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This is going to be an in-progress thread, starting with the 'before' pics. Just got this cheap from ebay due to the condition; missing the handle and 1 blade. I will be restoring the box and blades, and building a new handle for the set. I'll post progress pics here. Vallon, from Paris.
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Very interesting set for sure, i will be following this thread closely. Pierre Vallon A Paris was quite an inovator for his time, http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...after-all.html .
Vallon won many medals at different Exposition, especially for this type of razor, i would say 1820-1830.
Should be cool! :cool: I saw where someone made a handle assembly a while back on the 'Gentlemen's Set'. Did a smashing job.
Good it landed in the right hands. Looking forward to it!
I saw those as well and they did go cheap! Will be a fun restore.
I'll be following this thread also. Can't wait to see how they turn out.
Got my attention.
Very ambitious undertaking. Good luck!
Nice! Coincidentally, I happen to be working on and restoring a similar set...just started last night on the first blade. I'll be following this thread...
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Here's a quick update.
I've reground the blades very lightly on my home grinder, enough to get the surface rust off and even out the hollowed areas. Starting to hand sand and polish now, opting to leave most of the 'aged' character on the blades.
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The box needs some attention. First up was to build the missing blade separators, just simply friction fit inside the mortises in the box. There are still some cracks to fix and padding to replace on the lid, but it's getting there.
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With the blades in. I love the compactness of these French sets, with the notches in each blade that fits into the brass plate to lock them in:
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And finally, a quick mockup of the handle. I'm ambitious and will be building a new locking mechanism for the blades. I may be doing some pique work or carving on the scales as well, but not sure yet.
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Oh wow, you are going to use authentic tortoiseshell for the scales? That will be beyond gorgeous! Please post some photos showing inside the brass part. I would love to see how the locking mechanism works.
Altus did. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
Yes and it came out really good, post 205 in this thread, http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ml#post1388728Quote:
Originally Posted by Thaeris
It is beautiful. I don't recall seeing details of the mechanism though?Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin103
Finally starting to get through some old projects, and working on finishing this one. I got some brass sheet and a chunk of brass-plated mild steel from some sort of cabinet component from the flea market for a dollar and worked out a locking mechanism. I cut out the main body, and cut a channel for the spring. I ended up using a bobby pin, which turned out to be a nice piece of spring steel for the application (I did it Edison-style and figured out a number of things that DON'T work well for the lock first). Lined it up with the channel and used a vice to press-fit it in:
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It's designed so that you can use one of the other razors to release the spring:
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The whole thing is sandwiched between two brass plates and held together with peened rivets just like making scales, though the holes in the brass plates are countersunk and the pins filed flat:
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Then the remaining bits needed to be filed down and everything was sanded and polished. It works well, with a satisfying click when you put the blades in. The tolerance is small so the rest of the blades need to be filed down a hair to fit, but I'm making progress and really happy with the results. Looking at it, I realize it would not be hard at all to make it a button-type release as is common with a lot of other sets like this. I'll probably do that if I make another of these. I trashpicked an old mirror and cut it down to fit the box as well.
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On a final note, here is a quick sketch of an idea for a permanent button for release. It would be a fitted piece of brass trapped within a notch cut in the bottom piece of the frame, and can slide up to move the spring:
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That's a nice bit of engineering! Awesome that you used found pieces to make it. That's fantastic work and looks great too. I like the button idea but I like the one you have there too, with using a different blade to pop it out. It's so cool
Very cool, I may squirrel that away for a future project....
I think it would be very cool to make a completely modern set in this style.Quote:
Originally Posted by MileMarker60
