|
|
 |
|
|
Thiers Issard by big tree
|
|
|
Thiers Issard |
|
|
|
|
|
Business,Business News,Business Opportunities
|
|
History
Thiers Issard was established in 1884 by Pierre Thiers, (1860 - 1929). He was part of a family of master razor makers. The Thiers family owned their own forge. The "Chart of the Jurande" or the Professional Guild Charter of the time lists at least three "Thiers" as master razor makers.
In 1870 Pierre Thiers started as an apprentice to a master razor maker and after twenty four years in the trade he had mastered the art well enough to become famous among the cognoscenti and connoisseurs of fine cutlery.
In 1884 Pierre Thiers established his own forge. He named his factory Thiers-Issard combining his last name and that of his wife as a way to differentiate himself from the rest of the family who owned similar businesses. From 1884 until his death in 1929 Pierre Thiers worked in his forge and died, reportedly, at work.
After his death, his son Pierre Thiers Jr. (1884 - 1962) assisted by his mother continued the family business. Pierre Thiers Jr. worked as an apprentice under his father and he was a skilled forger in his own right. As the business prospered more family members joined the company starting with Louis Thiers (1910 - 1985) and later by another Pierre Thiers (1914 - 1997).
In 1985 the Thiers Issard company was acquired by Gilles Reynewaeter.
Razor construction
Loup et Blier (wolf and ram) 6/8 extra hollow carbon steel singing blade. The gold inlaid heads of the wolf and the ram are on a mirror polished (poli glace) Sheffield silver steel blade. The double stabiliser implies full hollow ground blade. The lower side of the shank shows fluting for a more secure grip, while the upper side is smooth. The handle is faux tortoise. The razor comes in a leather pouch. Although the handle does not have a middle plug, the faux tortoise scales are wide apart like an arch and are resistant to deformation
A razor blade starts, at the Thiers Issard factory, as a shape called the blank supplied by the steel manufacturer. Thiers Issard traditionally has used Sheffield silver steel, long considered a superior quality carbon steel. The first step is to clean the blank using a heavy forge process called the detourage. Following the forging stage a hole is drilled in the tang of the blade. This is a crucial step since after the steel hardening process it would be next to impossible to drill hardened steel without employing specialised methods such as electrical discharge machining, and even then the process would be too arduous to be practical. At this pre-hardening stage the decoration or guiochage of the blade is done, since the blade is malleable enough to be carved.
Lead hardening
The steel is hardened through a special process using a bath of molten lead where the forged steel blade is immersed at 800 C (degrees Celsius). The efficient metal-to-metal heat transfer, from the surrounding lead to the steel blade, enables fast and uniform heating of the steel at the optimum temperature for maximum hardness. The annealing stage follows the hardening process, where at 300 C the steel becomes flexible and brittleness is eliminated according to phase diagrams for steel.
Thiers Issard is allowed by special exemption in French law to continue using this lead hardening process, while health concerns prohibit its use by any other manufacturer.
Grinding
Following the materials science processes of hardening and annealing, the blanks are hollow ground, according to one of the two fundamental blade profiles. At the highest end of hollow ground, more hollow than even the 1/1 grade, is the so called singing razor, so named because its blade produces a specific resonant tone when plucked, similar to a guitar string. The singing razor blade at this excited stage is essentially a vibrating membrane. Its manufacturing process is so demanding that a full 25% of the blades get rejected as not meeting standards. Thiers Issard does not produce flat ground (wedge) type blades.
Finishing
Subsequently to grinding the blade is polished to various degrees of gloss. The best finish is poli glace or mirror finish. Mirror finish is the only finish used if gold leafing is to be part of the decoration of the blade.
Satin finish requires less polishing time and therefore is not as expensive to produce. This finish is mostly used with black acid etching. Satin finish can sometimes be applied, as a compromise, to the back of the blade while the mirror finish and gold leafing are applied to the more visible front of the blade. This way the blade will not be as expensive as a fully mirror finished one.
Handles
The rivets are peened by hand to ensure stable movement of the razor blade while folding into the handle. The materials used are horn, exotic woods etc. The wood is impregnated with resins and pressed under high pressure to create a stable and water resistant material.
Blade decoration
The blade is decorated by engraving or gold leafing depending on the price. Less expensive blades undergo an electrolytic black acid engraving process. For more expensive blades, gold leafing applied by hand is employed, following a traditional process.
Sharpening
Sharpening is the final stage in the process. At first the blade is sharpened on a special grinding machine using a waterstone wheel. Following that the blade is hand honed on an antique Belgian flat waterstone. These Belgian waterstones have been mined out and Thiers Issard holds the last known supply. Finally the cutting edge is finished on a two-sided leather strop using a special paste on one side and natural oils from the human hand on the other.
