Thread: The Clauss Fremont....

Arrived today: The Clauss Fremont SE razor from early 1910 or so.


I don't always have a "Wow!" feeling when I receive a razor I've never seen before - but this one...this one is a Wow!-razor for me.


It is very well built and have a rather unique mechanism where you twist the handle and push it up/down to lock the head into an open or locked down position. Everything about the mechanism works really well apart from the locking down. It doesn't quite want to close the top plate down. It doesn't seem to do with any of the internals as that's running smooth but rather with the topcap being a bit misaligned.
I fiddled around with it some but couldn't quite get it to lock down fully.
This is one I'm thinking about having sent out to be worked on as I'd love to see it back in full working order and looking a bit better.


Came with the original box



It takes these smaller, spine-less SE blades - that luckily one of the blade boxes was full of. They seem very honeable/stroppable.



Back of the head with some patent information.
It will be interesting to see how this one cleans up.



The locking and twisting mechanism at the end of the handle:


If anyone know of someone with the skills/willingness to work on something like this from a functional/mechanical perspective do let me know.

Neat! I wonder if it does not take a special blade which must be honed/stropped, or does it take an SE?

Richard?

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Neat! I wonder if it does not take a special blade which must be honed/stropped, or does it take an SE?

Richard?

In the third photo it's loaded with one of the blades. It's a smaller SE blade without a spine. It appears to be pretty thick so I would assume it can be honed and stropped quite a few times. Luckily it came with 5-6 of them

I haven't tried a modern SE blade in it yet but will to see if it fits.
First I need to figure out how to fix the issue with the top cap not quite closing

Originally Posted by Darkbulb

In the third photo it's loaded with one of the blades. It's a smaller SE blade without a spine. It appears to be pretty thick so I would assume it can be honed and stropped quite a few times. Luckily it came with 5-6 of them

I haven't tried a modern SE blade in it yet but will to see if it fits.
First I need to figure out how to fix the issue with the top cap not quite closing

Richard (geezer) knows quite a lot about those old ones. I will try to get him over here.

I B here.
Interesting old razor!
The blade in it has been honed too far and at an angle and so it is not in proper position. The razor may!! have taken a double hollow blade.
The flat spring at the back of the cap, used to push the blade against the edge stops may have been bent a bit and could hold the cap away.

I would like to see side view with the top closed as far as it can be. blade in or out. Does the cap close with no blade??

If the blade size is right then Feather still makes a similar blade for the "Valet". Also you can carefully!!! strip the thick cap from a standard SE blade and see if it fits. Place blade in vise with the cap about a 1/8th" above the vise and take a flat blade screwdriver to to side and below the cap an twist it against the vise and against and under the metal cap to get it loose and take a pliers to remove it. Second or third try should give you success. May have to support the back side of the blade so it doesn't break off. A small claw hammer may also work with the metal cap in the claw/ nail puller.

Ultrasonic it a few times with a citrus dish soap from the 1$ store; Mr Clean etc.
As a guess, the shaft has unscrewed a bit from the toggle bar and it may be possible to screw it back together if all is Ultrasonic cleaned.

Twist the head only slightly at a time with very little pressure back and forth while holding the grip on the bottom of the shank. Or, hold the head and twist the knurled end of the hand gently back and forth. as much force as you would to open a previously opened bottle of aftershave, no more, and a bit less.

Have fun, some can take a week or more to loosen up!
~Richard.

Originally Posted by Geezer

I B here.
Interesting old razor!
The blade in it has been honed too far and at an angle and so it is not in proper position. The razor may!! have taken a double hollow blade.
The flat spring at the back of the cap, used to push the blade against the edge stops may have been bent a bit and could hold the cap away.

I would like to see side view with the top closed as far as it can be. blade in or out. Does the cap close with no blade??

If the blade size is right then Feather still makes a similar blade for the "Valet". Also you can carefully!!! strip the thick cap from a standard SE blade and see if it fits. Place blade in vise with the cap about a 1/8th" above the vise and take a flat blade screwdriver to to side and below the cap an twist it against the vise and against and under the metal cap to get it loose and take a pliers to remove it. Second or third try should give you success. May have to support the back side of the blade so it doesn't break off. A small claw hammer may also work with the metal cap in the claw/ nail puller.

Ultrasonic it a few times with a citrus dish soap from the 1$ store; Mr Clean etc.
As a guess, the shaft has unscrewed a bit from the toggle bar and it may be possible to screw it back together if all is Ultrasonic cleaned.

Twist the head only slightly at a time with very little pressure back and forth while holding the grip on the bottom of the shank. Or, hold the head and twist the knurled end of the hand gently back and forth. as much force as you would to open a previously opened bottle of aftershave, no more, and a bit less.

Have fun, some can take a week or more to loosen up!
~Richard.

Hi and thanks for your reply!
The top cap is secured on the back and on each side to two small pegs that fits into small holes on the side of the cap. It appears that when I try to close the cap one of them pops out and the only way I can close the topcap is by leaving one of them unhinged.
I'll take some better/detailed photos and post this weekend so give you a better sense of the issue.
The actual spring mechanism seems very strong and operates well opening and closing..it's just that I can't fully close the head

Here's some "proof" that it actually was sold once upon a time (it's the "Clauss Automatic" in the column to the right)