Razor, an instrument employed for the purpose of removing the hair from the human beard or head.

As shaving is to many persons a painful operation, cutlers have ap-plied all their skill and ingenuity; to remedy such inconvenience.-Hence strops, and washes, or soaps of pf a peculiar nature, have been contrived, with a view to facilitate that process ; and some artists have so far succeeded, as to produce excellent instruments : the best, however, we believe, are those manu-factured by Mr. SAvigny, of King-street, Covent-garden; who has brought his Patent Razors to the highest degree of perfection, of which they are perhaps suscep-tible.

Much, however, depends upon the manner in which the razor is managed. The hone, therefore, ought first to be wiped perfectly clean, after which a few drops of sweet oil must be poured on it. The operator should next place his thumb and fore- finger sideways on the part of the heel, in order to take firm hold both of the blade and of its handle : one side of the razor is next to be laid flat across the hone, in such a manner that shoulder (or the part contiguous to the heel), may touch the nearest part of the stone. The razor is row drawn towards the person, somewhat circularly, and with a slight pressure, till he arrives at the point. When such side has been thus passed for a few times, the opposite one is to be conducted in a similar manner, till the ed uniformly assumes a wiry appear-ance. Lastly, both sides are to be moved a few times across the hone, from the heel to the point; in order that a perfect regularity may be produced in every part of the edge.

The razor, being thus honed, must now be drawn obliquely, from the point to the heel, across a strop, that is perfectly flat; and which is furnished with two leathers on the smoothing side : after this operation, it is fit for immediate use. It deserves, however, to be mentioned, that those boasted powders, or unctuous preparations for giving a fine edge to razors, consist merely of crocus martis, or the red calx of vitriol, which is spread on the strop, by mixing it with a little oil or tallow.

Those of our readers, whose faces smart from the use of indifferent razors, or who may wish for farther instructions relative to their management, will meet with some pertinent hints on this sub-ject, in Mr. Kingsbury's trea-tise on Raxors ; etc. (8vo. Is. 6d, 1797) ; in which it is fully and perspicuously discussed.