Post by drumzalot on Jan 21, 2015 18:05:54 GMT -6
This is my review for the Barnum Safety Razor. Finding information for obscure razors can be quite sketchy. The information I am providing seems to be accurate. If any information is wrong or missing I will update the history section.
History of the Barnum razor.
The Barnum is labeled as being from the “Barnum Sales Co.” I have not been able to find any information for the Barnum Sales Co. I have found historical information for the razor's design. It appears that Ernest N. Humphrey filed a patent application on March 11, 1913 for this specific razor design (granted Oct 21, 1913).
Ernest Humphrey was an inventor and assignor to the Traut & Hine Manufacturing Company, of New Britain, Connecticut. It appears that Ernest Humphrey designed (and co-design) six different razors.
There are a total of eight different names that this razor design was sold under: Barnum, Boston, Langsdorf, Yankee, Shamrock, Dandy, Lee and the B & R Sanitary Razor. The more common versions of this razor was sold as either The Dandy or Boston razor. There are no physical differences between any of the mentioned razors. My guess is that the razor was branded and sold under different names.
The Barnum Safety Razor's case
The Barnum's case is a three tone silver white and blue colored cardboard box. Though it's a cardboard box it's quite thick and sturdy. As you can see from the box the Barnum originally retailed for $1.
Besides the razor, what comes included is an original single edge blade and the instructions.
Scans of both the front & back of the original instructions.
A scan of the inside of the instructions. Forty cents for a dozen blades that's quite a bargain!
The Barnum Safety Razor
This is a very straight forward designed razor with a unique top plate. The handle is smooth with 4 small striation ringed bands serving as the knurling pattern. My Barnum still had the original factory grease slathered on the hinge!
As you can see the handle is short but the neck helps compensate for the handle's length. The head design is flat thin and very light weight.
Loading a razor blade
The Barnum is a proprietary blade razor! A modern single edge blade is too wide to fit into the Barnum. Unfortunately, an injector blade is still too wide and it will not fit into the Barnum. A modern SE blade can be clipped or sawed off to the appropriate size.
The shave review
I can't say that the Barnum is a good or bad shaver it is in fact a mixed bag performer. The Barnum is moderately aggressive. Due to the thin light head, it feels as if you are shaving with a blade on a stick. The Barnum's head design also makes the razor skip around your face. The razor tended to catch on facial hair at times as well.
In order to attain a close shave, I had to sporadically lightly press during the shave. Lightly pressing down also alleviated the head from skipping. I had to employ two different blade angles. The razor's head was almost flat on the skin as a 1912 would be, this was an effective angle going WTG. I had to keep the razor's head completely flat going XTG and ATG.
The handle is smooth and the razor can slip if you are not careful. The handle is quite small that I found myself holding the razor by it's thin neck. The head is also quite bulky and cumbersome. Shaving the upper lip is difficult. You must shave right to left and left to right on the upper lip. The bulky head makes shaving the neck troublesome. Though it requires alternating angles, it's not a difficult razor to master. I did attain a DFS and in the end it is a competent razor.
The bad, the good & the summary
The thin light bulky head are notable hindrances during the shave. You will have to alternate angles and concentrate to avoid being bitten. There is no escaping the fact that you need to mod a modern SE blade. No current modern SE blade will fit the Barnum.
I had to create a wooden jig to help mod an SE blade for the Barnum. The jig requires a mini hacksaw and linesman pliers to properly mod the blade. You will get a decent shave with the Barnum, not as good or comfortable compared to a 1912. Due to it's head design and mandatory modded blade, the Barnum is not a razor that I will reach for frequently.
History of the Barnum razor.
The Barnum is labeled as being from the “Barnum Sales Co.” I have not been able to find any information for the Barnum Sales Co. I have found historical information for the razor's design. It appears that Ernest N. Humphrey filed a patent application on March 11, 1913 for this specific razor design (granted Oct 21, 1913).
Ernest Humphrey was an inventor and assignor to the Traut & Hine Manufacturing Company, of New Britain, Connecticut. It appears that Ernest Humphrey designed (and co-design) six different razors.
There are a total of eight different names that this razor design was sold under: Barnum, Boston, Langsdorf, Yankee, Shamrock, Dandy, Lee and the B & R Sanitary Razor. The more common versions of this razor was sold as either The Dandy or Boston razor. There are no physical differences between any of the mentioned razors. My guess is that the razor was branded and sold under different names.
The Barnum Safety Razor's case
The Barnum's case is a three tone silver white and blue colored cardboard box. Though it's a cardboard box it's quite thick and sturdy. As you can see from the box the Barnum originally retailed for $1.
Besides the razor, what comes included is an original single edge blade and the instructions.
Scans of both the front & back of the original instructions.
A scan of the inside of the instructions. Forty cents for a dozen blades that's quite a bargain!
The Barnum Safety Razor
This is a very straight forward designed razor with a unique top plate. The handle is smooth with 4 small striation ringed bands serving as the knurling pattern. My Barnum still had the original factory grease slathered on the hinge!
As you can see the handle is short but the neck helps compensate for the handle's length. The head design is flat thin and very light weight.
Loading a razor blade
The Barnum is a proprietary blade razor! A modern single edge blade is too wide to fit into the Barnum. Unfortunately, an injector blade is still too wide and it will not fit into the Barnum. A modern SE blade can be clipped or sawed off to the appropriate size.
The shave review
I can't say that the Barnum is a good or bad shaver it is in fact a mixed bag performer. The Barnum is moderately aggressive. Due to the thin light head, it feels as if you are shaving with a blade on a stick. The Barnum's head design also makes the razor skip around your face. The razor tended to catch on facial hair at times as well.
In order to attain a close shave, I had to sporadically lightly press during the shave. Lightly pressing down also alleviated the head from skipping. I had to employ two different blade angles. The razor's head was almost flat on the skin as a 1912 would be, this was an effective angle going WTG. I had to keep the razor's head completely flat going XTG and ATG.
The handle is smooth and the razor can slip if you are not careful. The handle is quite small that I found myself holding the razor by it's thin neck. The head is also quite bulky and cumbersome. Shaving the upper lip is difficult. You must shave right to left and left to right on the upper lip. The bulky head makes shaving the neck troublesome. Though it requires alternating angles, it's not a difficult razor to master. I did attain a DFS and in the end it is a competent razor.
The bad, the good & the summary
The thin light bulky head are notable hindrances during the shave. You will have to alternate angles and concentrate to avoid being bitten. There is no escaping the fact that you need to mod a modern SE blade. No current modern SE blade will fit the Barnum.
I had to create a wooden jig to help mod an SE blade for the Barnum. The jig requires a mini hacksaw and linesman pliers to properly mod the blade. You will get a decent shave with the Barnum, not as good or comfortable compared to a 1912. Due to it's head design and mandatory modded blade, the Barnum is not a razor that I will reach for frequently.