Testing
Finally the blade mechanical properties are tested. Flexibility, sharpness as well as special tone tests for singing razors take place at this stage.
Citations and notes
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Classic shaving:The Thiers-Issard Story. (Blade manufacturing details) quote: ...In 1884 Mr. Thiers undertook to establish his own forge and assume the rightful place of such a highly regarded craftsman - working for himself. In order to differentiate his products from those produced by other members of his family who were still active in the trade themselves, he named his factory Thiers-Issard, adding his wife's family name, Issard, to his own... and: As can be expected, the more grinding required, such as in the case of a Full Hollow Ground "Singing" razor, and the more skill and precision required in accomplishing the grind, the higher the finished razor's resulting cost... and: When the edge of this razor is plucked or strummed much like a guitar string, a clear resonant tone is heard. also: They must flex with the pressure of the fingernail only and of course, "Singing" razors must "Sing."
^ a b THIERS ISSARD SABATIER:"Cutlers since 1884 " quote: We perpetuate the tradition of our founder Pierre Thiers, razors maker in 1880, time after time, we first add razor blades in 1920, then in 1958 the SABATIER****ELEPHANT range, and in 1995 the PIGEAT prestigious cutler's range.
^ CNN.com food news:A potpourri of unusual holiday gifts for your favorite chef by Randall H. Harber CNN News Editor December 11, 2000 quote: Two of the top brands of carbon steel knives are French-made Sabatier and Thiers Issard -- both available online, selling for about $70.
^ bethesdarow.com/redevelopment:"Dine and Shop at Bethesda Row MD" quote: ...The store will also feature their Screwpull wine and bar equipment, Le Creuset Kitchen Tools, exclusive French Thiers Issard Cutlery and Riedel Stemware...
^ a b c GQ magazine Deutschland (Translation by Google): Gentlemen's Questions Gesundheit und Pflege (Health and Care) - GQ.com-quote: Ich mchte meinem Freund ein klassisches Rasiermesser schenken I wish my friend a classic razor gift. Auf was muss ich beim Kauf achten? On what should I consider when buying? You are probably a woman who belongs behind bars, grrr. Your friend should be sharp and precise shave? Bitte: Pflegeleicht sind rostfreie Klingen. Please: Easy care are stainless steel blades. Normal steel after each use must be rinsed and dried with, these knives are in sound quality from about 70 euros (eg from Schildpattimitat, DOVO). Especially elastic is a "Singing Blade" bleigehrtetem Sheffield steel, which at the mere tap-legendary sound of itself, eg THIERS-ISSARD (about 99 euros), a company which is also a luxury knife from Damascus steel production (approximately 690 euros). [sic]
GQ Deutschland (Original article in German) Quote: "Ich mchte meinem Freund ein klassisches Rasiermesser schenken. Auf was muss ich beim Kauf achten? Sie sind wohl eine Frau, die hinter Gitter gehrt, grrr. Ihr Freund soll sich scharf und przise rasieren? Bitte:Pflegeleicht sind rostfreie Klingen. Normalstahl muss nach jedem Gebrauch mit abgesplt und abgetrocknet werden, solche Messer gibt es in solider Qualitt ab etwa 70 Euro (z.B. aus Schildpattimitat, von DOVO). Besonders elastisch ist eine "Singende Klinge" aus bleigehrtetem Sheffield-Stahl, die beim bloen Antippen den -legendren Ton von sich gibt, z.B. von THIERS-ISSARD (zirka 99 Euro), einer Firma, die auch ein Luxusmesser aus Damaszener Stahl produziert (zirka 690 Euro!). Ein Muss dazu ist ein Abziehriemen, um den Grat des Messers aufzurichten entweder als langer Lederriemen oder als platzsparender Spannriemen, z.B. von DOVO, etwa 42 Euro."
^ a b phillytown.com:The Finer Things quote: Some of the World best razors are made in France by Thiers Issard using a lead hardening process during which the steel is plunged in boiling hot lead to heat it to the perfect temperature then it is quenched in water. These razors are the ultimate in straight razor shavers as they take a wickedly sharp velvet edge that would embarrass any modern safety blade. They also hold that edge longer than their high quality counterparts which are made in Solingen Germany by Dovo. However, choosing between a German or a French blade would be like choosing between Mercedes Benz and Rolls Royce; no one should hesitate to buy from either maker as they are both excellent choices, it just that one is a notch better than the other. also: Some of the World best razors are made in France by Thiers Issard using a lead hardening process during which the steel is plunged in boiling hot lead to heat it to the perfect temperature then it is quenched in water.
^ a b GIFTS FOR... the stylish man: Style and Fashion Dept. Boston Herald By Michael Marotta and Lauren Beckham Falcone Wednesday, December 5, 2007 quote: ...No self-respecting man-scaper buys razors in the supermarket. The Art of Shaving straight razor is crafted by 123-year-old French company Thiers-Issard, with a carbon steel blade and guide to ensure proper use. ...
