7/8 Tally Ho

[PapaFish]

BACKGROUND
I just got in a very nice Tally Ho razor. The stamp on the tang is deep (really deep) and dark, and the etching on the blade is in very good condition, except for toward the tip where there is discoloration and rust.

RUST
The scales are obviously not original, and will have to go eventually, but my first concern is that there is some rust (appears inactive). Normally not a problem, but it has such a cool etching, and it would really be a shame to lose it. What is the best way to remove the rust? If some discoloration remains, I am ok with it, I just don't want to lose the etch. The back side of the blade is actually really well polished, where I had expected to see tool marks.

UNUSED?
The razor is not sharp (maybe I could cut some bread?) so I will need to hone it up, but currently, the areas of the blade that would make contact with the hone are VERY smooth, showing no characteristic stone scratches. Is it possible this thing has never been used? (Ground, Initial Bevel Set, Polish Blade, Etch, Send Out, Not Be Used). I am guessing this is a further stretch of the imagination, since the scales have been replaced, but we all have to dream, don't we?

AGE
How old is it? According to Uniclectica, Frederick Fenney was in business from 1824 to 1852, but any idea on where in there it might be?

SCALES
As for the scales, where do I go to find some good horn scale material (or some vintage horn scales)? I would like to put some scales back on the razor that would be similar to the scales that were original (and all the Tally Ho pictures I have found have had horn scales).

Now for the moment you have all been waiting for, pictures!

7/8" F. Fenney Tally Ho with running fox and HUGE barber's notch (I think I am going to like that!).

Deep, dark stamp on tang.

Etching on blade. You will see the discoloration toward the tip, you may also be able to see the darker areas of rust.

Naturally it's a near wedge, I seem to be going through a phase where I really like this grind... Maybe it's not a phase, maybe it's here to stay!

 

[Obiwan]

Very nice!

 

[jkh]

Nice blade, unless you are an Iowa State fan

 

[professorchaos]

Score.

 

[Old Man Army]

Wow!

 

[Wid]

That is very nice.

 

[Gamma]

Sweet razor - that's going to be a really fine shaver....

 

[Blix]

Very nice, I'm sure it'll clean up good and serve you well! Far from unused though, seems to be plenty hone wear .

 

[JohnnyDemonic]

That's a real beauty. Fenney's are nice.

 

[PapaFish]

Here's what I have found out. The Razor is actually a C.T. Bingham, Late F. Fenney. This means that the razor was made between 1852 and 1863, since F. Fenney died in 1852 and C.T. Bingham took over operations then. Also, the "Late F. Fenney" was only used for a while as "brand recognition", and then dropped, so it's probably closer to 1852 than 1863.
ALSO, the razor more than likely references Iowa as being "The Hawk-eye State", and is much less likely to be identifying with a sports team (even though the University of Iowa was established in 1847).

I plan on getting some stainless steel metal polish and seeing what I can do with it and a Q-tip and/or rag. Is there a more gentle approach?

 

[DogHair]

Nice find! Maas or other polish might work but you'll possibly lose some etching. You could just clean it up and hone it?

 

[mdunn]

Nice!

Give it a really gentle (like, hardly any pressure) polish with something like brasso, that should clean the crud off it, and polish the shiny bits, without removing the cool etch

 

[Banjoman]

Very nice razor!

 

[PapaFish]

Nice find! Maas or other polish might work but you'll possibly lose some etching. You could just clean it up and hone it?

That's the plan. I am going to get some brasso or maas and work things like mdunn suggests, really slow. I got a jeweler's loupe at Harbor Freight for $2, and it has some very good magnification, so I intend to make sure this gets done as well as possible.

 

[tomjr]

outstanding, i like. hope u enjoy it.

 

[Alraz]

Wow, watta cleaver.

Al raz.

 

[kirk 988]

massive cleaver i like it

 

[PapaFish]

I unpinned it and got some polish that's good for stainless steel and had at it with some q-tips. The polish I got (going slowly) did not hurt the etch one bit. It cleaned off a lot of the darkness you see toward the tip, but it's still got a lot of character. After I was done with a good etch cleaning, I got out the Dremel and a polishing wheel and used the same polish to shine up the rest of the blade. Now I have to see about getting an old pair of horn scales and some silver colored pins/washers to finish it off real classy, and hopefully near original. No pictures today, but the polishing compound gave me just what I wanted. It cleaned and shined without gouging. It would have been nice if it could have removed some of the scratching, but I will settle for what I got!

 

[JohnnyDemonic]

Any updated photos?

 

[PapaFish]

Not at the moment. I have a vintage set of (hopefully) bone scales coming my way by mail. From the dimensions of the scales, they should be a perfect match! I will have to locate some rod, washers, and brass to fill in the oblnged pivot hole. I will get pictures of the completed razor up when finished.