Thread: What are you working on?

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Yes but unfortunately, with a worn razor, it will inevitably lead to a heel hook.

Originally Posted by BeJay

There's nothing wrong with modifying your strokes to keep the stabilizer off of the hones. That's the right way to do it as long as there's no heel hook. It is nice to modify it and not have to worry about it though.

I agree. It depends on the razor and how worn it is though. You could argue that any razor with a stabilizer will develop a heel hook when worn enough. A razor with a freshly modified stabilizer will still inevitably develope a hook when worn that far. I prefer the modification. It makes honing easier all around. But it's not always a necessity... Until it's a necessity.

Nothing razor related today, but something about how things were done long before modern conveniences like electricity.

I finished the clean up and reassembly of the old iron today. I got it along with a pretty nice one/I restored the good one and donated it to the museum back home.

I've been ironing since I was just a young boy (when you're the oldest you become a helper instead of just a child).

Here's the two piece iron. The removable handle allowed to have a second iron to be heating so that the chore could continue. They also weren't all the same size but the handle would fit many sizes.



Well I didn't have a wood stove handy so I 'cheated' and used an electric burner to see if I could iron with an old cast iron sad iron.

Here's the iron heating on the burner/half way between Medium and Medium High. I left it there for about 10 minutes to heat through. I then did as mom did back in the day and used some crumpled wax paper to lube the bottom of the iron and then rubbed the excess off with a paper towel.



Back in the day we didn't have steam irons so mom would sprinkle the clothes, roll them up and keep working on the others and then do them all at once. So I followed her lead.

Here's the experiment on the 'Ironing Board'. The wire rack is to put the hot iron on as I didn't want to scorch the table top by leaving the iron on it.



Here's the finished product. Not too bad if I say so myself. I may buy a can of mom's go to spray starch (Niagara) and see how that goes.



Things would have gone quicker and easier if I had an actual ironing board but I haven't had the need but now if I do I can handle it with my makeshift one.

That's pretty neat, the shirt came out really nice too. I see these from time to time, glad you shared the process here.

Started working on my next set of scales last night. Finished profiling them this afternoon. The process went way better this time, even though it's been a few months i remembered stuff i did wrong the first time.

Cocobolo, with an aluminum spacer and black liner. Liner gets CA, cocobolo gets Tru-Oil.

My figured blanks.



Rough sanded.



Fine sanded.





Now they are gettin the glue..

Put in a half-day on my room yesterday. Odd-shaped room. Displays mounted on the walls.
Sorry for the cruddy pics. Seems I cannot take indoor pics worth a flip!
Need to replace the glass with non-glare. Only expense I should have, hopefully...



The barber's chairs should go here, with mirror and shelf in-between...



Lots of work to go...

Keep'm coming,,,,,,,

Just got back from the Hobby Lobby. Seems the non-glare glass I have been using for pictures and such won't work.
If it is a picture right up against the glass, it's fine. However objects away from the glass will be fuzzy.

Museum glass is better, but at 110 clams a pop, I don't think so...... Any ideas?

Anyhoo, got my little shelf for under the mirror while I was there. I will have some old Barber bottles on it.

Especially a fine old vintage Clubman bottle filled with some late-production juice which have been provided by Hirlau!



Thanks, John!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Just got back from the Hobby Lobby. Seems the non-glare glass I have been using for pictures and such won't work.
If it is a picture right up against the glass, it's fine. However objects away from the glass will be fuzzy.

Museum glass is better, but at 110 clams a pop, I don't think so...... Any ideas?

Anyhoo, got my little shelf for under the mirror while I was there. I will have some old Barber bottles on it.

Especially a fine old vintage Clubman bottle filled with some late-production juice which have been provided by Hirlau!



Thanks, John!

Full disclosure on the Vegetal bottle;

That bottle arrived with a neck label also; that bottle is the nicest bottle that ever came through my possession. It belongs in a Man Cave of shaving history. As I do with all my bottles, I sanitize them so they can be used. I tried a new method of protecting the neck label and after the sanitation process was over, I destroyed the label I was protecting,,, broke my heart.

The front label is damaged at the bottom left side; my thumb was damp and the very dry paper grabbed hold immediately. I feel bad for the mistakes, but she is still a fine bottle that deserves a special place. The cap on that bottle is hard to find, especially one in that fine of shape. The glass is without flaw.

Enjoy the bottle & I'm sure another Pinaud will find its way to your Man Cave.

Well, it looks wonderful to me, Hirlau!
I dig the back label.... Dear Sir!



Get you some lilac vegetal shaving soap and Talc. Some Eau de Quinine! Then you are SET!



I would bet that little cap is hard to come by. I suppose a basket of lilac?



And on the bottom....



Do you suppose the bottles, being property of Pinuad, were loaned to the barbers and the Clubman man came by to refill from time-to-time?

I wonder if they will come and reposes it now.