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  1. #21
    Razor Surgeon zman's Avatar
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    Bruno,
    That restoration is SPECTACULAR !!!!!!

    Excellent +3

  2. #22
    Senior Member crichton's Avatar
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    This is the first that I have seen of this thread - what a fine job on that resto Bruno! She's beautiful!

  3. #23
    Heat it and beat it Bruno's Avatar
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    Thanks Gary. I plan to hone her this weekend.
    I never got around to honing her properly, but now that I have the new coticule from Howard I can't wait to try it.

    I will post back with the results.
    Til shade is gone, til water is gone, Into the shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath.
    To spit in Sightblinder’s eye on the Last Day

  4. #24
    Heat it and beat it Bruno's Avatar
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    Ok here is the verdict.

    It took a long time to set the bevel, and to hone it properly. It seems that John Barber had some pretty 'out there' ideas on blade design. Mind you, from a esthaetic pov this razor is stunning imo.

    If you look at the edge, you'll see that it is straight from the heel to the middle of the blade, but then from the middle to the toe it curves upwards.
    The spine otoh it curved from heel to toe, so I cannot hone it with the standard X , and the rolling hone method does not work that great either.

    To make matters even worse, the spine is thicker at the toe than at the heel.
    Initially I thought this was wear, but it didn't look like it.
    I compared it with my NOS John Barber when I still had that, and that has the same feature. It's no production error because it looks far too good. I am pretty sure these blades were made to be like this.
    The spine starts off a bit thick at the toe, and then gradually gets narrower until it progresses into the tang at exactly the right thickness.

    All in all a very interesting honing experience. I also tried narrow hones, but that didn't work because near the middle of the hone, the blade would lose proper contact with the stone and either don't touch the stone at all, or touch it but drag across the edge.

    The wide stones worked best on this one. Still, when 'rolling' the blade from the middle to the toe, it does something strange, and it almost feels like I am freehanding the razor across the stone.

    Anyway, I finished it on a wide coticule, stropped it for 50 laps and then took it to a shave.

    It shaved very nice, without any irritation at all, and had no problems with my whiskers. I Only had to make short strokes on my chin, because the hairs are hardest there and the blade was very light.
    It was sharp enough to be called shaveready, but it is not the sharpness that can be achieved with a perfectly straight blade.

    Routine updates on the coticule should bring to edge to its ideal shape, or -if I had one- I think this razor would be a perfect candidate for a hanging strop with 0.5 micron chromium oxide.

    I have also sent an email to the Grand Lodge of England, explaining the situation (with a link to this thread) and asking if they have any information they can share.
    I'll report back if when I get a reply.

    It would be great to have more information, because this is both a beautiful razor and an excellent shaver, and it is a shame that nothing more is known about him.
    Til shade is gone, til water is gone, Into the shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath.
    To spit in Sightblinder’s eye on the Last Day

  5. #25
    Hardcore speed_pigeon's Avatar
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    i would have to agree with the previous posts. it would seem he was a traveling man and i would love to own a razor forged by a craftsman. it would do my soul good to be able to use a tool of this caliber. please update us on any info you get back from the lodge, it would be most enlightening. (sorry, i had to)

  6. #26
    Oh Yes! poona's Avatar
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    Bruno that's a lovely job you've done there. Quality finish for your first go.

    Well done!

  7. #27
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    Default John Barber and the Craft

    "John Barber" razors were made by Allen & Son. The company was founded circa 1818. By 1870 it was located in the Granville Works, Granville Street, Sheffield. Robert Allen, who managed the company in the late nineteenth century, died in 1898. In 1902 the company was bought up by Joseph Elliot & Sons. The trademark of Allen & Son was the Square & Compasses. I do not know if Mr. Allen was a freemason, but it certainly seems likely.

    Lovely razor restoration, by the way - you can be proud of that one.

    Duncan.

  8. #28
    Member Joe777's Avatar
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    Really nice work ,i used up to 2000 grit and my retoration does not look as good as your's.you said u were unable to find higher grit sandpaper, Autozone has up to 2000 grit.

  9. #29
    Heat it and beat it Bruno's Avatar
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    I used a dremel with a felt wheel, chromium oxide and lots of time.
    I already got a reply from the Masonic lodge in London, but they didn't have anything on a John Barber.

    Since the man told me to feel free to contact him again, I sent the above information to him in the hope that he has something on file about Robert Allen.
    Til shade is gone, til water is gone, Into the shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath.
    To spit in Sightblinder’s eye on the Last Day

  10. #30
    Oh Yes! poona's Avatar
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    Bruno, forgive my newbiness into the world of restoration but how did/do you hold the razor in place when using the dremel?

    Just by hand? And did you purposely dull the egde for safety prior to working on it?

    I'm thinking of maybe getting this to a mirror finish >>>

    http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/785/img0785bv3.jpg

    Pic is not that good though but gives a decent idea of state.

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