Home shaver help

[callron]

I have acquired a Home Shaver which I believe is complete, less Cutter.
It consists of a Shaft, Thumbscrew, Spring, Collector and what appears to be a Holder for Cutter Blade attached to the Shaft with a screw.
Since this is my 1st experience with a Shaver, it begs two questions:
1. How does the Cutter Blade attach to the Holder?
2. Is there a source for replacement Cutter Blades?

Any info will be appreciated.

RF

[alang]

Could you post some pictures please?

Thanks
Andreas

[Chuck]

It all depends upon what your intended use for it is.

The conclusion that everyone who actually shaves
a blank cylinder using one of these types of
attachments on an Edison phonograph ultimately comes
to is that it is at best an extremely slow, touchy,
and frustrating experience.

This is due to several factors which include
some of the following things:

1) All Edison phonographs turn the mandrel very slowly
as far as RPM goes for shaving cylinders.

2) Most Edison phonographs are woefully underpowered
for shaving. (Triumph is somewhat of an exception
but still very slow)

What this all means is that if someone really wants
to be able to shave cylinders properly, then there
is no substitute for an electric motor driven shaving
machine.

The Edison cylinder phonograph shaving attachments
make a machine in a collection, in a display case
look nice. In my humble opinion, that is what they
do best. That is about all they actually do.

[callron]

Chuck, thank you for your reply.
I do intend to shave cylinders with the Home B, but I am using a variable speed motor which can run from 0 to 3000 rpm.
I am doing that now with a home made shaver, installed in place of the reproducer. and getting a fairly good finish. I thought by using a 'factory' shaving device, installed in the 'factory' carriage I could get a better finish, as well as retaining the front of the carriage for Recording and Reproducer using an Edison Ekonowatt motor with governor.
To complete this 'experiment', I need to ensure I have the correct Cutting Blade, or a reasonable facsimile.
I know you think I'm trying to 'reinvent the wheel', but as I mentioned before, I am doing this for the convenience of having an 'all-in-one' machine ..... and, it's a fun project.

[rgordon939]

I pretty much agree with Chuck about reinventing the wheel (Shaver). I shave a lot of brown wax cylinders and as we all know the swarf can make a big mess on a phonograph with no collection process. I would not want to use the same machine for playing pristine cylinders after shaving other cylinders. I understand your thinking but I also believe you would be much happier with two separate machines, one for playing one for shaving. I say this from from experience just like Chuck does.

Rich Gordon

[Chuck]

Good luck with your project and please keep us
all informed about your progress with it.

Just be ready to have a machine which gets heavily
caked with wax shavings, mixed with oil, that turn into
a rather thick gook that's somewhat like some weird
kind of grease.

This will definitely not be a showpiece.
It will be a workhorse.

[edisonphonoworks]

I have a shaver on my Triumph. I naturally have two Edison shaving machines I use, a 1920's-early 30's model "Utility" shaver, and a 1940's era "Master Shaver' to shave cylinders. The Utility shaver is abused greatly as I shave cylinders weekly from 2.30" in diameter, what they come out of the blank mold down to 2.220 or so for seasoning. I then use the "Master" shaver to do the fine shaving from 2.235 down to a usable commercial diameter of 2.195-2.170" (most Gold Moulded records are from 2.140-2.160".) However the Triumph shaver, after a little practice shaved very nicely. I also had used an Edison Home shaver, on an 1897 home. Make sure that you find the highest spot on the cylinder and set the shaver (while the carriage is in the PLAY postition) Then bring up the lift lever, and start the machine, and shave from left to right, and make several thin passes, it may take 2o minutes to shave off a cylinder on a home phonograph but it can be done, as long as you make very small adjustments, a fraction of a turn at a time, once you find the cut. It is hard to shave through a tear, than it is to shave shallow to start.

[Lucius1958]

I have a shaver on my Triumph. I naturally have two Edison shaving machines I use, a 1920's-early 30's model "Utility" shaver, and a 1940's era "Master Shaver' to shave cylinders. The Utility shaver is abused greatly as I shave cylinders weekly from 2.30" in diameter, what they come out of the blank mold down to 2.220 or so for seasoning. I then use the "Master" shaver to do the fine shaving from 2.235 down to a usable commercial diameter of 2.195-2.170" (most Gold Moulded records are from 2.140-2.160".) However the Triumph shaver, after a little practice shaved very nicely. I also had used an Edison Home shaver, on an 1897 home. Make sure that you find the highest spot on the cylinder and set the shaver (while the carriage is in the PLAY postition) Then bring up the lift lever, and start the machine, and shave from left to right, and make several thin passes, it may take 2o minutes to shave off a cylinder on a home phonograph but it can be done, as long as you make very small adjustments, a fraction of a turn at a time, once you find the cut. It is hard to shave through a tear, than it is to shave shallow to start.

Having done this a few times on my Home A, I agree that it is a tedious and messy job to get a good blank surface.

Bill

[Chuck]

Have a closer look at the brass part.

That looks like it may actually be the cutter.
If it is, it will have a small sharp sapphire
blade which is held onto the end of the small
brass bar using shellac.

[callron]

Thank you Chuck. I thought the brass piece was probably a Holder, but did not know what the Cutter looks like, how it's held in, or where to get one.
I have shellac ..... all I need now is a Sapphire Cutter, or suitable substitute.

RF