http://theshiveringbeggar.com/wp-con...3/IMG_8378.jpg
This is a pair that's been a long time in coming.
I got the first of these about a year ago off eBay, when I'd still buy absolutely anything if it was old enough and I could get the winning bid. This morning the package arrived from ScienceGuy and there was the second one. A brother-razor who walked a different path, didn't get the point honed down, didn't get buffered.
http://theshiveringbeggar.com/wp-con...3/IMG_8379.jpg
They're small razors. Not flashy or heavily ornamented, but the one I got a year ago (the heavily buffed one in the shiny scales) took an incredible edge.
These were probably made sometime in the 1820's or 30's, and to my eye it looks like they could've been made on the same day.
I think I'm going to fix up the scales on both (the pile side of the 'new' one is busted at the pivot), clean the blades a little (including restoring the factory glaze to the tang instead of that buffer-mirror) and make a nice box to carry them in.
The one I got from ScienceGuy has a crack near the point. He sold it to me for cheap because of that, and I figured I'd either grind it out or see if I can get it laser welded. With the thickness of the blade it could probably just be used as-is, but I'm going to look into laser welds. They both need new pin collars, but I think I've got that covered.
And that weird pale spot on the scales of the 'new' one? That's a 'defect' in the horn. It's perfectly formed as scales and the translucency makes it look like it's been sanded down. I'll keep that.