PATENT SPECIFICATION

Application Date: Jan. 21, 1930. No, 2025/30. Complete Left: Aug. 21, 1930. Complete Accepted: April 9, 1931.

---

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. Improved Hone for Safety Razor Blades

346,057

I, Joseph Richard Lillicrap, of Staincross, Atkinson Road, Urmston, County of Lancaster, a British subject, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—

The invention relates to a hone or appliance for sharpening safety razor blades.

It comprises a block with a curved concave surface the curve approximating to the curve the surface of the blade takes when secured in position in the handle.

The block is made of glass and the surface may be etched with acid.

A flange or shoulder at one side retains the blade in position.

Dated this 20th day of January, 1930.

I, Joseph Richard Lillicrap, of Staincross, Atkinson Road, Urmston, County of Lancaster, a British subject, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—

This invention relates to a hone or appliance for sharpening safety razor blades of the type having a concave curved sharpening surface upon which the blade may be laid flat and moved to and fro.

It has been proposed to make this type of razor sharpener of a body or block of wood, metal, rubber or the like concave on one or both surfaces in the direction of its length and coated with a razor paste the surface being covered with leather or hide or abrasive material or scratched longitudinally with lines to hold the abrasive paste and it has further been proposed to make the sharpener of a hard material such as glass or earthenware to the surface of which has been given a high polish, for example glazed, plated or enamelled ; also to use a flat strip of glass with a ground face for sharpening razors.

The applicant has found by experiment that a leather or other covered or coated surface or the use of an abrasive paste is not necessary nor is a highly polished surface but that a surface of glass, etched or frosted, gives the best results.

According to the invention the hone or sharpening appliance is made of a cast or moulded block of glass the concave surface of which is etched or frosted to remove the natural polish from the glass and preferably with a flange or shoulder at one edge to guide and retain the blade in position.

The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings :—

Fig. 1. Perspective view of hone or appliance with safety razor blade in position thereon.

Fig. 2. Longitudinal section.

Fig. 3. Transverse section.

The hone or sharpener A is moulded as a block of glass with a curved concave surface a extending longitudinally and a flange or shoulder a¹ at one edge to serve as a guide and to keep the razor blade B in position during the operation of sharpening.

The glass of which the hone or sharpener A is made may be of known composition but a glass containing uranium as an ingredient is at present preferred.

The curved concave surface a of the hone or sharpener is etched or frosted to remove the natural glaze or polish of the lass as it is found that an etched or frosted surface gives the best sharpening effect.

The etching or frosting is preferaby effected by acid which may be applied in liquid, gaseous, or paste forms (a suitable acid being hydrofluoric acid with or without the addition of barium sulphate, sodium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, flour, starch, or sulphuric acid) either applied to the surface a by means of a brush or other tool or appliance or by the hone being dipped into an acid bath or the hone brought in contact with an acid gas. Or the surface a may be etched or frosted by a fine sand-blast or mud-blast or by means of the application of any abrasive material.

For sharpening the razor blade it is placed flat on the concave surface a of the hone A as shown with its end against the flange or shoulder a¹ and moved lightly to and fro over the curved surface.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—

1. A hone or appliance for sharpening safety razor blades of the type referred to, made of a cast or moulded block of glass the curved concave surface of which is etched or frosted over its surface substantially as described.

2. A hone or appliance for sharpening safety razor blades as in claim 1 made of glass with a curved concave surface and with a flange or shoulder at one edge to guide and retain the razor blade in position substantially as described.

3. A hone or appliance for sharpening safety razor blades as in claim 1 or claim 2 characterised by the curved concave surface being etched or frosted by an acid or acid mixture.

4. A hone or appliance for sharpening razor blades as in claim 1 or claim 2 characterised by the curved concave surface being etched or frosted by a sand-blast or mud-blast or by means of the application of any abrasive material.

5. A hone or appliance for sharpening safety razor blades as in any of the preceding claims made of glass containing uranium as an ingredient.

6. A hone or appliance for sharpening safety razor blades, substantially as described and shown.

Dated this 19th day of August, 1930.