My Shaver my new project.

[debndunk]

Hi guys, this is my new toy it arrived this week. There's lots to do, of what I can see it needs new belts, new electric cable, a good clean and service then fingers crossed then it will work. I gave £100 for it do you think it was worth it?

[gramophoneshane]

That's a nice Dictaphone shaver. It should clean up well.
The mechanism appears to be very much the same as mine, but I assume mine is a later model because my cabinet has a flat lid, no lid lock and is finished in shellac rather than black Japan. I've actually always thought your style of cabinet looked better.
I'm sure once you/ve replace the belt and cord, it will work as there doesn't seem to be a lot that can go wrong with them, and the motors are built to last. As long as your cutter is in good condition, you should be happy with it's performance.

As for the price, I really have no idea what sort of value collectors put on these now days.
I know I paid about $125 for mine just over 20 years ago, and it sat in the shop I bought it from for at least 10 years prior to that, so it was obviously over priced, but I wanted it so I bought it.
I'm glad I did because I've never come across another one in the wild since, & I've certainly got my $125 worth of fun and usage from it over the last 20 years, and will continue to do so over the next 20...I hope
I've only seen a couple offered on ebay over here too, but don't recall any selling because they've had rediculous opening bids or BIN prices on them, and they're probably the sort of thing that only 1 out of every 500 collectors would want & use anyway.
At £100, I don't think it was dirt cheap, but provided it works properly and your intensions are to use it, it was £100 well spent.
You'll have to post a few more pictures once it's cleaned up and running.

[edisonphonoworks]

As I said, for anyone doing a lot of shaving, they are invaluable beyond money, I can't do my job without a good shaving knife, When I first started I had some down time because my shaver broke down a few times. I now only go through an ocassion belt, and my shavers get around 10 hours a week of work.

[scullylathe]

This is the same model I have, but the problem is - where do you get replacement blades for it? They're not made by anyone AFAIK...

[edisonphonoworks]

The key is to keep them away from hard surfaces, never have anything metal touch the blade, if you keep them from chips they wear evenly, and I have used the same blade for over 10 years of constant use with not any problems. However a source would be nice. The place where I had Edison 2 minute cutters made a few years ago require such a prohibative amount (over $2000.00 per run) that it is very expensive to have them made. Perhaps some memeber in here has a stash of NOS blades??

[debndunk]

Hi, I found this on youtube hope it helps.Victrola Guy Replacement cutting stylus for the edison dictaphone shaver.Gordon

[Chuck]

That's a nice shaver! Looks very similar to
the one I have. Some subtle differences though.
Yours appears to have had the feed screw moved
forward and made smaller in diameter. Mine has
the feed screw mounted in back of the slide-rod.

Also, I like the on-off buttons on yours! Mine
has a toggle switch.

I paid $75 (USD) back in 1978 for mine.
According to current the pounds-to-dollars exchange rate, it seems that your 100 pounds
is about like $158 (USD) is right now.

$75 in 1978 would be more than $150 now, so
you did fine on the price, I think.

As far as the cutters, they are sapphire blades. I spent some time at a jeweler's shop
and asked about sharpening these cutters.
The guy showed me a highspeed diamond-dust
embedded wheel he uses to facet jemstones.

The shaver cutter in question still has one good sharp corner that I am using to shave blanks. It is working so good right now that it is not worth taking apart quite yet.

However, when the time comes and it simply has
no more sharp places on it left to use, I will
be taking it over to that jewelry shop and will
have the man attempt to sharpen it on that wheel.

As far as any claims out there of people who
say they offer replacement shaver cutters...
use extreme caution and judgment when dealing
with them. Ask what material it is made of.

Ask for high-magnification pictures. Make sure
it is sapphire. Make sure that it matches the
original in every way.

Do not accept anything made of steel even if
it has been hardened. Steel is dead-soft when
compared with sapphire.

Congratulations on the purchase of your new
shaver! With a little TLC, it will work just
fine.

Chuck