Thread: The Mappin Brothers

I posted a nice Josh Mappin and Bros Lancet Edge a while back. Kept the patina and a bit of the age to it. My fine razor buddy Darl (Tarkus) made me some fine, slick, horn scales for it using his toolmaker savvy in an unusual fashion.
So as I acquired another Lancet Edge blade, an idea creeped into my head. (Imagine That!)
I decided to have myself a matching pair of Josh Mappin and Bros Lancet-Edge razors. I had honed and REALLY enjoyed shaving with the first one (I will call it Josh) and surrendered it and the second blade (Named Newton for Josh's brother) to Darl to perform a modern miracle of a matching set of scales. Turns out making two sets of matching scales at once is a WHOLE lot easier than replicating an existing set. Darry was not happy! It was a pain and took him quite a while to accomplish. Seems one blade was from a 7 day set made on Monday and the other must have been made on Friday. Differences in tangs, tails, geometry, grind, all played a part in his attempt to get them as close as possible.
Perhaps Josh made one and Newton, the other! Anyway, Darry soldiered on (as he does) and did a wonderful, slick, tight job!
As they were returned to me, the ball was in my court. I needed a box. No paired razor box I had was long enough for these beasts, so I took an old 7-day set box and converted it to a box for this pair. I found in the process that I am no upholstery guy but after many attempts, did ok. The interior of the bottom was 'painted' with a Sharpie Magnum as was the basswood divider. The bottom and top were brought closer together with some balsa shims and little pillions of foam were covered with shiny red fabric while the original top pillow from the box was recovered same. I have learned that instead of thin fabric, the darker, thicker, fuzzy material hides lots of sins. They are obvious here, but I did my best after several attempts. Double-sided fabric tape is GREAT! learned a lot!
Anyway, an old key was found and made to work the lock and the box received the same treatment as the blades. Cleaned, patina respected, and a bit of furniture polish. Both razors have been honed on all-natural hones and shave wonderfully. Besides looking cool, these really have a special grind. Quite the shavers! I hope Darl will come forth with his (much better!) pictures upon his completion of the scales as well as sharing how he made them.
Thanks for the help, Darl!
Tom

Tom the final accents you did on this wonderful project, knocked it out of the park. It so cool!!!!
It was a gas to be involved with this. Yes in the beginning I thought it would be a horror show to match a second set of scales being that it was months that I did the first set of scales. Luckily I keep all of my wooden router template that I sandwich between the front & back scales.




Once the halves are glued to the template I use a black marker to blacken the template edge and I sand and draw file the scales till I just remove the marker to match the template.



To achieve the bevels I use the Dremel with the drill press attachment I use the bevel router bits that Dremel makes. I get multiple bits so I can change the angles to a sharper or blunter degree of my choice in a surface grinder and a spinner.



I very carefully run the bits around both sides of the scales taking small bits as I go. Only conventional cutting no climb cutting or your probably loose a finger when it catches.



Next I sand the flat tops to thin out the scales to there final thickness on a belt sander. I do this now being that there is less surface area to sand. I think they ended up around .114" thick. I also remove the router template and re-glue the two halves together to sand and polish.




Tom wanted plain brass collars. I like to use brass eyelets. They look like standard collars, since they have a barrel sleeve to them that slips thru the scale they are more forgiving when you peen. Plus you can buy them for a song, 1000 eyelets cost $31.00 that’s 3 cents an eyelet and you can assemble 250 scales. Money well spent. Plus I hate the look of washers.



During the dry fitting of the second razor I noticed there was a difference in the two blades. The belly grind on the second Mappin was much higher even going as far as the engraving.



I had no clue to make them seat the same. I showed Tom the photos and he came up with the simplest of ideas that in a million years I would of never of come up with. He suggested that I make a new wedge that’s longer then the original scaled razors wedge and time it so that the toe rests on the lead wedge cradling the toe, thus keeping the blade from entering too much. Brilliant, Simply brilliant.



I'm thrilled with the final results

Some more photos

To see these old workhorses go back on the line, is what it's all about,,,,,,,,,,

I have to say there was a huge huge problem working on this project. I'm ashamed to admit to you all.
I broke the 10 Tenth Commandment of the straight razor world.
Thou shall not covet thy neighbors razor
Having fondled those Lancets during the fabrication of the scales, and also the privilege in shaving with one I come to the realization that I must own a Mappin Lancet. There like nothing else on this earth. Spine heavy but in a good way. Toms edge was sublime as well, as always. It was a total hoot to use.
They brain washed me to the point where I bought my own Lancet now.
Har!!!

HAR! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow those are amazing razors

I enjoy mine.

The work you guys did is awesome.

WELL DONE to both of you.

Here's my Lancet Edge in ivory.





Interesting to note the differences in grinds of the three "same" razors pictured. Biggest difference I can see is at the heel of the blade where it meets the bottom of the tang.

I think this design is one of the most interesting designs for a razor that I have seen. It brings plenty of questions into my impaired head like: I wonder how many manufacturing/hand operations were required to make this type of razor compared with conventional designs of the same period of manufacture? Somehow looking at this and imagining someone in the period of manufacture (nope, I don't know off hand what that is but I will find out) it must have looked very futuristic for lack of a better word. Was there a precedent for this design or did it just spring to life out of the minds of the Mappin Bros? I would think the margin for error would be high compared with conventional razors? More questions will come up as I stare at these beautiful examples of the art of razor design and break that commandment mentioned above by Tarkus.....I break it all the time but I let go pretty quickly too. As per usual, great collaboration.

Wow, very nice set. Very creative!