Thread: Frameback

Have always wanted a decent one , so here is one I just picked up , first shave is tomorrow , my SOTD for Saturday. Hope it's all I've thought they would be. Tc

That is one handsome frameback. Like it alot.

That is a great example! Good catch! Enjoy your shave! They do cut close! The smiling blade is a win on my face!
~Richard

Me too! I love a smiler and something about these have been calling to me. But it sure took a while to find one in great shape , and Glen put an edge on it with a Thuri, so new type of edge for me to try too, win, win. Thanks guys. Tc

They had blades numbered from one to seven and sold them in a case with a frame as a seven day set. They also sold many as singles and Arbenz in the UK was a licenses distributor. MM and many others sold the frames and Le Coultre did not patent the idea. He also, it was said, made his own blades from pattern welded watch springs. There is some possible truth to that from some older blades I have.

Beautiful razor - the framebacks are really enjoyable, you'll love it, will be looking for it in the SOTD!

I just bought one and did a quick restoration.
Before.

After.

A bit of history:

A 7/8" T&B Jacques LeCoultre razor made in Au Sentier, Switzerland. The LeCoultre family was originally from France and moved to Switzerland in 1593 to operate a blacksmith shop. For many years the family made razors for family members and in 1830 they established LeCoultre Razor Company and began making a frameback razor which had a blade that was removable (see screw at tip of razor. In 1896 the razor sold for $2.00 with one blade and $3.00 with two; that's over $80.00 in 2013 money. Advertisements claimed that the blade need not be sharpened for ten years; English Sheffield steel was use by LeCoultre. The razor company ceased operation in 1919. Few complete LeCoultre frameback razors (those that still have the blade set screw) are available in todays market.

Great job Nelson. What a night & day transformation. I especially dig those translucent scales.
Very cool indeed.

When I say quick restoration I mean quick, a little 220, 400, 600, 1000 grit W/D, on the frameback, Simichrome on the blade section and the rescale. It took me a total of 40 minutes from start to finish. I've been using these acrylic scales to redo all my old personal razors, getting rid of all the busted celluloid and plastic scales I had. These look cool and work well, they are basically TI copies, I like the green and white. My pinning is getting a lot better too.