Restore: James Barlow & Sons 'ECHO' 7/8 ...ca. 1826-1856:

Here is a real 'Beauty' that has been in the work pile for awhile...finally finished (except for the pins): a full 7/8 James Barlow and Sons 'ECHO' in original 'root-beer brown' horn scales. A Stellar shaver to say the least! Hope you like it:

Sorry...No Before pics but I do believe these 'after pics' are the best I've taken yet. I think I may have figured out the 'correct lighting and hand steadying technique'. :D

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WP34

A beauty indeed!

Sweet looking blade, great work! Root beer scales!:rofl2:

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Originally Posted by Martin103

Sweet looking blade, great work! Root beer scales!:rofl2:

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:rofl2: I couldn't figure out how to describe the color...it really does look like 'Root-beer'. Thanks Martin

Oohh, looking great. Very nice massive blade, excellent :)

Very nice. I really like horn scales - just a beauty!

Beautimus simply a Beaut :tu:


Very very nice work

Awesome?? What grit did u sand to??

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Originally Posted by Airportcopper

Awesome?? What grit did u sand to??

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On the scales after a thorough cleaning and any repair work I shape them up with the Northern Abrasives medium and then fine grit washable sponges and then use Micro-Mesh up to 12,000 grit. Finish them off with a soft cotton buffer. Takes time but they really finish up nice.

WP34

For anyone interested: Here's some pics of the sanding sponges that I use...USE WET OR DRY-WASHABLE-great for blades and scales, LAST a long time and they are very inexpensive Perfect size to use on Blades:


NORTHERN ABRASIVE SPONGES:


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WP34

The color of that horn and the finish you achieved looks great. Nicely done sir.

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Originally Posted by Catrentshaving

The color of that horn and the finish you achieved looks great. Nicely done sir.

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Thanks! I really like the color a lot...wish I could find more translucent brown horn like this. The pics don't do them justice...

WP34

A very nice achievement, indeed! I think the lighting of the photography does the dark, brown colour justice. Only the pinning left for the finishing touch :)

Very nice, indeed.

errr... I mean, horrible pitting near the tang. Price of shipping and two days and I'll knock it down.

Beautiful. Where do you get the sponges at?

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Originally Posted by Bobaloo

Beautiful. Where do you get the sponges at?

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The sponges are made in England...probably pretty easy to get over there. Here in the US it would depend on where you live I suppose. Do a search online...I am sure you can find them.

WP34

I echo what everyone else has said.

WRT "steadying technique": Nothing works like a tripod. Having said that, there are more practical alternatives at-hand -- a bean bag (literally, a bag of beans... or two), a bag of rice or lentils -- something that you can easily reshape to support your camera, at the height required.

Smooth shaving!

Barlow's are fantastic razors. Their steel is exceptional. I restored one for a friend that was an excellent blade - this one is a fine example. Love those scales.

Enjoy

Finally finished the second razor of a matched pair of James Barlow's so I figured I better post some updated pics to this old thread...

I have many 'pairs' and sets of matched razors, W&B, Rodgers, Mappin, Greaves, Wostenholm etc. but I do believe these two are now my favorites. There's something about the profile of these heavy hollow ground, slightly shorter 2 3/4 length and full 7/8 width blades that just feel 'right' to me. The shave is wonderful and I would compare the feel and shave of these two to a Filarmonica #14. That's how good they are!

Original restored horn scales, and finally got some replacement bulls-eye washers to finish these off. All I have left to do is to pin these beauty's up...

Hope you like 'em...


WP34

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Wow those are stunning! Great job buddy. And 10pups can't even rag on you for not pinning them!

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Originally Posted by RoyalCake

Wow those are stunning! Great job buddy. And 10pups can't even rag on you for not pinning them!

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Thanks Shane. I tried to have 'em finished before we got together last Sunday but couldn't quite get the final scales done. Next time I'll bring them...

I have that exact blade, it's actually going to Valery at the Gentleman's Den in about an hour to get cleaned up and honed. Had this one for awhile, beautiful 8/8. Would these scales be tortoise?

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...w-echo-8-8.jpg

Nice one Phrank. Same maker but not the same blade...different profile obviously. Those are 'cow horn' scales made to look like tortoise. By the look of the scales those could be restored to new easy enough. :tu

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Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

Nice one Phrank. Same maker but not the same blade...different profile obviously. Those are 'cow horn' scales made to look like tortoise. By the look of the scales those could be restored to new easy enough. :tu

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Thanks! Meeting Valery in an hour, had this blade hanging around for awhile, time to get it a proper cleaning and honing that it deserves!

The one's you did were superb...I picked this up as a kind of impulse bid, and was surprised that I actually won it! I've always liked horn, and the scales are quite nice, and I would assume the metal inlay is pewter as opposed to silver...still intact.

I predict that you will really, really like that blade. Compare it to your W&B's ...you'll be quite surprised. These Barlow's were made with fantastic steel and take a simply wonderful edge. The inlay is pewter...

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Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

Finally finished the second razor of a matched pair of James Barlow's so I figured I better post some updated pics to this old thread...

I have many 'pairs' and sets of matched razors, W&B, Rodgers, Mappin, Greaves, Wostenholm etc. but I do believe these two are now my favorites. There's something about the profile of these heavy hollow ground, slightly shorter 2 3/4 length and full 7/8 width blades that just feel 'right' to me. The shave is wonderful and I would compare the feel and shave of these two to a Filarmonica #14. That's how good they are!

Original restored horn scales, and finally got some replacement bulls-eye washers to finish these off. All I have left to do is to pin these beauty's up...

Hope you like 'em...


WP34

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Those are very nice! Beautifull old razors.......what? are those....SCREWS????
Old habits! :roflmao Kidding, sorta! ;)

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Those are very nice! Beautifull old razors.......what? are those....SCREWS????
Old habits! :roflmao Kidding, sorta! ;)

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Ha- I saw the collars and just assumed, I didn't even look.
Wolfpack you do such a good job we have to poke at something :)

Oh cool! I can't wait to see these in person!

Thanks Tom! A daily ration of "S**T" IS JUST WHAT I NEEDED... :banghead:

ZAK...Wait till see them in person. They really are nice. BTW...when we gonna hook up again? Got lots to show you and of course...you have lots to show me????

Looks great. Really like the horn.

Love to see they are finished :w

Moved to new post

Very Nice! :nj