Thread: The French Foreign Laceration

I just received another Thiers Issard 69. This one is in almost shave ready condition, so I only cleaned with water, spritzed it with aerosol Clippercide and gave it a quick once over with Simichrome to determine the amount of build-up that was not clearly patina. It passed my once over, but noticed there was a somewhat rough feeling at the juncture of the blade and the frame.

So the question is: should the screw be removed with the blade for cleaning?

Should I soak it in something to help break the bond?

TIA

Hello Gentleman. My "ugly duckling" arrived today.... In fact, the reason I got it is that I absolutely love the shape of these french faux Framebacks. This is a Rameau. The reason I am calling it a duckling is the spacers seem a little odd on the razor (and it has some micro chipping of the edge due to either some water damage to the blade edge or poor handling of the razor, but is small enough to be honed out on next razor bevel setting).
The question I have: does anyone else have similar odd spacer at the end of their faux frameback? The result is that the blade only half enters the scales, and that the toe touches the end of the spacer!! you can see from the photos how the spacer is effectively cut at a diagonal angle

I have seen that with a few horn scaled French razors. As long as the edge is not touching the spacer or the scales, it doesn't bother me.

If it protrudes too much, you can always shorten the spacer by sanding it.

Beautiful razor by the way! Frameback razors such as these are some of the best shaving razors I have encountered. One of the hobbie's unsung heroes.

you are correct - they look like horn scales. It appears to impinge on the nose of the toe, maybe about 2mm above where the cutting edge starts to appear, so I guess that is ok then!
They are beautifully shaped. I have always gawped at the older faux framebacks that are on show in this thread, and then I came across a (rather odd) website stocking some NOS Rameau stuff, and I couldn't resist this one. Hopefully the micropitting will come out in the first bevel setting so the width can be preserved.

Originally Posted by Damo

you are correct - they look like horn scales. It appears to impinge on the nose of the toe, maybe about 2mm above where the cutting edge starts to appear, so I guess that is ok then!
They are beautifully shaped. I have always gawped at the older faux framebacks that are on show in this thread, and then I came across a (rather odd) website stocking some NOS Rameau stuff, and I couldn't resist this one. Hopefully the micropitting will come out in the first bevel setting so the width can be preserved.

I have a couple of straights that are like that. One is horn & the other is celluloid but I suspect the scales, if original, shrunk over the years.

Originally Posted by engine46

I have a couple of straights that are like that. One is horn & the other is celluloid but I suspect the scales, if original, shrunk over the years.

not sure about that. If you look at the spacer in photos one and two there is a clear discrepancy in the length of the spacer - use the pin as the marker. I think the spacer was cut deliberately at an angle. Not sure how shrinkage could get that effect. The scales certainly feel undersized for a 13/16 razor!
Why that would have been done in that way is another question that I have no answer to!!

Originally Posted by Damo

not sure about that. If you look at the spacer in photos one and two there is a clear discrepancy in the length of the spacer - use the pin as the marker. I think the spacer was cut deliberately at an angle. Not sure how shrinkage could get that effect. The scales certainly feel undersized for a 13/16 razor!
Why that would have been done in that way is another question that I have no answer to!!

Yes, I now see your that. Thank you for pointing that out to me.

My newest one, a Magnol in 13/16" wth 3/4 hollow grind :-)
Rescaled it into Vintage Scales (translucent celluloid with ivorine stripes) because the original scales had been damaged.
Hope it shaves as good it lookes, sharpening was a job, the steel is similar to the modern TI´s.

Just arrived today..

An NOS Le Grelot #357 Quarter Grind with dark horn scales .. circa 1970.. Very nice shaver!

Not much TI love here. This is my recent purchase.