William Greaves
William Greaves lead a remarkable life.
Born in 1752, little is known about his early years, or even how he started his business. There were a lot of men making things with steel and named William Greaves. There were, in general, a lot of men named William Greaves.
Who Made That?
With 19th century Sheffield razors the most succinct answer is deeply unsatisfying: we simply don’t know.
But it has a clear manufacturer’s stamp!
And yet, the answer is the same.
While that answer is disappointing, understanding the reason why is more interesting.
Awaken, yonder blog!
After a long hiatus during which I sold my condo in Southern California, moved all my things to Northern California, bought a house here, renovated it, then moved in, this blog is coming to life again. In the next few days I'll be publishing a long photo-essay on the...
Now open: the shop!
I've been working toward this for some time, but at long last I've opened my web shop for selling restored straight razors. If you're looking for a vintage or antique razor and there's nothing there that interests you, check back often, as I'll be listing newly...
From the margins
Old Sheffield produced an incredible number of cutlery firms. Some of them left behind clear records, like Joseph Rodgers or Marshes & Shepherd, but there were a great many smaller companies who are known only by their work or a single directory listing.