Durham Duplex Typology

[pjgh]

I have collected a number of these razors over the years and absolutely love the shave I get from them. Looking at what I have, they're all practically unique, all different.

I'm going to begin with the patents and show you through some of the details.

Duplex - Patented 28th May 1907
Domino - Patented 5th April 1910
Derby - Patented 7th November 1911
Duplex - Patented 26/12/1911 (Second Patent)

As we'll see, for all intents and purposes the Duplex and the Domino are much the same although my Domino has a thinner end to the handle. The second patent for the Duplex is interesting and as we'll see it has a distinctive notch for the head to seat into. I don't have a Derby but I think the Derby also carried this particular notch.

What we regard as pre-1912 and post-1912 were probably around whether the razor carried the "PAT U.S.A. MAY 28 07 AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES" on the shaft, later model omitting this and the "MADE IN SHEFFIELD" models simply stating "PATENTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES". It's not that simple, though, since we'll look at a plastic case and single piece handled example from at least 1920 bearing that very 1907 detail.

What it may come down to is that on the 11th of May 1910, the Durham Duplex Blade Company Ltd formed in Sheffield, Great Britain. Sheffield made the blades, which it shipped back to various countries through their sales offices in New York, Toronto and Paris. We know this company also made the actual razors, but how early on?

I'm going to concentrate on the folding razors.

Let's take a look:

Assembled in what I think are actual date order going right to left, over on the far right we have a Demonstrator (US), next a home made Kamisori Duplex (UK), scaled Duplex (US), scaled Domino (UK) follows, plastic single piece handled Duplex (US) and finally an unstamped Duplex? (US?UK?).

Durham Demonstrator - 1907 Patent

What I think is an early example presented in a canvas pouch, scales are smooth, not embossed, and the shaft bears the 1907 patent.

See how the comb simply slides over the shaft?

Three piece scales ...

... and a size comparison to the Duplex, which this Demonstrator could be traded in against:

Identical size, shape and moreover length of shaft.

Durham Duplex - 1907 Patent

Scales can be found in a number of colours: amber, brown, black, red and light blue, others nickel plated, some silver plates and also a mahogany celluloid.

Comb, detailing the Durham Duplex logo and company crest ... unlike the Demonstrator, as you can see from the first picture, the comb slides up the shaft and fits flush:

Durham Duplex - 1911 Patent

During clean-up, I managed to warp the scales on this one, so popped it into a length of bamboo and enjoy it as a Kamisori - think of it as a Durham Artist Club!

Notice something just a little different? The comb fits into a slot on the shaft:

You can read about this detail in the patent notes: http://www.google.com/patents/US1012728 - point 13 in the diagram and text.

Made in Sheffield ...

All pieces have a "23" stamped into them. 1923?

Continued ...

 

[pjgh]

Durham Domino - 1907 Patent Style

British made in the 1907 Patent style:

Comb ... and notch, just like the US 1907 Patent style:

... and exactly the same size as the US 1907 Patent but with a slightly more slender tail:

Curiously, my Domino set from New York has a Duplex stamped razor and stropper just like the 1907 Patent style above ...

Go figure!

Durham Duplex - 1907 Patent Style (circa 1920)

Advertised simply as "The Durham-Duplex razor in its new case ..."

Different again ...

Flush fitting just like the 1907, but with a single piece plastic handle rather than three piece scales and like the older style can be found in a dazzling array of colours, even tortoise shell.

The comb ...

... and a comparison to the three piece scaled Duplex (top) and the next razor we'll be looking at - another one piece plastic handle, different again:

Durham Duplex - Long Comb

Notice the lack of crest in the middle?

Furthermore, no national markings or patent information:

... but another flush fit.

The long comb is reminiscent of the Gillette 'New'. I am unsure just how old this is, but think Gillette will have taken one look at this idea "and just had to have it himself!".

The trend seems to be towards single piece plastic handles with the gradual loss of crest and even trademarking, as seen here in comparison with the next razor we'll look at:

Continued ...

 

[pjgh]

Durham Duplex - Late

I call this a "late" one, but have no idea on age or nationality, given that it has no markings at all.

The shaft on this variant is much thinner than all the others, completely unstamped and notice how the comb does not fit flush, but overlays the shaft much like we saw with the very first one: the Demonstrator? On this variant, there is not even a notch present.

