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So I scored this razor today. No one thing really jumped out at me, but I enjoy the case, scales, and I don't own and sheffield steel yet, so I thought I would go for it.
I also had $20 in my paypal account from selling an old DE, so it ended up only costing me 40 cents.
I would greatly appreciate any input on this razor, be it information on the maker or speculation on anything else.
Thanks
Drew
Very nice razor +price. Clean it up and have fun.Excellent.
Looks like a great razor. Congratulations on a great price, too.
Well, this "input" falls into the anything else category. So, let's see... Vintage + Sheffied + cool case - $20. =:tu
Given the apparent age of the razor I'm betting those scales are real tortoise shell.
:rock:
Nice Score!
goshawk
I was going to say "I feel another "is this a real tortoise shell"" thread coming.......:rofl2:
Awesome! I love the tin as opposed to a box.
I love those horizontal grind, long-shoulder blades. I have a very similar one of French manufacture, but minus the same, handsome scales. That sort of blade grind gives little to no flex, but shaves surprisingly well. You will be happy with that one.
The tin really got me, and I love the look of tortoise shell, be it real or fake. Luckily for all of you, I have read the threads and assorted other sites on how to distinguish real from fake, so the closest you will get to a "are these real tortoise scales" thread is a "I scored a sweet ancient blade with real tortoise scales for all of 40 cents" thread.
They sure look real to me...
Drew
Did you ever determine if the scales are real of imitation? BTW, I like the imitation tortoise scales and I guess I would like the real thing, too. Just not too environmentally friendly, but it's too late to worry about that.
Nice razor, great price. I think the scales are blond horn with a tortoiseshell pattern, as I have seen a few other examples just like those - the pattern is painted on the inside but doesn't look like paint, maybe its dye or something similar.
Regards,
Neil
I think you got a great deal. I have one of Mister Higgins wedges and the shave is first rate.
I actually ended up selling this thing at a loss of $5 to me. I just bought too many razors in need of work to get to all or even half of them. So I sold off 4 in need of work, and this was one of them as it was a much heavier grind than I prefer. But it should be arriving at its new home today or tomorrow I think.
Neil have you removed any scales of that type and been able judge the method more closely? I have sent the Masonic symbol message on to my son thank you.
I had a pair of scales until quite recently, but donated them to a friend so I can't examine them now. The colouring could be seen through the scales and was definitely on the inner faces. It certainly wasn't a pigment type of paint - nothing was on the surface that could be scratched off, rather it had pentrated the horn a bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by jreiter22
I came across this short reference:
“Tortois Combs, made of the sea and land Tortoiseshell, the counterfeit combs of this sort are Horn stained with Tortois shell colours” Randle Holme 1688 (Horn its History and its Uses by Adele Schaverien) English 19th Century.
that makes me think a dye was used - the depth of colour could be built-up with repeated applications. Another source says:
To Stain Horn in Imitation of Tortoise-shell. Mix an equal quantity of quicklime and red lead with strong soap lees, lay it on the horn with a small brush, in imitation of the mottle of tortoise-shell; when dry, repeat it two or three times.
Another source cites the use of red lead to stain horn brown: if left on for a short while a brown colour is the result, 24 hours or so gives a fine black. The reason it works is that horn contains sulphur which reacts with the quick-lime to form sulphides and calcium plumbate, which is taken into the fibre of the horn and deposited, resulting in the dye pentrationg below the surface. An undesirable side effect is the formation of a crusty white layer, which slowly reforms even if it has been removed. To circumvent this lead was abandoned in favour of mercury salts.
Mercury was dissolved in concentrated nitric acid and the horn was left in the nitrate of mercury overnight, being found to have a fine reddish colour like tortoiseshell in the morning. If the horn so treated has potassium sulphide applied to it, the area turns black.
All sounds a bit hazardous to me!
what apparent age? i.e. what telltale signs do you see (e.g. straight scales, short tail, country stamp, cutler stamp only etc.)?Quote:
Originally Posted by goshawk