I've been trying to get my hands on this thing for months! Finally!! Out of all sandpaper, to be continued once I find some appropriate grits in this godforsaken city...
Attachment 146472Attachment 146473Attachment 146474Attachment 146475
Printable View
I've been trying to get my hands on this thing for months! Finally!! Out of all sandpaper, to be continued once I find some appropriate grits in this godforsaken city...
Attachment 146472Attachment 146473Attachment 146474Attachment 146475
Been at it for a few hours
Attachment 146480Attachment 146481Attachment 146482
That's going to be one nice razor when you're done! Keep us posted.
Anyone have a guess on who might have made this one for packwood? It looks like some John Barbers I've seen, but IDK...
I meant to ask, was this a common scale style for the period? Moreover, what would you guys recommend for a finish? Gun stock finish? The scales were liberated of any finish LOOOONG ago... Thankfully the wood is still good.
I have always been a fan of Spar varnish, or Tung oil on woods. Some guys like using CA glue to seal it up.
It was a very common style in the early 1820's. John Barber seems to have been the one who popularized it (with the OLD ENGLISH stamp), but Isaac Barber also made them, as well as Thomas Scargill and a few others. Most likely, it was a style produced by one of the Little M'esters who worked for several different manufacturers. There's absolutely no way to know now.Quote:
Originally Posted by kcb5150
They're not the original scales. Most likely they were replaced sometime in the last 50-100 years. Original wood scales on English razors are extremely uncommon. My guess is that they're rare simply because there was a huge support industry build around cutlery production. That meant there was a dedicated industry for making scales for razors and they historically were made with horn, tortoise or ivory. There just weren't as many people with the experience working wood who also made scales. But that's just a guess. It may also have been because the finishes that were available in the late 1700's when the industry really gelled into place were unsuitable for the high-moisture environment of a lathered face.Quote:
Originally Posted by kcb5150
Hmm... When did one piece slotted wooden scales such as these first make an appearance? I think these are mahogany.
Even if they are not original scales, somebody took the time and care to put pretty petal style washers on the pivot. Could very well be original washers, if nothing else. If you dont object to the scales, nothing else matters!
The scales actually suit it, plus they have no splits, cracks or warps. Once I cleaned all of the rust off of it and out of the pivot they fit the razor like a glove. They just need restoration like the rest of it. The washers really are what had me terribly confused about them. Most every stubtail I've seen has had horn scales that are yellow at base but have some sort of blackening going on I suspect was intentional.
" Most every stubtail I've seen has had horn scales that are yellow at base but have some sort of blackening going on I suspect was intentional."
I suspect your referring to tortoise shell ?
I'm fairly certain the ones on my Evatt 1790s are tortoise, but I've seen blonde ones that have some sort of lacquer or staining going on across the entire surface area that is not simple patina. I wish I was able to buy every piece I've seen, but some people just refuse to come down on things that need heavy amounts of work. So much time has passed, I don't know what to say about the condition of anything once it finally gets to me, I am just grateful when it is a state I can work with or around.
But he is right, I've never seen anything of this age in wood, let alone one piece slotted wood, yet the condition of the razor being so old and corrosion aside, not appearing o have been subjected to many stones in its life, the intact washers,and the fact that there was about a century's worth of patina on the scales when I acquired it really confused me.
I've only ever seen modern razors with one-piece wood scales from the factory. I have seen one or two old razors that had been rescaled similarly in the late 1800's. Probably homemade. Woodworkers needed to shave, too! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by kcb5150
I agree with Zak. Original collars, later homemade scales. The blonde horn you were talking about - most likely horn that had been dyed to a darker color. After age and wear you can see the light horn peeking through around the edges. While not rare, tortoise is uncommon. Blonde, mottled, and dyed faux horn were commonplace and are often confused for tortoise, but once you see the real stuff you know.
I had to order a full progression of grits. Won't be able to resume till friday/sat Manhattan is a PITA for certain stuff.
I need one more whack at low grit, but I got it up to 400 level polish for a progress report. Any remnants of pitting in danger zones will be eradicated then and then I am bumping back up as I feel it would just be getting greedy given what I started with and it would be a major case of diminishing returns.. I've been doing this in 1-2 hour blocks. It is just draining to constantly be mindful of maintaining the angles on the faces of the blade as well as the text so I take breaks. I bought some cheap sneaker inserts and folded them into wedges to spool the sandpaper around. It has served me well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM6Qc...ature=youtu.be