Summary

Returning to the very top, I think we can see that the 1907 style patent was very popular and a style which persisted beyond further patents such as the slotted 1911. Does anyone have a Derby? I have a suspicion that we might see the 1911 patent style on that razor.

Postscript

... and just when you think you have it sussed, a curveball flies through the window!

Again, unmarked, overlaying fitting, thin handle and gives every indication that it is a late one, but two-piece scales and within ...

1st June 1907. While this blade was simply patented in 1907 and could have been produced any time after, I still find it odd since practically all the Sheffield made blades I have are of the 4th July 1911, a patent which no doubt superseded the 1907, so why continue to produce both? Well, looking at the razors, you can see that they did.

Fun, eh?

 

[UKRob]

Paul - I’ve never used one of these so, I suppose, the blade fits between the comb and the shaft. Given that the comb is designed to angle away from the face, am I correct in assuming that you have to use both hands - because there is only one correct side of the razor that can be used? Unlike a straight which has two usable sides and can therefore be used with just one hand, the Duplex seems require ambidexterity - if that’s a word.

 

[TobyC]

Rotate the tail through to the other side?

 

[pjgh]

Whenever I've shaved with one of these, no ... I've left it in my right hand. I never recall it having been an issue, so I just pretend shaved and yes, just leave it in your dominant hand.

Absolutely right @TobyC, you just rotate the tail around so the scales point down to shave down the left side.

See this fellow around the 08:00 mark when he moves to the left side, leaving the razor in his right hand:

 

[UKRob]

Yes, of course - although the guy in the video tries to shave with the wrong side on a few occasions. It still looks to be a design that works better if your ambidextrous.

@pjgh - how would you rate these blades against the likes of Feather, Schick, Captain etc?

 

[pjgh]

Haha! He does, doesn't he - it's not like a Weck where you can just chuck the guard in the bin. I gather he's a regular straight shaver normally.

Versus other blades, chalk and cheese. Probably not as sharp as those mentioned, but a damn sight stronger/firmer. Even the GEM has some flex. These? None. Vintage are actually honeable. Years back, one of my pals honed me a set of vintage which I've put scores of shaves onto, maintaining with a leather strop. It gives an old-fashioned shave, more comparable to vintage Weck with vintage blades or even a Rolls Razor.

 

[UKRob]

The stropping has set me thinking - because the blade has 4 bevels and two edges I assume you strop side A top bevel on the down stroke and then bottom bevel on the up stroke - then turn the blade over and repeat. Is that correct?

 

[pjgh]

Yes, many of the sets come with a stropping attachment, so with the blade in place you strop both sides of one edge, flip the blade around and strop both sides of the other edge.

The stropping part can be seen above the blades in this set.

 

[pjgh]

I have a dedicated stropper:

 

[Sabre]

My two Durham Duplex's and Personna blades...

 

[Sabre]

 

[DarkDave25]

I have one of these beauts, but have yet to find a blade that’s suitably sharp to do anything other than scrape my face! Does anyone know if these injector blades would be suitable? https://www.connaughtshaving.com/injectorblades.html

 

[Sabre]

I have one of these beauts, but have yet to find a blade that’s suitably sharp to do anything other than scrape my face! Does anyone know if these injector blades would be suitable? https://www.connaughtshaving.com/injectorblades.html

That is not the correct blade.

 

[pjgh]

Hi @DarkDave25 welcome to the forum!

I have one of these beauts, but have yet to find a blade that’s suitably sharp to do anything other than scrape my face! Does anyone know if these injector blades would be suitable? https://www.connaughtshaving.com/injectorblades.html

No.

The Durham Duplex ONLY takes its own proprietary blades. I have not found any means of hacking either the razor or a blade from another manufacturer to work with the Durham Duplex. It really is a shame because the format is very clever, having a double sided straight-edge razor.

... and herein lies the problem. You can't but they blades any more. You can buy what looks like the same blades, sold as "carpet cutters" or "dog dresser" blades, but they're not properly suitable for shaving your face. You can try it, but you won't find it a lot of fun! If you do happen to land on some vintage blades that are absolutely free or rust, they do respond to a honing on stones and a lovely smooth shave can be had. You do have to know about honing and you do need one of their stropping attachments to do so.

If you are VERY lucky, you might happen upon some "pathology" blades of the same shape. These are certainly sharp enough, but they're not coated and so the shave is quite raw.

Durham Duplex are still around: https://www.durham-duplex.co.uk/
... but the only even slightly suitable blade they produce is under their "own label" and that's the Dog Dresser.