the point could be honed. I have three or four and love the look.
Gamma
Active member
I've always thought that the idea was that you could make it out to be whatever you want it to be; some liked the look, others liked to use it as a finger notch, many may have found it helpful for certain shaving techniques, or all of the above and maybe more. It's very possible that the very first notched blades were done just to show off the smith's skills or just to make a new design simply for the sake of selling a another razor to a customer.
Salamander
Well-known member
I find it interesting there is no definitive definition.
howdydave
Member
I came across one explaination within the past couple of days that said it was used to allow a barber to do precision shaving.
This was done by putting the fingertip of the index finger in the notch and holding the spine flat against the palm of the hand (parallel with the index finger.)
This was done by putting the fingertip of the index finger in the notch and holding the spine flat against the palm of the hand (parallel with the index finger.)
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Salamander
Well-known member
Part of my technique is to use both hands against the grain on the area under my lower lip. I hold the tip with my thumb and first finger under the spine. I wouldn't think the barbers notch to make it easier to perform this function.
There have been many explanations to what it was for and many heated discussions about its purpose but it is probably one of those things we will truly never know why it was first introduced. Sorry. Just wanted to be honest about it. If you ever find out its true purpose please let us know....
BobYourUncle
New member
An old gent I knew said that hollow points were the appendix or bell bottoms of straight razor manufacturing.
He supposed in the Sheffield days of early manufacture the notches, some are very small, may have been used in the casting, forging or grinding process as stress relief, a gauge or a stay. This feature became associated with quality by the consumer and many manufacturers adopted or imitated it. This feature gradually faded out over time as more automated manufacture, improved metallurgy and forging became common place and Germany and the USA dominated SR manufacturing. You can see in most maker's catalogs in the US and Continental Europe the square, hone, spike and round point came to dominate and the hollow point was a much less common offering.
Just a thought..it may have been a fad that faded
He supposed in the Sheffield days of early manufacture the notches, some are very small, may have been used in the casting, forging or grinding process as stress relief, a gauge or a stay. This feature became associated with quality by the consumer and many manufacturers adopted or imitated it. This feature gradually faded out over time as more automated manufacture, improved metallurgy and forging became common place and Germany and the USA dominated SR manufacturing. You can see in most maker's catalogs in the US and Continental Europe the square, hone, spike and round point came to dominate and the hollow point was a much less common offering.
Just a thought..it may have been a fad that faded
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maybe...
Salamander
Well-known member
While I would like to have a definitive reason/purpose for the barber's notch, I think they really look cool. My eldest razor from the 1840's has one and is a W&B.
laikhe6768
New member
Randomly came across this this site and this specific page / post thread RE: the 'barber's notch' at the tip of most any style straight razor blade.
I thought about other 'random' blade features such as a 'double-ground full flat' blade and asked the same question - why? / what for?
While there are various 'reasons' for such design quirks, they are oft-times simply a designer's 'easter egg' in the design of their blade style.
Seems as most straight blade questions circle the same notion that the notch came from increasing the ease with which a barber would handle multiple different blades throughout his day. It can be said that what is a perfect solution for one, can be merely a design qwirk for someone else.
A sample of undisputed ambiguousness might be: < https://bespokeunit.com/shaving/straight-razor/designs/#barber-notch >
My response to a very much outdated thread.
I thought about other 'random' blade features such as a 'double-ground full flat' blade and asked the same question - why? / what for?
While there are various 'reasons' for such design quirks, they are oft-times simply a designer's 'easter egg' in the design of their blade style.
Seems as most straight blade questions circle the same notion that the notch came from increasing the ease with which a barber would handle multiple different blades throughout his day. It can be said that what is a perfect solution for one, can be merely a design qwirk for someone else.
A sample of undisputed ambiguousness might be: < https://bespokeunit.com/shaving/straight-razor/designs/#barber-notch >
My response to a very much outdated thread.
Salamander
Well-known member
Thank you for posting. I have decided that a Barber's Notch is similar to my knives with varying tip designs. I have an older Japanese made Tanto tip Cold Steel that is sharpened and another Gerber rounded blade that he not. Perhaps this sharpened tip, as with the BN helps slicing, although that's not normally something we SR shavers do.