^ History of Thiers
Catalog of cutlery brands in Thiers
See also
DOVO Solingen
Razor
Safety razor
Shaving
External links
Thiers Issard Sabatier
Thiers Issard Sabatier:L'Encyclopedie thiernoise du couteau : vol 1 Le couteau thiernois
v d e
Knives and daggers
Types of knives
Aircrew Survival Egress Knife Athame Balisong Ballistic Bayonet Boline Bolo Boning Boot knife Bowie Bread knife Cane knife Cheese knife Chef's knife Cleaver Combat knife Commander (knife) Corvo CQC-6 Dagger Deba bocho Electric Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife Flick knife Gerber Mark II Ginsu Grapefruit knife Gravity knife Hunting knife Jacob's ladder Karambit Kirpan Kitchen knife Kukri Laguiole knife Machete Mandau Mezzaluna Misericorde Mora knife Multi-tool Nakiri bocho Navaja Opinel knife Palette knife Pantographic knife Penknife Penny knife Phurba Pocket knife Putty knife Puukko Rampuri Rondel dagger Sabatier Santoku SARK Scalpel Seax Sgian dubh Sharpfinger Sheath knife Shiv Sliding knife SOG Knife Straight razor Survival knife Swiss Army knife Switchblade Taping knife Throwing knife Tomato knife Trench knife Ulu Utility knife X-Acto Yanagi ba
Types of daggers
Anelace Bagh nakh Baselard Bich'hwa Bollock dagger Cinquedea Dirk Ear dagger Facn Hachiwara Hunting dagger Jambiya Kaiken Kalis Kard Katara Khanjar Kris Parrying dagger Pata Poignard Push dagger Seme Shobo Stiletto Tant Thracian dagger Marine Raider Stiletto V-42 Stiletto Yoroi tshi
Knife manufacturers
American Tomahawk Company Benchmade Brusletto Buck Knives Calphalon Camillus Cutlery Company Cattaraugus Cutlery Company Chris Reeve Knives Cold Steel Columbia River Knife & Tool Cuisinart Cutco DOVO Solingen Dexter-Russell Emerson Knives, Inc. Ek Commando Knife Co. F. Dick Fllkniven Fritechnics Gerber Legendary Blades Global Glock Hanwei Imperial Schrade J. A. Henckels Ka-Bar Kershaw Knives KitchenAid Korin Japanese Trading Company Kyocera Leatherman Mad Dog Knives Microtech Knives Morseth Murphy knives Ontario Knife Company Rada Manufacturing Randall Made Knives Rsle SOG Specialty Knives Sabatier An & Perrier Spyderco Strider Knives Thiers Issard Victorinox W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Walther arms Wenger Western Knife Company Windlass Steelcrafts Wsthof
Knifemakers
Bob Loveless Chris Reeve Ernest Emerson Ken Onion Murray Carter Phill Hartsfield William Harsey, Jr. Daniel Winkler
Categories: Companies of France Knife manufacturing companies Shaving Companies established in 1884 I am an expert from China Manufacturers, usually analyzes all kind of industries situation, such as old ashtrays , industrial ashtrays.
Related Articles -
old ashtrays, industrial ashtrays,
|
Rate This Article  |
|
|
|
|
|
Do you Agree or Disagree? Have a Comment? POST IT!
| Reader Opinions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author Login |
|
|
 |
Advertiser Login
ADVERTISE HERE NOW!
Limited Time $60 Offer!
90 Days-1.5 Million Views
|
|
TIM FAY
After 60-plus years of living, I am just trying to pass down some of the information that I have lea...more
|
|
|
|
|
PAUL PHILIPS
For more articles, blog messages & videos and a free e-book download go to www.NewParadigm.ws your p...more
|
|
|
|
|
LAURA JEEVES
At LeadGenerators, we specialise in content-led Online Marketing Strategies for our clients in the t...more
|
|
|
|
|
ADRIAN JOELE
I have been involved in nutrition and weight management for over 12 years and I like to share my kn...more
|
|
|
|
|
GENE MYERS
Author of four books and two screenplays; frequent magazine contributor. I have four other books "in...more
|
|
|
|
|
DONNIE LEWIS
I'm an avid consumer of a smoothie a day living, herbs, vitamins and daily dose of exercise. I'm 60...more
|
|
|
|
|
ALEX BELSEY
I am the editor of QUAY Magazine, a B2B publication based in the South West of the UK. I am also the...more
|
|
|
|
|
SUSAN FRIESEN
Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, ...more
|
|
|
|
|
STEPHEN BYE
Steve Bye is currently a fiction writer, who published his first novel, ‘Looking Forward Through the...more
|
|
|
|
