Thread: Imperial Improved Eagle with Osage Orange

Greetings everyone,

This is my latest, an Imperial with the "Improved Eagle" etching. I won't really call it a restoration, because all I did was polish it up a bit and put on new scales. The original etching was in good shape, so I didn't want to to do anything that might ruin it. This was my first time using Osage Orange. It's pretty easy to work and seems to take a nice finish. (The spacer is Cocobolo.)

In case you were wondering, this is what it looked like when I got it. The blade wasn't too bad, but the scales were thin, crappy, black plastic.

If anyone is still with me, I have a question about the "Improved Eagle" etch. I have seen it on a number of razors, all with different company names stamped on them. Since the etch seems identical, were they all made in the same factory, or was it just a popular etch that was being sold to various companies? Also, if it's an "Improved Eagle", was there an original eagle? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Simply beautiful!!!! The wood makes those scales POP!!!! Nice work..

Very nice! I've got one. Needs some cleaning & new scales too.
Mine also has an identical tang stamp. I hadn't realised there were others.

that looks really good, much much improved!!!

Red

Thanks guys!

Ben, checking some recent eBay auctions I found a couple of examples of other razors with the same etch but different brand names. The first two are of a Garland Cutlery marked razor, and the third is from a Geneva Cutlery marked razor. ( I "borrowed" the images from those eBay auctions.) The Garland etch is exactly the same, the Geneva has the same slogan, but the eagle is slightly different and reversed.

From the color this looks like osage sapwood. Any reason you didn't opt for the orange heartwood?

I don't know if it's Osage sapwood or heartwood. I bought it at Woodcraft. They sell it in blocks that are 2" x 2" x 6", among other sizes. I bought two pieces, and they both seem have uniform coloring throughout. I didn't see any obvious color differences to indicate a change from sapwood to heartwood.

Interesting. This one is Germania Cutlery

Originally Posted by ChrisMeyer

I don't know if it's Osage sapwood or heartwood. I bought it at Woodcraft. They sell it in blocks that are 2" x 2" x 6", among other sizes. I bought two pieces, and they both seem have uniform coloring throughout. I didn't see any obvious color differences to indicate a change from sapwood to heartwood.

It's heartwood. The sapwood is white. Sometimes the heartwood is a darker orange. We have some Osage orange here in Sacramento. It is my favorite.

Nice work, the colour on the timber is unreal.