First Restoration Attempt – T.R. Cadman & Sons Sheffield England - Bengall

[Brighty83]

Well, i found this online in an antiques store near me and purchased it for $20 in the hope to get some experience with restoration.

Its a 'T.R. Cadman & Sons Sheffield England' and on the other side of the blade it has 'Bengall'

I don't know anything about this blade so maybe someone will beable to help with that, tell me what they are like and if its worth the $20

There was a fair bit of staining, rust and scratching on the scales

Before Restoration Photos

(above photo was the online photo, the rest were taken by me)





The Below photo is after the restoration, in the top left corner of the blade\spine it looks like a mark on the blade - its actual my reflection lol and not a scratch




I polished the scales with a very fine 'car cut and polish' and I managed to get all the scratching out of the scales and made them a slightly cream\yellow color rather then the plain yellow, I sanded the blade and buffed it with a dremel and got 99% of the rust and stains off it, I honed and stropped the blade and give the blade a little test shave - all seems to be good

I just need to find some pins and put it back together

[Pauly]

The 'Bengall. brand was sold in the far East and Australasia, so it a rare brand in Europe/America. In Oz they were a dominant force in the market.
I don't own one, but they have an excellent reputation as being very fine shavers.

Most Bengalls I have seen have come in black bakelite handles and very few have designs stamped on the tang. So you have managed to score a rare version of a razor that is uncommon (in world terms) to begin with.

$20 is about the going rate for razors in decent condition but in need of restoration, although antique shops will usually try to tell you differently.

For pins go down to your local hobby store and ask for 1/16 inch brass rod.

[Brighty83]

Thanks Pauly,

At first i wasn't sure if it was a good brand or not.. I took it to the hone the first time and got it shaving but it shaved like a sharp kitchen knife, i wasnt sure if this was because it was a cheap razor or because of the awkwardness of having no scales on it lol, anyway i went back to the hone for a second pass on the 6k and the 10k, re stropped and it came up nice and sharp..

Its a small razor though, about 3mm smaller the my 5/8 razors, i don't know what size that would be? 4/8?

[Cookie90]

hey guys found this razor in a wall behind the plaster of a old house it says on it made expressly for a.edments. my question is is this a good knife and is it worth much?

[Walt]

Cookie,

It's always best to start a new thread when you want to ask a question, and not tag it on to the end of another subject, even if it is related. Your Bengal blade looks to be in very good condition and should make into a very good razor. As to its worth - we don't deal in values and prices in this forum. If you found it behind a wall you should be able to get a good return on your investment if you decide to sell it later on.

Regards -Walt

[DBell]

Thanks for the post Brighty.
I'll be looking to restore a Bengall myself, all this info helps!

[Str8Raz0r]

Brighty,

Looks good so far. The blade has come up nicely. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

[Exile]

I own several Bengalls and they are fantastic shavers. The first one was given to me by a friend and they have become my favourite razors. Yours is an older version from what I can gather because of the fancy tang. It is rare version not having black scales as was already said. The price of $20 is very good they go for £20 to £40 in the UK depending on the condition.

Hope you enjoy your new razor you have done a very good restoration of it.

[Havachat45]

Looks like a great job Brighty.
I hope my next one looks as good.

[Durhampiper]

Cadman made great razors--you got a great deal only paying $20. My first straight (gift from my wife) was a Bengall--love it. Great job on the restoration!