If “Hovel” is the tool you flatten wood with, that’s the traditional German word for razors that are neither straights, nor cartridge razors (Rasierhobel).
I have never seen any contraption like this before, and I don’t see clearly where’s the edge, or how you would shave with it.
Edit:The wooden screw seems to be the (open) comb, and the metal screw might fix/adjust the blade of some sort. On your second link I guess that you can see more clearly. I would guess that the the razor rests on the skin with the two wooden elements, and the blade is kept away from your skin only by the distance it introduces with the wooden rolls. So basically, there’s no topcap - or also, it’s like a modern SE razor, but somehow assembled in the wrong way.
Unfortunately no idea. I tried Google Lens on it and the AI gave me everything from old woodworking equipment to “Bohnenschneidemaschine” (bean cutting machine). Also, no useful results for searching W. Krags in Augsburg. I was able to find one patent for a “machine to create holes in inner organs”, or more precisely, a bone cutter. But judging by the lack of a blade or saw on it, this won’t be such a thing.
If you’re able to find anything in german, I’d happily help with translations however ✌🏻
So I was poking around on the ‘net, as one does.
And I found this:
All I know is that it’s marked “Mrk. W.Krags patent, Augsburg”, likely is from somewhen between 1880 and 1900, and probably is German.
Anyone have any pointers?
Where did you find that? And do you know whether it’s shaving related?
Found it at Digitalmuseum.no - an online, digital collection of the archives of most Norwegian museums.
The item is at the Norwegian Museum of Technology, and they are the ones who identify it as a razor.
https://digitaltmuseum.no/011024248987/barberhovel
https://digitaltmuseum.no/011024254275/barbermaskin
If “Hovel” is the tool you flatten wood with, that’s the traditional German word for razors that are neither straights, nor cartridge razors (Rasierhobel).
I have never seen any contraption like this before, and I don’t see clearly where’s the edge, or how you would shave with it.
Edit:The wooden screw seems to be the (open) comb, and the metal screw might fix/adjust the blade of some sort. On your second link I guess that you can see more clearly. I would guess that the the razor rests on the skin with the two wooden elements, and the blade is kept away from your skin only by the distance it introduces with the wooden rolls. So basically, there’s no topcap - or also, it’s like a modern SE razor, but somehow assembled in the wrong way.
Høvel is indeed the word for a wood plane - as well as a razor, and a cheese slicer. WE make some words do a lot of heavy lifting in Norway :P
Now that I’m not sick, I’ll see if I can’t learn more about this contraption.
Unfortunately no idea. I tried Google Lens on it and the AI gave me everything from old woodworking equipment to “Bohnenschneidemaschine” (bean cutting machine). Also, no useful results for searching W. Krags in Augsburg. I was able to find one patent for a “machine to create holes in inner organs”, or more precisely, a bone cutter. But judging by the lack of a blade or saw on it, this won’t be such a thing. If you’re able to find anything in german, I’d happily help with translations however ✌🏻