4 Attachment(s)
Mint Joseph Allen and Sons non-xxl 5/8 barber notch
I know this is the workshop forum, but I really had next to no work to do on this one. Now and then you just get lucky. I lucked into this guy for a song, did not even have to dance. It is a nearly new Joseph Allen and Sons NON-XLL in 5/8 with a barber notch. The tang is stamped Sheffield England which puts it after 1890. Prior to that imported goods only had to have the city they were produced in so the older blades just show Sheffield, after that they included the England stamp.
The blade is etched Medium Size Hollow ground which is curious seeing how it is a wedge blade. The blade itself was black with old oil which did its job. After a bit of MAAS and elbow grease to clean it up, there is no pitting or staining of any kind. The factory grind marks are on the blade but I don’t think I am going to bother doing any kind of sanding on it to remove them. Why mess with it. There is the faintest of hone ware and it could very well be the factory bevel. The stock scales are like new and have a led wedge, original pins. It just needs a light tap to tighten them up a touch. I had made a set of redwood burl scales for this razor but now that I have it cleaned up; I am not going to change them.
I am going to keep this one all original if for no other reason than to pay tribute the craftsman that handmade the razor a long, long time ago. Sometimes original is best and lucky is better than good.