The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello!

I'm new here and have an office dictation machine I restored which works well. I have a few black voicewriter cylinders in great condition. I've been using tupentine to wipe my few recordings clean.

I bought an Ediphone Edison Shaver today. (loaded a photo of it) I'm replacing the blower belt tomorrow but other than that it's in great shape. The only issue is that I don't know how to use it. It powers up. I know basically what to do but don't want to explode a cylinder on it. It spins FAST.

There's a clear blade that has a thumb screw adjuster and sort of swivels. It adjusts the angle of the blade against the cylinder. I don't know what to set it to. I've fidgeted with it but haven't got a smooth surface with it yet. I have a replacement blade, NOS from the Edison company.

Can anyone enlightenment about this? I greatly appreciate the help!!!

Best Regards,

Jason Spacey
Anaheim, Ca

Ediphone and Dictaphone cylinders are very thick so they can be recorded upon multiple times. They also have a fabric mesh embedded into the 'wax' to give the cylinder added strength under the centrifugal stress of the shaving process. The clear blade is quartz. To shave a cylinder, back the blade out and then adjust it in until you take a light shaving from the surface of the cylinder on the first past. Turn the knob perhaps a quarter rotation more and take a second pass. It shouldn't require more than two or three passes to yield a recordable surface. I would recommend closing the lid while the actual shaving is being done just in case something should decide to let fly. I would strongly discourage shaving any cylinders designed for home use upon a high-speed commercial shaver.