It’s one of those things you find tucked away in a drawer or an old wooden box in a home that’s seen over a century of life.
A small, curious device.
Not much bigger than your hand.
Gold-toned pins that spin when you pull a red cord through them.
Stamped with a name you do recognize — Siemens.
You hold it in your hand and think:
Is it electrical?
Is it mechanical?
Is it decorative?
Or maybe… all three?
Whatever it is, it was clearly made with care. The movement is smooth. The materials, high quality. It feels like it meant something in its time — but its purpose today? Lost on most.
Here’s the answer:
It’s a blade sharpener.
Specifically, for shaving blades — back when razors weren’t disposable, and people actually sharpened them to get more life out of each one.
In the early 20th century — long before modern cartridge razors or electric shavers — people used double-edged safety razors or even straight razors. And those blades dulled fast. So instead of tossing them, they sharpened them. Regularly.
This clever little tool, made by Siemens, used tension and motion to keep the blade’s edge keen. You’d insert the blade, pull the cord, and the pins would rotate the blade back and forth across a sharpening surface. It was efficient, mechanical, and oddly satisfying.
It was also a sign of the times — a period when things were built to last, and maintaining your belongings was just part of daily life.
Today, this device is a forgotten relic to most — mistaken for a toy, a part of a clock, or a tiny motorized gadget. But to those who recognize it, it’s a beautiful example of early 20th-century engineering — small, precise, and practical.
So if you found one in your 1914 house, congratulations:
You’ve uncovered a tiny piece of shaving history — back when men didn’t just shave… they maintained their tools like craftsmen.
