Thread: Thoughts on horn scale repair on big 'ol "Barbers Use" Elliot?

I recently got this 8/8++ Joseph Elliot "For Barber's Use" razor on ebay. It seems to have seen very little use; it has essentially no hone wear and the scales seem very salvageable, so I'd like to try to restore it to its past glory.

The scales have been damaged by stress/impact where the sides of the blade stressed the scales outward and at one point on the back edge of one scale. No horn material is missing, but the scales are a little deformed at both points of impact. I'd like to get the scales back to their original shape and reinforce them.

I have two ideas and would appreciate comments and other ideas:
(1) Saturate the damaged areas with CA and push the damaged areas back into their original shape while the CA sets. Would it work? If so, what would be a good material to use to exert pressure on the scales during this process (so it doesn't stick to the CA as it sets)?
(2) Line the scales with something and bond the horn to the lining. This would provide a surface which would support the damaged areas and (hopefully) hold deformed areas in their original positions. What would be a suitable liner and what should I use to bond the horn to it?

Thanks for your thoughts, gents. I'm really excited about the potential of this razor, even if it isn't a more highly coveted W&B of similar name and dimensions.

Nice Razor!!!

CA would reinforce the horn, if it's needed (i.e cracked). Otherwise, I'd leave it be. There is no need to remove the original hardware and pin work. I'd try to keep it as original as possible......

With these scales, what I have done is, first clean them up (I use tufglide soaked Q-tips and cloth to clean out the insides). Then I sand the horn on the outside from 600-800 grit, up to 2000, then 4000, 6000, and 8000. Between each grit I rub down the horn with neatsfoot. Also, keep the original pin work and sand carefully around it.

Then I finish off with a coat of renaissance wax.

The horn should have a nice mirror polish to it at the end.

BUT, that's just what I do........

C utz

Thanks very much for your thoughts!

I looked closely at the scales again last night. One side of one scale is slightly splintered at one point on its back edge. I plan to use CA on that.

Where the width of the blade has splayed/dented the scales, the scales deformed but did not splinter. Am I right in thinking that if I submerge that end of the scales in boiling water, the horn will soften and either return to its original shape or allow me to push it back to its original shape? Is there anything I should know before I attempt this?

It's difficult to see in the photos, but the scales are mostly glossy and straight. I'm hopeful that it won't take a lot of sanding to get them absolutely smooth and shiny using your suggestions of sandpaper and neatsfoot oil.

I have added brass liners to some of these.it works very well,and actually balances these heavy razors better when shaving.Glue the horn to the brass with Gorilla glue,be sure to rough the surface of the brass before gluing.I have some brass stock already rough cut to these scale sizes if you need them.take care when doing your finish work,that you dont overheat the brass,or the glue bond will fail. Best regards Gary

Thanks for that generous offer, Gary, and for the instructions on making a liner.

I'd like to see if I can restore them to original condition first, however. I like C utz's idea of retaining the razor's originality. When I looked again at the razor, I came to think the razor has never been used. There is no hone wear, no bevel, the pins are tight and the blade centers in the scales perfectly. If it had been stored more carefully, it would be pristine today. At any rate, if I can restore it to nearly original condition, it'll really be something special---at least to me.

Regarding balance, while I haven't shaved with it yet, I sort of went through the motions to test the balance. It seems well balanced. While the horn itself is quite light, the spacer seems to be lead and heavy enough to balance the heavy blade.

I'd just touch up the 'cracks' with CA, let it dry, and then sand the glue down with the rest. I would not worry about where the blade is pressing the horn since it is not cracking. It's going to contact that area in the future too. It seems as though the blade had been kept closed too tight with time. Just don't keep it closed as tight and you should be fine

Sand her up as is, and get that mirror polish.

If you are not happy, try Gary's liner trick and work out all those horn details that you are concerned with (i.e. the pressed contact areas). Also, you might want to find someone that can remove those pins and retain the original brass 'bulls-eye' collars if you do take her apart. If done right, it can be re-pinned in the original style, but with thin brass liners.

I'm happy to hear that someone else uses 'Gorilla glue' for slapping together scales with liners! I thought I was the only one.

C utz

Steve,

That's a beautiful razor. Elliots are every bit as good as W&Bs, in my book. Every time I part with either an Elliot or a Wostenholm, I find myself regretting it...

Good luck restoring it. Make us proud!

Josh